Behavior and Behavior Mechanisms Commons^™

What Is The Impact Of Marijuana Usage On Sexual Dysfunction Among Individual And How Do Factors Such As Frequency Of Use, Dosage, And Duration Of Marijuana Consumption Influence Sexual Function, Zachary A. Harris, Russell Levi, Saad Ahmed

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

Sexual health is an integral piece of human vitality, encompassing a multitude of psychological & physiological factors. There has been an unprecedented amount of interest surrounding cannabis and its impact on sexual function in the past decade. The interplay between the acceptance of cannabis and its widespread use presents the need for research into the correlation between cannabis and sexual health outcomes. The primary components of cannabis, cannabidiol (CBD) and tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) have attracted scrutiny for their potential effects on sexual function. Anecdotal accounts suggest heightened sexual desire and pleasure, however there are conflicting reports raising concerns regarding performance issues …

The Impact Of Traumatic Brain Injury On Noradrenergic Innervation Of The Prefrontal Cortex, Jil P. Modi, Christopher P. Knapp, Rachel L. Navarra

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) is a common cause of death and disability in the United States, and it can occur due to varied reasons including motor vehicle accidents, gunshot wounds, and falls. Following TBIs, patients are often left with lifelong disabilities and cognitive problems that can lead to increased risk-taking behaviors. The main goal of my research was to understand the neural mechanisms that drive increased risk-taking behaviors due to TBIs. The specific areas of the brain I was interested in looking at were the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), orbitofrontal cortex (OFC), and/or anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) of the prefrontal …

Gut Microbiome And Nutrition Interplay In Regulating And Improving Autism Spectrum Disorder Related Social Symptoms, Irenonsen Juliet Eigbe, Christian Moya Gamboa, Jana Gjini, Jaydeep Mukherjee, Susrut Dube

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

The composition of the gut microbiome has been shown to play a role in the onset of neurological disorders, including Autism Spectrum Disorder(ASD). A small variety of recent research articles identify a possible link between onset and severity of ASD related behaviors and the composition of the gut microbiome. The purpose of this review is to identify gaps in the current understanding of the role that nutrition plays in changing the gut microbiome and subsequently altering the onset and severity of behavioral phenotypes in children with ASD. Inclusion criteria comprises peer-reviewed publications relating to children with autism. Exclusion criteria consists …

Alpha 7 Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptor Expression In The Hippocampus Of Patients With Schizophrenia, Shruti Varshney, Ananya Nethikunta, Minjal Patel, Mary Kosciuk, Randel L. Swanson, Venkat Venkataraman, Robert Nagele, Eric Goldwaser, Nimish K. Acharya

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

Background: Schizophrenia (SZ) is a heterogenous psychiatric condition characterized by disruptions in cognition, social activity, affect, and perception often associated with a varied combination of positive and negative symptoms. The pathophysiology behind SZ remains poorly elucidated. Earlier reports have cited the importance of the alpha 7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (α7nAChR) in the hippocampus and the receptor’s association with auditory sensory gating and cognitive function. Specifically, variations in the expression and functionality of α7nAChR can be linked to auditory hallucinations experienced by patients with SZ and several therapies have been researched that target α7nAChRs. However, there are very few primary research …

Examining The Effects Of Menstrual Cycle Phase And Hormonal Contraceptive Use On Women's Sleep, Charles Ethan Coombs

Psychological Science Undergraduate Honors Theses

Women overrepresent men for sub-optimal sleep, a consequence of hormone fluctuation in the menstrual cycle affecting sleep regulatory pathways. While research has examined the prevalence of sub-optimal sleep through cycle phases, little research has examined how hormonal contraceptives (HC’s) could similarly affect women’s sleep, while also neglecting to utilize subjective sleep measures. In this study, we examine subjective sleep quality among naturally cycling (NC) women, women using different HC types, and between active and inactive phase pill users by subjecting 463 women to a subjective sleep battery. We hypothesized that HC users would report more sub-optimal sleep than NC women. …

