Biological Psychology Commons^™

Attachment: The Antidote To Trauma, Joshua Straub

Faculty Publications and Presentations

Trauma and loss in life are inevitable. And all too often the traumatic experience itself can be enough to paralyze the mental, emotional, and spiritual state of any given person. Unable to interpret the traumatic experience, many instead are left defined by it. Helping clients discern the objective experience and their subjective reactions to it will help free them from the emotions and beliefs that subsequently control their lives. Based on the most relevant attachment theory research and clinical techniques, this workshop teaches the attentional strategies necessary to helping clients overcome trauma.

Developmental Emergence Of Power-Law Wake Behavior Depends Upon The Functional Integrity Of The Locus Coeruleus, Andrew J. Gall, Badal Joshi, Janet Best, Virginia R. Florang, Jonathan A. Doorn, Mark S. Blumberg

Faculty Publications

STUDY OBJECTIVES:

Daily amounts of sleep and wakefulness are accumulated in discrete bouts that exhibit distinct statistical properties. In adult mammals, sleep bout durations follow an exponential distribution whereas wake bout durations follow a power-law distribution. In infant Norway rats, however, wake bouts initially follow an exponential distribution and only transition to a power-law distribution beginning around postnatal day 15 (P15). Here we test the hypothesis that the locus coeruleus (LC), one of several wake-active nuclei in the brainstem, contributes to this developmental transition.

DESIGN:

At P7, rats were injected subcutaneously with saline or DSP-4, a neurotoxin that targets noradrenergic …

Diagnosing The Prodromal State Of Alzheimer's Disease, Jennifer Bartkowiak

Honors Scholar Theses

Mild Cognitive Impairment- Amnestic Subtype (MCIa) is a putative prodromal stage of Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) characterized by focal deficits in episodic verbal memory. Less is known about relative deficits in visuospatial learning, although there is ample evidence indicating involvement of the hippocampus in visuospatial learning, as well as hippocampal degeneration in early AD. The aim of this study was to better characterize the components of working memory dysfunction in people with MCIa to increase the ability to reliably diagnose this disease. Fifty-six elderly adults diagnosed with MCIa and 94 healthy elderly completed a hidden maze learning task. Results indicated similar …

Behavioral Implications Of Knockout For The Dyslexia-Risk Gene Dcdc2 In Mice, Dongnhu Truong

Honors Scholar Theses

Several genetic linkage and epidemiological studies have provided strong evidence that DCDC2 is a candidate gene for developmental dyslexia, a disorder that impairs a person’s reading ability despite adequate intelligence, education, and socio-economic status. Studies investigating embryonic intra-ventricular RNA interference (RNAi) of Dcdc2, a rat homolog of the DCDC2 gene in humans, indicate disruptions in neuronal migration in the rat cortex during development. Interestingly, these anatomical anomalies are consistent with post mortem histological analysis of human dyslexic patients. Other rodent models of cortical developmental disruption have shown impairment in rapid auditory processing and learning maze tasks in affected subjects.

The …

Salivary Cortisol, Psychological Stress And Depressive Symptoms Among Patients Undergoing Colon Cancer Screenings, Allyson Reid

Honors Scholar Theses

As the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the United States, colon cancer has a high cure rate if detected early by a colonoscopy (U.S.

Cancer Statistics Working Group, 2007). However, more than 41 million at-risk Americans are not properly receiving colonoscopy screenings according to the recommendations of the Center for Disease Control. This study provides insight into the physiological and psychological benefits of the colonoscopy procedure over and above cancer detection and prevention. Thirty-six patients receiving colonoscopic screening at the University of Connecticut Health Center participated in this study. A questionnaire battery that assessed perceived stress, depressive symptoms, …

Cooperation & Competition Between Navigation Systems In The Rat Brain: The Role Of The Hippocampus And Striatum During A Dissociative Maze Task, Benjamin Gruenbaum

Honors Scholar Theses

While many tend to think of memory systems in the brain as a single process, in reality several experiments have supported multiple dissociations of different forms of learning, such as spatial learning and response learning. In both humans and rats, the hippocampus has long been shown to be specialized in the storage of spatial and contextual memory whereas the striatum is associated with motor responses and habitual behaviors.

