Neuroscience and Neurobiology Commons^™

A Novel Method For Analysis Of Proprioceptor Sensory Neuron Subtypes In The Mouse Dorsal Root Ganglia, Delaney C. Grant

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Proprioceptive sensory neurons encode critical mechanosensory information that helps determine how the body interacts with the outside world and monitors the proper execution of motor movements. Housed in skeletal muscles lie specialized mechanoreceptors that are critical to this feedback loop: muscle spindles supplied by group Ia & group II afferents, and Golgi tendon organs supplied by group Ib afferents relay information regarding changes in muscle force, length, and tension. All three afferent subtypes originate in the muscle and travel to the dorsal root ganglia, relaying information to the central nervous system. GTO and MS proprioceptive afferent subtypes have been identified, …

Potential Involvement Of Micro Vesicle Particles In The Synergistic Effects Of Ultraviolet-B Radiation And Platelet -Activating Factor Receptor Agonists On Cytokine Production, Shweta Bhadri

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Cytokines play a pivotal role in regulating inflammation, which is a condition that makes the tissue vulnerable to different pathological and physiological conditions. Thus, how cytokines are regulated is an important area of study. Skin that receives ultraviolet B radiation (UVB), a major pro-oxidative stressor, results in the release of multiple cytokines and chemokines like tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha and interleukin (IL)-8. Previous studies from our group and others have demonstrated synergistic release of TNF-alpha when UVB is combined with IL-1 or the lipid mediator Platelet-activating factor (PAF). Of interest, subcellular microvesicle particles (MVP) have been proposed to play an …

The Membrane As An Rc Circuit: A Teaching Method For Undergraduate Neuroscience Students, Harlie Ann Mckelvey

Senior Honors Theses and Projects

Understanding the roles that current, resistance, and capacitance play in neuronal function are important, yet challenging concepts for undergraduate neuroscience students to grasp. Using simple labs and hands-on activities can improve understanding and reduce intimidation. Previously, the Resistance-Capacitance (RC) circuit has been used to create an equivalent model of the neuronal membrane. However, these electrical properties can still be difficult to understand and see in the lab. Here we describe an updated lab exercise where students build an equivalent RC circuit that utilizes a light emitting diode (LED). This allows for students to see the effects of capacitance and resistance …

Cloning And Functional Characterizations Of Circular Rnas From The Human Mapt Locus, Justin R. Welden

Theses and Dissertations--Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry

Under pathophysiological conditions, the microtubule protein tau (MAPT) forms neurofibrillary tangles that are the hallmark of sporadic Alzheimer’s disease as well as familial frontotemporal dementias linked to chromosome 17 (FTDP-17). In this work, I report that MAPT forms circular RNAs through backsplicing of exon 12 to either exon 10 or exon 7 (12→10; 12→7), and that these circular RNAs are translated into proteins.

Using stable cell lines overexpressing the circular tau RNAs 12→7 and 12→10, we have discovered that the tau circular RNA 12→7 is translated in a rolling circle, giving rise to multiple proteins. This circular RNA …

Repeated Electromagnetic Field Stimulation Lowers Amyloid-Β Peptide Levels In Primary Human Mixed Brain Tissue Cultures, Nipun Chopra, Felipe P. Perez, Bryan Maloney, Jorge J. Morisaki, Debomoy K. Lahiri

Biology Faculty publications

Late Onset Alzheimer’s Disease is the most common cause of dementia, characterized by extracellular deposition of plaques primarily of amyloid-β (Aβ) peptide and tangles primarily of hyperphosphorylated tau protein. We present data to suggest a noninvasive strategy to decrease potentially toxic Aβ levels, using repeated electromagnetic field stimulation (REMFS) in primary human brain (PHB) cultures. We examined effects of REMFS on Aβ levels (Aβ40 and Aβ42, that are 40 or 42 amino acid residues in length, respectively) in PHB cultures at different frequencies, powers, and specific absorption rates (SAR). PHB cultures at day in vitro 7 (DIV7) treated with 64 …

The Role Of Glt-1 Signaling In Oligodendrocytes During Development And Myelin Repair, Elizabeth Thomason

