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Full-Text Articles in Medical Neurobiology

Nursing Considerations For Post-Traumatic Amnesia After A Traumatic Brain Injury, Hannah Grant Dec 2022

Nursing Considerations For Post-Traumatic Amnesia After A Traumatic Brain Injury, Hannah Grant

Senior Honors Theses

A period known as post-traumatic amnesia (PTA) often follows a traumatic brain injury (TBI). PTA is characterized by anterograde and retrograde amnesia, confusion, disorientation, and agitation. The duration and severity of PTA is a key indicator of the long-term prognosis after a TBI, so proper assessment and nursing care of a PTA patient is crucial. TBIs range from mild to severe, but primarily affect the fronto-temporal lobes. In PTA, both neural lesions and white matter damage within the parahippocampal region can cause PTA. A nurse must perform a thorough assessment of a TBI patient, but, since PTA is a key …


Applications And Challenges Of Neural Stem Cell Therapy, John Brewster Apr 2022

Applications And Challenges Of Neural Stem Cell Therapy, John Brewster

Senior Honors Theses

In response to the many neurological disorders that plague humanity, no treatment shows more promise than stem cell therapy. By using these special cells to regrow damaged neurons and combat sources of disease in affected patients, researchers hope to treat neurological disorders of all kinds. While great strides have been made in laboratory settings, the widespread use of stem cells to treat neurological disorders in humans is still a distant goal. Recent advancements have been made in the area of neural stem cell therapy, but complications arise when using this method to treat neurological disorders.


Adverse Aftereffects Of Methotrexate As Chemotherapy On Cognitive Deficits In Rat Models, Jubin Kang Apr 2020

Adverse Aftereffects Of Methotrexate As Chemotherapy On Cognitive Deficits In Rat Models, Jubin Kang

Senior Honors Theses

Patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia have a high five-year survival rate thanks to methotrexate (MTX). However, cognitive side effects are reported, characterized as chemo brain. The study investigated if impulsiveness is part of the aberrant cognitive functions after being exposed to MTX in the early stage of physical development. Adolescent rats were injected with either phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) or MTX. The novel object recognition (NOR) task was conducted a month after the injections to measure the memory deficits. The discounting task was performed after the rats completed training on a fixed-ratio one schedule for both levers. The NOR test showed …


Anxiety In Alzheimer's Disease, Zachary Cooper Apr 2020

Anxiety In Alzheimer's Disease, Zachary Cooper

Senior Honors Theses

Researchers familiar with Alzheimer’s disease have often noted the presence of comorbid anxiety symptomatology. Likewise, the occurrence of anxiety before the development of Alzheimer’s disease has been prevalent enough to warrant attention. This review seeks to elaborate on the pathophysiology behind these two conditions, and to accentuate overlapping aspects that promote a causal relationship between these two pathologies on the macroscopic and cellular levels. Subsequent evidence will show that these pathologies are not independent of each other, and that cellular mechanisms of pathology hint at their interrelatedness. Areas requiring further research that would clarify the relationship between Clinical Anxiety and …


Alzheimer's And Amyloid Beta: Amyloidogenicity And Tauopathy Via Dyshomeostatic Interactions Of Amyloid Beta, Jordan Tillinghast Dec 2019

Alzheimer's And Amyloid Beta: Amyloidogenicity And Tauopathy Via Dyshomeostatic Interactions Of Amyloid Beta, Jordan Tillinghast

Senior Honors Theses

This paper reviews functions of Amyloid-β (Aβ) in healthy individuals compared to the consequences of aberrant Aβ in Alzheimer’s disease (AD). As extraneuronal Aβ accumulation and plaque formation are characteristics of AD, it is reasonable to infer a pivotal role for Aβ in AD pathogenesis. Establishing progress of the disease as well as the mechanism of neurodegeneration from AD have proven difficult (Selkoe, 1994). This thesis provides evidence suggesting the pathogenesis of AD is due to dysfunctional neuronal processes involving Aβ’s synaptic malfunction, abnormal interaction with tau, and disruption of neuronal homeostasis. Significant evidence demonstrates that AD symptoms are partially …


Spinal Cord Trauma: An Overview Of Normal Structure And Function, Primary And Secondary Mechanisms Of Injury, And Emerging Treatment Modalities, Daniel Morin May 2018

Spinal Cord Trauma: An Overview Of Normal Structure And Function, Primary And Secondary Mechanisms Of Injury, And Emerging Treatment Modalities, Daniel Morin

Senior Honors Theses

The structures of the spinal cord and vertebral column are designed to provide flexibility, while still providing ample protection for the spinal cord deep within. While it does offer remarkable protection against most routine trauma, the spinal cord is still vulnerable to high-force etiologies of trauma and may become damaged as a result. These events are referred to as primary injury. Following the initial injury, the body’s own physiological responses cause a cascade of deleterious effects, known as secondary injury. Secondary injury is a major therapeutic target in mitigating the effects of spinal cord injury (SCI), and much research is …


An Examination Into The Relationship Between Iron Deficiency And Postpartum Depression, Sara A. Burroughs Dec 2016

An Examination Into The Relationship Between Iron Deficiency And Postpartum Depression, Sara A. Burroughs

