Neuroscience and Neurobiology Commons^™

Copyright And The Creative Process, Mark Bartholomew

Journal Articles

Copyright is typically described as a mechanism for encouraging the production of creative works. On this view, copyright protection should be granted to genuinely creative works but denied to non-creative ones. Yet that is not how the law works. Instead, almost anything—from test answer sheets to instruction manuals to replicas of items in the public domain—is deemed creative and therefore eligible for copyright protection. This is the consequence of a century of copyright doctrine assuming that artistic creativity is incapable of measurement, unaffected by personal motivation, and incomprehensible to novices and experts alike. Recent neuroscientific research contradicts these assumptions. It …

Hippocampal Learning And Number Processing In Young Children, Thomas R Pilger, Manal Zafar, Nicholas Hindy

Undergraduate Arts and Research Showcase

Children can enumerate the number of objects in a configuration in different ways: either through numerical processing or pattern recognition. An example of numerical processing is a child counting or subitizing a small number of disorganized blocks. This numerical cognition is related to neural processes in the intraparietal sulcus (IPS). Moreover, a child might be able to instantly know the value a configuration represents. For example, a child could instantly recognize a pattern seen on dice and know what value it represents. Recognizing previously seen patterns is related to neural processes in the hippocampus. Using fMRI and an at-home training …

Meta-Analyses Support A Taxonomic Model For Representations Of Different Categories Of Audio-Visual Interaction Events In The Human Brain, Matt Csonka, Nadia Mardmomen, Paula J. Webster, Julie A. Brefczynski-Lewis, Chris Frum, James W. Lewis

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

Our ability to perceive meaningful action events involving objects, people and other animate agents is characterized in part by an interplay of visual and auditory sensory processing and their cross-modal interactions. However, this multisensory ability can be altered or dysfunctional in some hearing and sighted individuals, and in some clinical populations. The present meta-analysis sought to test current hypotheses regarding neurobiological architectures that may mediate audio-visual multisensory processing. Reported coordinates from 82 neuroimaging studies (137 experiments) that revealed some form of audio-visual interaction in discrete brain regions were compiled, converted to a common coordinate space, and then organized along specific …

Biomechanically Inspired Assistive Technology To Restore Movement Of The Upper Limbs After Stroke, Ariel Thomas

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

A stroke often damages the neural structures responsible for movement. Stroke is a heterogeneous disease, affecting each survivor differently. There are common motor features of a stroke, but even these features vary across time as an individual proceeds through different stages of recovery. The different ways in which stroke motor impairment can present itself are often overlooked, but these differences are fundamental to the understanding of the disease and its recovery. When motor assessments are capable of acquiring information necessary to parse out a detailed profile of each stroke case, this will lead to an improved neuromechanical understanding of the …

Manipulating The Perineuronal Net In The Deep Cerebellar Nucleus, Deidre E. O'Dell

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Perineuronal nets (PNN) are a type of specialized extracellular matrix in the central nervous system. The PNN forms during postnatal development but the ontogeny of the PNN has yet to be elucidated. Studying the PNN in the rat brain may allow us to further understand the PNN’s role in development, learning, and memory. The PNN is fully developed in the deep cerebellar nuclei (DCN) of rats by post-natal day 18. By using enzymatic digestion of the PNN with chondroitinase ABC (ChABC), we studied how digestion of the PNN affects cerebellar-dependent eyeblink conditioning (EBC) and performed electrophysiological recordings from DCN neurons. …

Estrogen Disruption Of Hypothalamic Neural Activity, Princess Dickson

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

The brain is highly dependent on the endocrine system for proper neurodevelopment, as it plays a key role in many biological processes. Bisphenol A is a chemical found in plastics that has the potential to mimic the effects of Estrogen in the body, at least weakly. People interact with plastic that contains BPA regularly, and people are at risk for exposure even before being born. The abundance of BPA, along with other exogenous estrogens, makes examining the relationship between early exposure and changes in brain activity imperative. The current study aims to establish a relationship between disrupted estrogen function and …

Targeting The Cerebrovasculature In Sepsis: A Focus On The Brain Microvascular Endothelium, Divine C. Nwafor

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The blood-brain barrier (BBB) is a critical interface between the systemic circulation and the brain. It is a specialized multicellular unit composed of brain microvascular endothelial cells (BMECs), pericytes, a basement membrane, and astrocytic end foot processes. BMECs are a principal component of the BBB that provide the structural framework needed for the stringent transport of molecules into the brain. BMEC dysfunction permits the trafficking of neurotoxins from systemic circulation into the brain, which ultimately exacerbates BBB dysfunction and neuroinflammation. Studies have shown that BBB dysfunction is a key determinant of cognitive decline in sepsis. However, there are critical knowledge …