Validation Of A Novel Heritable Rodent Model Of Drug Abuse Vulnerability In Psychosis And Investigation Of Therapeutic Targets, Loren D. Peeters

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Schizophrenia is a severe neuropsychiatric disorder of largely unknown etiology that is often accompanied by high rates of cigarette smoking, reduced quit success, and high relapse rates. Dysregulated dopamine signaling and aberrant synaptic plasticity in the mesocorticolimbic pathway are implicated in the pathophysiology of schizophrenia and conferred substance abuse disorder and relapse vulnerability. Genetic factors are presumed to play a significant role in the development of schizophrenia, with a 40-50% concordance rate for monozygotic twins, although genetic markers are inconsistent. As such, epigenetic factors have instead been implicated. Specifically, there is strong evidence to suggest DNA methylation at several candidate …

Grit And Second Language Learning Engagement: The Mediating Role Of Affect Balance, Chenggang Wu, Xiaoyong Tian, Hui Jin

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

The study of the relationship between key psychological attributes of learners and their engagement in second language (L2) learning helps to understand the critical personality mechanisms influencing language learning. The present study examined the L2 learning engagement from the perspectives of grit (i.e., consistent efforts and interests devoted to a long-term goal) and affect balance (a notion that takes into account both positive and negative emotions concurrently, assessing and evaluating which side holds more significance or influence). A cohort of English L2 learners (

Outpatient Fall Prevention In Ambulatory Adults 65 Years Old And Over, Dorothy L. Osborne-White

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Scholarly Projects - Archive

Background: In the United States (U.S.), falls are the leading cause of injury among adults 65 and over, resulting in 36 million falls yearly (Moreland et al., 2020). According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC, 2023), one in four older adults experiences a fall each year. Falls are the world's second most prominent cause of accidental deaths (World Health Organization [WHO], 2021). Falls are the leading cause of both fatal and non-fatal injuries among older adults (Moreland et al., 2020).

Methods: A quality improvement project that included a fall bundle was implemented in a primary clinic. A …

Estradiol Signaling Improves Extinction Memory Recall To Combat Cue-Induced Heroin Relapse In Rats, Jordan S. Carter

MUSC Theses and Dissertations

We are in the midst of an opioid use disorder (OUD) epidemic. While several treatments mitigate a range of factors contributing to return to use, or relapse, the power of drug-conditioned environmental cues to precipitate relapse have not been adequately addressed. One treatment modality targeting cue reactivity, cue exposure therapy (CET), exacerbated relapse in individuals with OUD, perhaps due to a deficit in extinction memory recall (EMR). Here, EMR is the ability to override the drug-cue association and prevent relapse. Interest remains in combatting cue-induced relapse, potentially by introducing a pharmacologic adjunct with CET to enhance EMR. In the following …

Mild Traumatic Brain Injury In Yucatan Minipigs: Assessing Changes In Approachability And Mechanical Nociception Following Diffuse Central Fluid Percussion Injury, Mark D. Pavlichenko

Theses and Dissertations

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a major healthcare concern affecting millions. Symptoms of TBI include sensory sensitivity and social changes that may persist long-term. Due to similarities in cytoarchitecture, metabolism, and inflammation, higher order minipig models are advantageous for translational TBI research, however, there remains a shortage of information regarding their behavioral and sensory sequelae following injury. Therefore, in this study, we assessed changes in sociability and somatosensation in adult male and female Yucatan minipigs for up to one-week following a sham or central fluid percussion injury (cFPI). Specifically, the voluntary human approach task (VHAT) and the forced human approach …

Fitness Consequences Of Depressive Symptoms Vary Between Generations: Evidence From A Large Cohort Of Women Across The 20th Century, Christopher I Gurguis, Renée A Duckworth, Nicole M Bucaro, Consuelo Walss-Bass

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Depression has strong negative impacts on how individuals function, leading to the assumption that there is strong negative selection on this trait that should deplete genetic variation and decrease its prevalence in human populations. Yet, depressive symptoms remain common. While there has been a large body of work trying to resolve this paradox by mapping genetic variation of this complex trait, there have been few direct empirical tests of the core assumption that there is consistent negative selection on depression in human populations. Here, we use a unique long-term dataset from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey that spans …