Previous studies have examined how damage to hippocampus or striatum has affected the acquisition of either a spatial or response navigation task. However even in a very familiar environment organisms must continuously …

The Psychophysiology Of Self-Defining Memories, Rachel K. Hess

Psychology Honors Papers

Throughout the past 15 years, researchers have explored self-defining memories within the larger category of autobiographical memories (Conway, Singer, & Tagini, 2004; Singer, 2005; Singer & Salovey, 2003; Wood & Conway, 2006). Other researchers have examined the physiological reactions to various stimuli, some related to autobiographical memory (Gross & Levenson, 1997; Levenson & Gottman, 1983; Philippot, Schaefer, & Herbette, 2003; Schaefer & Philippot, 2005; Schwartz, Weinberger, & Singer, 1981). The present study is the first experiment to investigate the relationship of physiological correlates to self-defining memories. This study had participants generate their own self-defining and autobiographical memories, and recall them, …

The Effects Of Prenatal Exposure Of Valproic Acid On Cranial Nerve Nuclei: A Rat Model For An Autistic Phenotype, Shannon Pickup

Renée Crown University Honors Thesis Projects - All

Autistic spectrum disorder is a term referring to five pervasive developmental disorders characterized by impairment in social interaction, deficits in verbal and non-verbal communication and stereotyped repetitive behaviors and interests. The underlying brain injury that leads to autism is also unknown. The cause is also unknown but appears to be a combination of genetic and environmental factors. A study on prenatal thalidomide exposure found patients exposure on days 20-24 of gestation lead to a 1/3 rate of autism, a huge increase from the 1/150 rate of the general population. The thalidomide data suggests the initial injury leading to autism occurs …

The Effects Of Dolphin Education Programs On Visitors' Conservation-Related Knowledge, Attitude And Behavior, Lance Joseph Miller

Dissertations

Zoological institutions typically exhibit dolphins in educational programs such as dolphin shows and interaction programs. The goal of these programs is to entertain visitors while increasing their conservation-related knowledge, attitude and behavior towards dolphins and the marine environment. The purpose of the current study was to examine dolphin shows and interaction programs in terms of their effectiveness in meeting these goals. A multi-institutional study was conducted at six different facilities throughout the United States. A repeated measures design was used to examine the knowledge, attitude and behavior of visitors before, immediately after and three months following participation in dolphin shows …

Role Of Dorsostriatal D1 And D2 Receptors In Modulating The Kappa Opioid-Mediated Locomotor Activity Of Preweanling Rats: Importance Of Synergistic Activation, Sergios Charntikov

Theses Digitization Project

Infusions of the nonselective dopamine agonist R( - ) propylnorapomorphine (NPA) into the dorsal striatum of preweanling rats atteuates kappa opioid-mediated locomotor activity. The purpose of this thesis was to ascertain which dopamine receptor subtype (D1 or D2) is responsible for this effect. It was hypothsized that a) D1, but not D2, receptors in the dorsal striatum underlie NPA's ability to attenuate the kappa opioid-mediated locomotor activity of preweanling rats, and b) microinjectng SKF38393 (a D1 agonist), and not quinpirole (a D2 agonist), would attenuate kappa opioid-mediated locomotion.

Effects Of Early Amphetamine Exposure On Memory, Wendy Ann Holmquist

Theses Digitization Project

The purpose of the current study was to determine if rat pups treated with amphetamine (AMPH) during a critical time of hippocamal development would exhibit deficits in spatial learning and memory when tested in the Morris water maze during adolescence. Exposure to amphetamine during early postnatal development induces long-term reductions in protein kinase A (PKA) activity. Because PKA activity is known to regulate the production of brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), and reductions in BDNF are associated with memory deficits, it was hypothesized that early exposure to amphetamine would lead to declines in both BDNF levels and memory performance. The …

Assessing Stereotype Incongruities Using The N400 Erp Component, Katherine White, Stephen Crites Jr., Jennifer Taylor, Guadalupe Corral

Selected Works Temporary Series

Numerous discoveries regarding stereotypes have been uncovered by utilizing techniques and methods developed by cognitive psychologists. The present study continues this tradition by borrowing psychophysiological techniques used for the study of memory and language, and applying them to the study of stereotypes. In this study, participants were primed with either the gender category ’Women’ or ’Men’, followed by a word which was either consistent with gender stereotypes (e.g. Women: Nurturing) or inconsistent (e.g. Women: Aggressive). Their task was to indicate whether the words matched or did not match, according to gender stereotypes. Both response times and event-related brain potentials (ERPs) …

A Psychobiological Framework Of The Substrates That Mediate Nicotine Use During Adolescence, Laura O'Dell

Selected Works Temporary Series

No abstract provided.

Alcohol Self-Administration Acutely Stimulates The Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal (Hpa) Axis, But Alcohol Dependence Leads To A Dampened Neuroendocrine State, Laura O'Dell

Selected Works Temporary Series

No abstract provided.

Female Rats Display Dose-Dependent Differences To The Rewarding And Aversive Effects Of Nicotine In An Age-, Hormone-, And Sex-Dependent Manner., Laura O'Dell

Selected Works Temporary Series

No abstract provided.

Pdf Of All O'Dell Manuscripts, Laura O'Dell

Selected Works Temporary Series

No abstract provided.

Impact Of Serotonin 2c Receptor Null Mutation On Physiology And Behavior Associated With Nigrostriatal Dopamine Pathway Function., Laura O'Dell

Selected Works Temporary Series

No abstract provided.