Senior Honors Theses

Postpartum depression is recognized as the most common complication of childbearing; however, its etiology remains fairly undetermined. Many different influences have been hypothesized as to what may cause postpartum depression, including changes in levels of various hormones (such as estrogen and progesterone), a decrease in serotonin, low levels of vitamin D, social factors, and iron deficiency. The lack of strong evidence for one specific cause makes it fairly clear that there are many factors that play a role in the development of postpartum depression. Iron deficiency is one issue that is thought to contribute to the development of postpartum depression …


An Overview Of Leber’S Hereditary Optic Neuropathy, Matthew R. Dalton Sep 2015

An Overview Of Leber’S Hereditary Optic Neuropathy, Matthew R. Dalton

The Kabod

Typically affecting males ranging from 20 to 24 years of age, Leber’s Hereditary Optic Neuropathy (LHON) is a disorder that is characterized by an acute loss of central vision. Although a heritable disease, LHON does not follow the patterns of classical Mendelian genetics. In fact, one of the most striking characteristics of LHON is that the disease is virtually always inherited maternally. Unlike most genetic disorders that result from a mutation in genomic DNA, LHON is caused by a mutation in the genetic information of mitochondria (mtDNA). Currently there is no treatment for LHON. Despite this, pharmaceutical interventions and contemporary …


Gene Expression And Alzheimer's Disease: Evaluation Of Gene Expression Patterns In Brain And Blood For An Alzheimer's Disease Mouse Model, Amanda Hazy Jan 2015

Gene Expression And Alzheimer's Disease: Evaluation Of Gene Expression Patterns In Brain And Blood For An Alzheimer's Disease Mouse Model, Amanda Hazy

Senior Honors Theses

Previous studies have established a causative role for altered gene expression in development of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). These changes can be affected by methylation and miRNA regulation. In this study, expression of miRNA known to change methylation status in AD was assessed by qPCR. Genome-wide expression changes were determined by RNA-sequencing of mRNA from hippocampus and blood of control and AD mice. The qPCR data showed significantly increased expression of Mir 17 in AD, and sequencing data revealed 230 genes in hippocampus, 58 genes in blood, and 8 overlapping genes showing significant differential expression (p value ≤ 0.05). Expression data …


Analysis Of Differential Mrna And Mirna Expression In An Alzheimer’S Disease Mouse Model, Amanda Hazy, Matthew Dalton Oct 2014

Analysis Of Differential Mrna And Mirna Expression In An Alzheimer’S Disease Mouse Model, Amanda Hazy, Matthew Dalton

Other Undergraduate Scholarship

Research has shown that changes in gene expression play a critical role in the development of Alzheimer’s Disease (AD). Our project will evaluate genome-wide RNA expression patterns from brain and blood in an AD mouse model. This analysis will provide insight regarding the mechanisms of AD pathology as well as determine a possible diagnostic tool utilizing RNA expression patterns found in the blood as biomarkers for AD.


Celiac Disease And Neurological Symptoms, Lauren V. Cook Apr 2013

Celiac Disease And Neurological Symptoms, Lauren V. Cook

Senior Honors Theses

New research has revealed that Celiac disease, an autoimmune illness affecting the small intestine, has more ties with neurological side effects than once was thought. The classic and most well known presentation of Celiac disease is gastrointestinal, including symptoms such as abdominal pains, nausea, diarrhea, and flatulence. Researchers have more recently found a correlation between Celiac disease and neurological illnesses such as epilepsy, depression, dementia, and ADHD. Physician awareness of the disease and the neurological side of the illness should be heightened in order for patients to receive earlier diagnosis and a better quality of life. Because of the difficulty …


Aβ Alters The Dna Methylation Status Of Cell-Fate Genes In An Alzheimer’S Disease Model, Gary D. Isaacs, Noor Taher, Courtney Mckenzie, Rebecca Garrett, Matthew Baker, Nena Fox Jan 2013

Aβ Alters The Dna Methylation Status Of Cell-Fate Genes In An Alzheimer’S Disease Model, Gary D. Isaacs, Noor Taher, Courtney Mckenzie, Rebecca Garrett, Matthew Baker, Nena Fox

Faculty Publications and Presentations

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is characterized by neurofibrillary tangles and extracellular amyloid-β plaques (Aβ). Despite ongoing research, some ambiguity remains surrounding the role of Aβ in the pathogenesis of this neurodegenerative disease. While several studies have focused on the mutations associated with AD, our understanding of the epigenetic contributions to the disease remains less clear. To that end, we determined the changes in DNA methylation in differentiated human neurons with and without Aβ treatment. We isolated the DNA from neurons treated with Aβ or vehicle, and digested the two samples with either a methylation-sensitive (HpaII) or a methylation-insensitive (MspI) restriction endonuclease. …


Parkinson’S Disease: Molecular Mechanisms And Treatments, Delia Vahey Apr 2012

Parkinson’S Disease: Molecular Mechanisms And Treatments, Delia Vahey

Senior Honors Theses

Parkinson’s disease is a motor system disorder that is caused primarily by the loss of dopamine-producing brain cells. The most affected brain structure is the pars compacta of the substantia nigra. This area of the brain is essential to the control of voluntary movement, and so its impairment leads to symptoms such as tremors, rigidity, and impaired balance. The neuronal protein alpha-synuclein has been shown to be heavily involved in the pathogenesis of the disease at the cellular level. The currently available treatments for PD mainly target dopamine regulation, and there been no cure developed for the disease at present. …