Traumatic Stress-Induced Increases In Anxiety-Like Behavior And Alcohol Self-Administration Are Mediated By Central Amygdala Crf1 Neurons That Project To The Lateral Hypothalamus, Marcus M. Weera, Daniel A. Webster, Rosetta S. Shackett, Federica Benvenuti, Jason W. Middleton, Nicholas W. Gilpin

School of Graduate Studies Faculty Publications

Avoidance stress coping, defined as persistent internal and/or external avoidance of stress-related stimuli, is a key feature of anxiety- and stress-related disorders, and contributes to increases in alcohol misuse after stress exposure. Previous work using a rat model of predator odor stress avoidance identified corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) signaling via CRF type-1 receptors (CRF1) in the central amygdala (CeA), as well as CeA projections to the lateral hypothalamus (LH) as key mediators of conditioned avoidance of stress-paired contexts and/or increased alcohol drinking after stress. Here, we report that CRF1-expressing CeA cells that project to the LH are preferentially activated in male …

Fornix Volumetric Increase During Aging Associates To Microglia Activation Leading To Defective Cognitive Performance, Marcela Cárdenas Tueme, Luis Ángel Trujillo-Villarreal, Victor Ramírez-Amaya, Eduardo Garza-Villarreal, Alberto Camacho-Morales, Diana Reséndez-Pérez

Research Symposium

Background: Ageing displays a low-grade pro-inflammatory profile in blood and brain. It has been documented proinflammatory cytokines accumulation leading to neuroinflammation during aging. Aged brains integrate pro inflammatory cytokines accumulation, active microglia and volumetric changes which correlates with defective cognitive performance and neurodegeneration.

Methods: Mice from 2-,12- and 20-months-old of age were submitted to different memory tests: Y-maze, Barnes maze, object location test and object location test. Afterwards, we performed structural MRI to evaluate macrostructural changes related to memory and learning regions. Following this, we also evaluated in peripheral blood and in brain tissue the presence of pro-inflammatory cytokines …

Acute Ethanol Modulates Synaptic Inhibition In The Basolateral Amygdala Via Rapid Nlrp3 Inflammasome Activation And Regulates Anxiety-Like Behavior In Rats, Soumyabrata Munshi, Lucas Albrechet-Souza, Raoni Conceição Dos-Santos, Claire E. Stelly, Maria E. Secci, Nicholas W. Gilpin, Jeffrey G. Tasker

School of Graduate Studies Faculty Publications

Chronic alcohol exposure leads to a neuroinflammatory response involving activation of the nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain-like receptor protein 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome and pro-inflammatory cytokine production. Acute ethanol (EtOH) exposure activates GABAergic synapses in the central and basolateral amygdala (BLA) ex vivo, but whether this rapid modulation of synaptic inhibition is due to an acute inflammatory response and alters anxiety-like behavior in male and female animals is not known. Here, we tested the hypotheses that acute EtOH facilitates inhibitory synaptic transmission in the BLA by activating the NLRP3 inflammasome-dependent acute inflammatory response, that the alcohol-induced increase in inhibition is cell type- and …

Attenuated Typicality Effect In Category-Based Inferences: Implications For Autism Spectrum Disorder, Janani Rajagopalan

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Individuals diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) often encounter challenges in assimilating atypical exemplars into their categorical prototypes, a cognitive hurdle that can impact their interpretative and integrative capacities. Addressing this problem, the present research sought to develop a robust methodological approach to reduce the effect of this disparity. We examined the elements embedded within the category's internal structure, with the intention of experimentally attenuating the pronounced typicality effect, which is often exaggerated in ASD.