Visualizing Barrier Dysfunction Using Clarity, Rachel Robbe

Lewis Honors College Thesis Collection

Epilepsy and Alzheimer’s disease are two prevalent neurological disorders. The blood-brain barrier (BBB) is a factor in why there are no long-term treatments for these diseases. The transporters in the neurovascular unit (NVU), which makes up the BBB, are highly specialized, so most drugs cannot pass the barrier to treat these diseases. It is unknown why drug uptake in the BBB varies in a diseased and wild-type brain, but one theory is that there are spatial differences in the NVU. One method for examining the NVU is the CLARITY tissue clearing technique which is unique in its capability to clear …

Understanding The Role Of Lipids Derived From The Gut Microbes In A Mouse Model Of Obesity-Induced Peripheral Pain, Raiza Rafael-Bonomo Hardy

Dissertations

The increase in obesity has been accompanied by a rise in the prevalence of painful peripheral neuropathy. Recently, studies have suggested a role for gut microbiome in the development of some peripheral pain, including chemotherapy- induced pain and fibromyalgia. In the present dissertation, we showed that modulation of gut microbiome in obese mice alleviated neuropathic indices, concurrent with changes in immune cell profile within the peripheral nerve system. We demonstrated that fecal transplantation from lean to obese mice decreased obesity-induced pain and restored nerve density in the skin. These improvements were accompanied by changes in peripheral nerve system gene expression, …

Cognitive Abilities In Hearing Loss: Perceived And Performance Abilities Of Adults Related To Attention, Memory, And Social Cognition, Karah Gottschalk

Theses and Dissertations--Gerontology

Hearing loss is the most common sensory deficit noted in aging adults. It is commonly known to reduce an individual’s ability to detect, identify, and localize sounds and speech and to cause issues in communication. However, there are other less commonly discussed impacts that hearing loss has beyond the auditory system. Literature suggests a correlation between hearing loss and cognition in aging adults. Similar to hearing loss, the domains of cognition experience performance and functional changes across the life span. In an aging adult, changes related to cognition are also suggested to be associated with hearing loss. This study aimed …

The Implementation Of A Novel Graphical Python Editor (Stremecoder) In A Rodent Discrimination Apparatus, Supraja Kalva

Senior Honors Theses and Projects

As the interest in neuroscience and the desire to perform behavioral tasks in a higher level of specificity and accuracy increases, the need to have tools and techniques to conduct experimentations in a low-cost automated manner is essential. Although such methods have been proposed previously by other researchers, they have presented their data and tools in a manner that would have been difficult to comprehend for non-programmers. In labs that do not have the accessibility to individuals who can understand the published procedures, it is very difficult for them to get started and manipulate the published procedures to their interests. …

Glucocorticoid Receptor Dysregulation Underlies 5-Ht2a Receptor-Dependent Synaptic And Behavioral Deficits In A Mouse Neurodevelopmental Disorder Model, Justin M. Saunders

Theses and Dissertations

Schizophrenia is a severe neuropsychiatric disorder that presents with diverse symptoms, some of which remain resistant to treatment. Increased risk of neurodevelopmental disorders such as schizophrenia has been observed following gestational infection in humans, leading to development of maternal immune activation (MIA) animal models. Increased density of the serotonin 5-HT2AR receptor (5-HT2AR), the primary target of hallucinogenic drugs and a key target of atypical antipsychotics, has been observed in postmortem antipsychotic-free prefrontal cortex samples from schizophrenia subjects, a change reflected in frontal cortex of adult MIA offspring. To model MIA, we administered 20 mg/kg i.p. of the viral mimetic poly-(I:C) …

Novel Roles Of Yy1 In Astrocytes, Karli A. Mockenhaupt

Theses and Dissertations

Astrocytes tile the entire central nervous system, are diverse across brain regions, and perform specialized functions fine-tuned for their neuronal circuit. Initially, astrocyte heterogeneity is generated through intrinsic programs specified by their progenitors. Then, as astrocyte mature, they are specialized by region-specific communication with surrounding cells. The molecular programs that regulate this diversity and allow for the accommodation to the needs of the local environment remains elusive. We explored a ubiquitously expressed zinc finger transcription factor, Yin Yang 1 (YY1), that both activates and represses transcription by regulating loops of active chromatin. This report describes the diverse functions of astrocytic …

Muscarinic Excitation Of Dopamine Neurons In The Ventral Tegmental Area Via Activation Of A Trpc-Like Cation Conductance, Yu Tzu Chen