Rodent Models Of Nicotine Reward: What Do They Tell Us About Tobacco Abuse In Humans?, Laura O'Dell

Selected Works Temporary Series

No abstract provided.

Nicotine Withdrawal Produces Fewer Decreases In Extracellular Levels Of Dopamine In The Nucleus Accumbens Of Adolescent Versus Adult Rats., Laura O'Dell

Selected Works Temporary Series

No abstract provided.

Protracted Withdrawal From Alcohol And Drugs Of Abuse Impairs Long-Term Potentiation Of Intrinsic Excitability In The Juxtacapsular Bed Nucleus Of The Stria Terminalis, Laura O'Dell

Selected Works Temporary Series

No abstract provided.

The Effects Of Opioids And Opioid Analogs On Animal And Human Endocrine Systems, Laura O'Dell

Selected Works Temporary Series

No abstract provided.

The Effects Of Opioids And Opioid Analogs On Animal And Human Endocrine Systems, Laura O'Dell

Departmental Papers (Psych)

No abstract provided.

Assessing Stereotype Incongruities Using The N400 Erp Component, Katherine White, Stephen Crites Jr., Jennifer Taylor, Guadalupe Corral

Departmental Papers (Psych)

Numerous discoveries regarding stereotypes have been uncovered by utilizing techniques and methods developed by cognitive psychologists. The present study continues this tradition by borrowing psychophysiological techniques used for the study of memory and language, and applying them to the study of stereotypes. In this study, participants were primed with either the gender category ’Women’ or ’Men’, followed by a word which was either consistent with gender stereotypes (e.g. Women: Nurturing) or inconsistent (e.g. Women: Aggressive). Their task was to indicate whether the words matched or did not match, according to gender stereotypes. Both response times and event-related brain potentials (ERPs) …

Nicotine Withdrawal Produces Fewer Decreases In Extracellular Levels Of Dopamine In The Nucleus Accumbens Of Adolescent Versus Adult Rats., Laura O'Dell

Departmental Papers (Psych)

No abstract provided.

Protracted Withdrawal From Alcohol And Drugs Of Abuse Impairs Long-Term Potentiation Of Intrinsic Excitability In The Juxtacapsular Bed Nucleus Of The Stria Terminalis, Laura O'Dell

Departmental Papers (Psych)

No abstract provided.

The Effects, Brain Targets, And Mechanisms Of Estradiol For Affective Behavior, Alicia Ann Walf

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Although estradiol (E2) has numerous effects in the central nervous system, this review will focus on addressing the effects of E2 on behaviors related to mood in women and animal models and include recent findings from our laboratory related to this topic. E2's anti-anxiety and anti-depressant-like effects may depend upon many factors (e.g. age, reproductive history/status, time in E2 deficient state before initiation of E2 therapy, regimen and dosing of E2, neuropsychiatric/stress history). First, evidence of how factors may alter responses to E2 in people and in animal models will be discussed. Second, interactions of E2 with the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis/stress …

Observer Effects Of Non-Sexual Nipple Erection And Their Possible Reproductive Advantages In Human Females, Amy J. Lefevre

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Nipple erection in women for any purpose other than lactation is somewhat of an evolutionary mystery. In earlier studies I found evidence of nonsexual nipple erection (NSNE) in females in response to anxiety-provoking stimulus material (LeFevre, unpublished). The goal of the present research was to determine what benefits, if any, that NSNE may confer upon females who display this behavior. Specifically, two studies tested the general proposition that non-sexual nipple erection decreases aggressiveness in males and looked at the possibility that cognitive interference may be a mediating factor in aggression de-escalation. Fifty-one undergraduate students (33 male and 18 female) took …

Glossolalia Influences On Stress Response Among Apostolic Pentecostals, Christopher Dana Lynn

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

This study tests the hypothesis that long–term experience of Apostolic Pentecostal glossolalia or “speaking in tongues” reduces the reactivity of biological stress response to normal or "daily" stressors. Glossolalia is a form of religious dissociation. Dissociation is a universal capacity often conflated with “trance.” It refers to the partitioning of awareness associated with a variety of cross–cultural forms, from daydreaming and denial to possession trance, shamanic spirit journeys, and dissociative identity disorder. Dissociation is believed to reduce or filter stress by mediating evaluation of potential stressors and reactivity of the mechanisms of biological stress response. Previous studies have examined these …

Alcohol Self-Administration Acutely Stimulates The Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal (Hpa) Axis, But Alcohol Dependence Leads To A Dampened Neuroendocrine State, Laura O'Dell

Departmental Papers (Psych)

No abstract provided.

A Psychobiological Framework Of The Substrates That Mediate Nicotine Use During Adolescence, Laura O'Dell

Departmental Papers (Psych)

No abstract provided.