Across four experiments, the thesis investigated the cognitive and neural underpinnings that shape the access to the typicality gradient intrinsic to a category's structure. The …

Visualizing Dopamine Activity In Deletion Of D2 Receptors In Medium Spiny Neurons, Kunhee Lee

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Dopamine has been implicated in motivated behaviors and reinforcement learning. In this study, we are looking at the role of dopamine in allocating efforts when obtaining reward. Using Cre recombinase genetic tool, D2 receptors in striatal indirect pathway neurons were selectively deleted, and dopamine signal was recorded in ventral striatum using fiber photometry. Behaviorally, D2 receptor deletion resulted in less effort in a Progressive Ratio (PR) paradigm shown by decreased breakpoint, number of presses, and reward pellets earned. Due to the previous evidence that dopamine positively modulates effort, we hypothesized that there would be less dopamine release in D2 deleted …

Oleoylethanolamide Facilitates Pparα And Tfeb Signaling And Attenuates Aβ Pathology In A Mouse Model Of Alzheimer’S Disease, Michele M Comerota, Manasee Gedam, Wen Xiong, Feng Jin, Lisheng Deng, Meng C Wang, Jin Wang, Hui Zheng

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

BACKGROUND: Age is the strongest risk factor for the development of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Besides the pathological hallmarks of β-amyloid (Aβ) plaques and neurofibrillary tangles, emerging evidence demonstrates a critical role of microglia and neuroinflammation in AD pathogenesis. Oleoylethanolamide (OEA) is an endogenous lipid amide that has been shown to promote lifespan and healthspan in C. elegans through regulation of lysosome-to-nucleus signaling and cellular metabolism. The goal of our study was to determine the role of OEA in the mediation of microglial activity and AD pathology using its stable analog, KDS-5104.

METHODS: We used primary microglial cultures and genetic and …

Parents’ Perspectives On The Utility Of Genomic Sequencing In The Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Amy A. Lemke, Michelle L. Thompson, Emily C. Gimpel, Katelyn C. Mcnamara, Carla A. Rich, Candice R. Finnila, Meagan E. Cochran, James M.J. Lawlor, Kelly M. East, Kevin M. Bowling, Donald R. Latner, Susan M. Hiatt, Michelle D. Amaral, Whitley V. Kelley, Veronica Greve, David E. Gray, Stephanie A. Felker, Hannah Meddaugh, Ashley Cannon, Amanda Luedecke, Kelly E. Jackson, Laura G. Hendon, Hillary M. Janani, Marla Johnston, Lee Ann Merin, Sarah L. Deans, Carly Tuura, Trent Hughes

School of Medicine Faculty Publications

Background: It is critical to understand the wide-ranging clinical and non-clinical effects of genome sequencing (GS) for parents in the NICU context. We assessed parents’ experiences with GS as a first-line diagnostic tool for infants with suspected genetic conditions in the NICU. Methods: Parents of newborns (N = 62) suspected of having a genetic condition were recruited across five hospitals in the southeast United States as part of the SouthSeq study. Semi-structured interviews (N = 78) were conducted after parents received their child’s sequencing result (positive, negative, or variants of unknown significance). Thematic analysis was performed on all interviews. Results: …

Role Of Chronic Stress-Induced Neuroinflammation In Rodent Locus Coeruleus Physiology And Anxiety-Like Behaviors, Arthur Anthony Alfonso Reyes

Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences Theses and Dissertations

The locus coeruleus (LC), the primary site of brain norepinephrine (NE), is a key anatomical brain region implicated in the stress response. Stress is a neuroendocrine physiologic response to a stressor that promotes organism survival through adaptive change and restoration of homeostasis. The central stress response, which drives behavioral and physiological change, is primarily mediated by activating the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. While advantageous in the short term, chronic stress exposure can lead to HPA axis and LC dysregulation, which are thought to contribute to the etiology of anxiety disorders. Previous studies demonstrate the effects of acute stress in increasing LC …

Genetic Influences On The Response To Neuromodulation In Craving Behaviors, Carly J. Haring

Honors Thesis

Obesity and eating disorders are highly prevalent in the United States. People who suffer from obesity and/or eating disorders face serious health consequences and even death. Current treatments are not effective as recovery rates are low, so there is a dire need for an effective treatment for obesity and eating disorders. There have been studies investigating the use of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) and transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) of the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) as a means of treatment for these people. While findings show promise, there is much variability. The goal of this study is to further prior …