Theses and Dissertations

Dopaminergic (DA) neurons in the ventral tegmental area (VTA) play a crucial role in reward and motivational behaviors, including the development of drug addictions. VTA DA neurons receive excitatory cholinergic inputs from the mesopontine tegmentum. Blockage of the M5 muscarinic receptor in DA neurons has been shown to attenuate drug-induced DA release and abuse-related behaviors, but the molecular mechanism is unknown. In this study, experiments were designed to identify the electrophysiological effects of muscarinic agonism in the modulation of action potential kinetics and firing patterns in VTA DA neurons of mice. Pharmacology of the muscarinic receptor-evoked current was also characterized. …

Photoreceptor Phosphodiesterase (Pde6): Activation And Inactivation Mechanisms During Visual Transduction In Rods And Cones, Rick H. Cote

Faculty Publications

Rod and cone photoreceptors of the vertebrate retina utilize cGMP as the primary

intracellular messenger for the visual signaling pathway that converts a light stimulus into an electrical response. cGMP metabolism in the signal-transducing photoreceptor outer segment reflects the balance of cGMP synthesis (catalyzed by guanylyl cyclase) and degradation (catalyzed by the photoreceptor phosphodiesterase, PDE6). Upon light stimulation, rapid activation of PDE6 by the heterotrimeric G-protein (transducin) triggers a dramatic drop in cGMP levels that lead to cell hyperpolarization. Following cessation of the light stimulus, the lifetime of activated PDE6 is also precisely regulated by additional processes. This review summarizes …

Mapping Of Auditory Cortical Functions Using Electrocorticography, James Robert Swift

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Communication is a dynamic process through which we translate our inner thoughts in such a way that they can be shared with another person. This complex neurological phenomenon is a key predictor of our productivity and health. When our ability to communicate is compromised, our quality of life suffers. Although numerous methods to investigate the neuroscientific underpinnings of human language exist, our understanding of this process remains incomplete. Improving our understanding of where, when, and how auditory cortical activity occurs can enhance diagnostic techniques and improve treatment methods for neurological conditions that can impact auditory processing, such as epilepsy, or …

Behavioral, Endocrine, And Neural Responses To Stress In Postpartum And Nulliparous Rats : Potential Mechanisms Of Postpartum Stress Resilience, Joanna Medina

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Major depressive disorder is one of the most pervasive psychiatric illnesses in the United States. Women are at greater risk for developing depression, particularly during their childbearing years. Approximately 17% of new mothers develop postpartum depression within 4 weeks after parturition. The risk for postpartum depression is even greater in women who do not breastfeed or stop breastfeeding early. Major depressive disorder and postpartum depression share the same symptomology and common etiological bases. Dysregulated stress responses, dopamine activity, and neuroinflammation are recognized mechanisms for depression. The transition to motherhood encompasses physiological and behavioral adaptations in the brain essential for ensuring …

The Effects Of 17alpha-Hydroxyprogesterone Caproate On The Development Of The Mesocortical Dopamine Pathway And Cognitive Behavior, Melanie Lolier

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

This dissertation examined the complex developmental impact of the clinically relevant synthetic progestin 17α-hydroxyprogesterone caproate (17-OHPC) on medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) development. In rodents, the effects of 17-OHPC are subtle, but significant. In the Chapter II, we observed that 17-OHPC abolishes sex differences in dopaminergic fiber innervation and alters microglia phenotype in the prelimbic and infralimbic areas by the end of the first postnatal week. In the third chapter, the overall effect of 17-OHPC on the ontogeny of dopaminergic fiber innervation and synaptic bouton density were used to characterize the timing and duration of treatment effects in the mPFC. In …

Psychosocial Factors And Physical Health In Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Patients, Olulana Bamiro

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The research problem identified was poor physical health in older adults with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The problem is important because poor physical health yields unsuccessful aging. The current research aimed to identify psychosocial factors that improve self-evaluated physical health in the study population as a proxy to overall health; the research questions helped identify these factors. The first research question assessed the association between health locus of control and self-evaluated physical health. The second research question evaluated the association between family support and self-evaluated physical health. A final research question assessed the association between health locus of control, …

Morphological Changes In Dorsal Root Ganglia Macrophages Associated With Neuropathic Pain Mechanisms Suggest A Novel Target For Chronic Pain Therapy, Emily Kussick

CMC Senior Theses

The present study examined morphological changes in the dorsal root ganglia (DRG) following an innate immune stimulus. The importance of the DRG has increasingly become recognized in pain processing as more than just the home of primary afferent cell bodies. All sensory information passes through the DRG via the primary afferents, and on to the spinal cord. The primary afferents synapse with second-order neurons in the spinal cord that ascend towards the brain, where they transmit the pain signal to the limbic forebrain and/or the somatosensory cortex for processing. The DRG is an interesting niche to study at as it …