A 5-Year Clinical Course Of Phenocopy Syndrome Of Behavioral Variant Frontotemporal Dementia: Case Report And Literature Review, Joseph Melillo, Keyur Patel, Christian White

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

Frontotemporal dementia is a neurocognitive disease which affects language, behavior, or executive functioning. This disease includes a spectrum of presentations which includes multiple variants. The phenocopy syndrome of behavioral variant frontotemporal dementia is one which mimics the behavioral variant of frontotemporal dementia. Patients with this condition show a decline in personality, social conduct and cognitive ability but often display no signs of neurological imaging and exhibit slow progression. This case focuses on a now 70-year-old male who has shown signs of behavioral changes with a slowly progressive clinical course and minimal findings on PET scan, but moderate changes seen on …

Co-Occurrence Of Depression, Anxiety, And Perinatal Posttraumatic Stress In Postpartum Persons, Shelby Howard, Caitlin Witt, Karla Martin, Ateshi Bhatt, Emily Venable, Sarah Buzhardt, Andrew G. Chapple, Elizabeth F. Sutton

School of Medicine Faculty Publications

Background: The study aim was to describe the incidence of depression, anxiety, perinatal-post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and their co-occurrences in the early postpartum period in a low-resource OB/GYN clinic serving majority Medicaid-eligible persons. We hypothesized that postpartum persons screening positive for depression will have an increased risk of a positive screen for anxiety and perinatal PTSD. Methods: A retrospective study of postpartum persons receiving care in Baton Rouge, Louisiana was conducted using responses abstracted from the electronic medical record (EMR) of the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ9), Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD7), and Perinatal Post Traumatic Stress Disorder Questionnaire-II (PPQII). Categorical distributions …

Preclinical Perspectives On The Mechanisms Underlying The Therapeutic Actions Of Psilocybin In Psychiatric Disorders, Andreas B. Wulff, Charles D. Nichols, Scott M. Thompson

School of Medicine Faculty Publications

Psychedelic compounds have shown extraordinary potential in treating a wide range of neuropsychiatric disorders. Psilocybin, for example, has now been shown in several clinical trials to induce a rapid (within days) and persistent (3–12 months) improvement in human treatment-resistant depression and other neuropsychiatric conditions. Here we review the preclinical models and experimental approaches that have been used to study the neurobiological actions of psychedelic drugs. We further summarize the insights these studies have provided into the possible mechanisms underlying the induction of their therapeutic actions, including the receptors to which psychedelics bind and the second messenger signaling cascades that they …

Spoken Word Recognition Across Language Boundary: Erp Evidence Of Prosodic Transfer Driven By Pitch, Juan Zhang, Yaxuan Meng, Chenggang Wu, Zhen Yuan

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Extensive research has explored the perception of English lexical stress by Chinese EFL learners and tried to unveil the underlying mechanism of the prosodic transfer from a native tonal language to a non-native stress language. However, the role of the pitch as the shared cue by lexical stress and lexical tone during the transfer remains controversial when the segmental cue (i.e., reduced vowel) is absent. By employing event-related potential (ERP) measurements, the current study aimed to further investigate the role of the pitch during the prosodic transfer from L1 lexical tone to L2 lexical stress and the underlying neural responses. …

Yoga And Mindfulness For Social-Emotional Development And Resilience In 3–5 Year-Old Children: Non-Randomized, Controlled Intervention, Alessandra N. Bazzano, Yaoyao Sun, Yuanhao Zu, Julia M. Fleckman, Emma A. Blackson, Tejal Patel, Angie Shorty-Belisle, Keith H. Liederman, Cody Roi

School of Medicine Faculty Publications

Background: Early childhood is the key life course period for development of social-emotional skills, providing the foundation for school readiness and resilience in later life. Age-appropriate yoga and mindfulness programs may contribute to the development of critical skills in children. Young children from minoritized communities that face structural racism and health disparities may benefit from programs that support social-emotional development and contribute to future academic success. Systematic reviews of yoga interventions for young children have indicated the potential for effectiveness in supporting social-emotional development, executive function, and physical activity. However, studies of yoga and mindfulness with non-White children are sparse …

Prenatal Ethanol Exposure Impairs Performance On Spatial And Tactile Sequential Discrimination Task In Juvenile Rats, Caleb S. Bailey

Theses and Dissertations--Psychology

Fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASDs) are a set of cognitive and behavioral abnormalities that arise in ~5% of children who have been prenatally-exposed to alcohol. Prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) can cause impairments in learning acquisition, working memory, response inhibition, and attentional-set shifting that result in exaggerated deficits in executive function and impairments in goal-seeking behavior. There are standard procedures used in rodent research to address some components of these deficits, but few procedures are sensitive enough to comprehensively assess such deficits. To address this issue in FASDs research techniques, we developed a procedure that requires prolonged executive function in a …

Dental Fear, Anxiety, And Phobia; Causes, Diagnostic Criteria And The Medical And Social Impact, Nadya Avramova

Journal of Mind and Medical Sciences

Despite technological advances in modern medical science and practice, many people still associate dental treatment with unpleasant emotional sensations and pain. According to the current literature, dental fear and anxiety are psychological barriers that negatively affect frequency of patient attendance which results in avoidant behavior and poorer oral health-related quality of life.

This paper was therefore aimed at discussing basic theoretical aspects concerning diagnostic criteria, causes, and impacts of dental fear, anxiety, and phobia. Clarifying their differential diagnostic characteristics, clinical features and specific causes may play an important role in proper diagnosing, positive influencing, and management of this group of …

A Paraventricular Thalamo-Accumbal Circuit Necessary For Behavioral Inhibition Is Dysfunctional During Opioid Use And Dependence, Kelsey M. Vollmer

MUSC Theses and Dissertations

Suppression of dangerous or inappropriate reward-motivated behaviors is critical for survival, whereas therapeutic or recreational opioid use can unleash detrimental behaviors and opioid use disorder (OUD). Nevertheless, the neuronal systems that suppress maladaptive motivated behaviors remain unclear, and whether opioids disengage those systems is unknown. Here, we investigate the posterior paraventricular thalamus (pPVT) as a behavioral mediator due to its strong connectivity with brain structures important for reward processing, such as the nucleus accumbens (NAc). We and others have found pPVT-NAc neuronal activity is inhibited during reward seeking, but activated when such behaviors would be inappropriate, such as during stress …

Norepinephrine Regulation Of Spatial Memory Using The Barnes Maze In Male And Female Rats, Serena Simpson, Ali Gheidi Phd, Nareen Sadik, Cameron J. Davidson Phd, Shane A. Perrine Phd

Medical Student Research Symposium

The role of norepinephrine (NE) in learning and memory has been extensively studied, yet its contribution remains to be clarified. This study aimed to investigate the role of NE on spatial learning and memory in female and male rats using a Barnes maze assay. We used N-(2-chloroethyl)-N-ethyl-2-bromobenzylamine (DSP-4), a specific noradrenergic neurotoxin that can cross the blood brain barrier, to deplete NE stores. We hypothesized that brain NE ablation would attenuate spatial learning and memory in rats. Loss of NE by DSP-4 was determined by measuring NE (and dopamine and serotonin) levels in several brain regions using HPLC. For the …

Utility Of The Motivation To Change Lifestyle And Health Behaviors For Dementia Risk Reduction Scale (Mclhb-Drr) Based On A North American Sample, Angelina E. Witbeck

Dissertations

As the population ages, the prevalence rates of dementia continue to increase. Without a cure or promising treatment for dementia, the best course of lowering the prevalence rates of dementia is through preventative measures. Through an electronic survey, the study utilized the MCLHB-DRR scale to determine whether (1) gender, age, educational background, and socioeconomic status will impact the motivational factors to change lifestyle and health behaviors to reduce the risk of developing dementia and (2) direct experiences with individuals that have a dementia diagnosis are likely to impact one's motivational factors to change lifestyle and health behaviors to reduce the …