Theses and Dissertations

The differentiation of oligodendrocyte progenitor cells (OPCs) into myelinating oligodendrocytes (OLGs) requires an increase in the complexity of process morphology, alterations in membrane trafficking, and the production of myelin proteins. Branching and process extension have already been shown to follow glutamate signaling through OLG-expressed excitatory amino acid transporters (EAATs), mostly via GLT-1. It is of note that glutamate homeostasis often goes awry in multiple sclerosis (MS), the main demyelinating disease in humans. Thus, we have sought to gain an understanding of the role that GLT-1 plays under the myelination and remyelination conditions that arise during natural development of OLGs and …

Investigating Cannabinoid Type-1 Receptor (Cb1r) Positive Allosteric Modulators (Pams) In Mouse Models Of Overt Cannabimimetic Activity, Subjective Drug Effects, And Neuropathic Pain, Jayden Elmer

Theses and Dissertations

Chronic pain affects between 20 and 30 percent of the adult population in western countries and represents a wide array of specific etiologies (Berge, 2011). Neuropathic pain secondary to traumatic nerve injury, chemotherapeutic toxicity, or diseases (e.g., diabetes mellitus) is often refractory to conventional analgesics, with patients receiving less than 50% pain relief compared to placebo (Finnerup et al. 2010). The endocannabinoid system has shown potential as a therapeutic target for neuropathic pain wherein CB1 agonism via administration of exogenous agonists or pharmacological blockade of endocannabinoid catabolic enzymes exhibits efficacy in reversing allodynia in the chronic constriction injury (CCI) model …

Interclass Gpcr Heteromerization Affects Localization And Trafficking, Rudy Toneatti

Theses and Dissertations

Class A serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine) 2A (5-HT_2AR) and class C metabotropic glutamate 2 receptors (mGluR2) are seven transmembrane receptors (7TMRs or G protein-coupled receptors – GPCRs) involved in multiple neuropsychiatric disorders including schizophrenia. Previous findings from our laboratory reported that 5-HT_2AR and mGluR2 are dysregulated in the prefrontal cortex of patients suffering from this psychiatric condition, although 5-HT_2AR’s expression was recovered in antipsychotic-medicated patients. Genome-wide association studies on schizophrenia reported that endosomal trafficking that regulates cell surface abundance of another 7TMR implicated in this disease (dopamine D2 receptor) can be altered. Ligand-activated receptors, including the …

Evaluating Neuromuscular Function Of The Biceps Brachii After Spinal Cord Injury: Assessment Of Voluntary Activation And Motor Evoked Potential Input-Output Curves Using Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation, Thibault Roumengous

Theses and Dissertations

Activation of upper limb muscles is important for independent living after cervical spinal cord injury (SCI) that results in tetraplegia. An emerging, non-invasive approach to address post-SCI muscle weakness is modulation of the nervous system. A long-term goal is to develop neuromodulation techniques to reinnervate (i.e. resupply nerve to) muscle fiber and thereby increase muscle function in individuals with tetraplegia. Towards this goal, developing monitoring techniques to quantify neuromuscular function is needed to better direct neurorehabilitation. Assessment of voluntary activation (VA) is a promising approach because the location of the stimulus can be applied cortically using transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) …

Cloning And Characterization Of The Vasopressin-Oxytocin Neuropeptide Signaling System In The Vocal Control System Of The Zebra Finch (Taeniopygia Guttata), Emily R. Tortora

Dissertations and Theses

Vasopressin (VP) and Oxytocin (OT) are neuropeptides produced in the hypothalamus and expressed in the cerebrum and pituitary gland of the brain. Studies of VP and OT have long demonstrated their influence on social behaviors in mammals. Comparative analyses of these neuropeptides and in-depth analyses in non-mammalian species may reveal the specific mechanistic roles these hormones play in social behavioral functioning. The acquisition of complex behavioral patterns involves sensory-motor functions. How social interactions modulate sensory-motor mechanisms that promote complex behavior acquisition and maintenance can be well study in vocal learning birds. Here, in addition to reviewing the pertinent literature, I …

Analyzing Ultrastructural Characteristics Of Post-Synaptic Targets Of Pre-Identified Presynaptic Boutons In Layer 3 And Layer 4 Of The Ferret Primary Visual Cortex, Donia Shehab

Dissertations and Theses

The purpose of this study was to analyze the size and ultrastructural characteristics of post-synaptic elements apposed to previously characterized pre-synaptic elements in layers 3 and 4 of the primary visual cortex (PVC). We are aiming to quantify a range of values for synaptic element morphologies as well as to correlate pre- and post-synaptic elements to find a set of rules that is prevalent in the visual cortex that can also be upheld in other mammals. We hypothesize that bigger pre-synaptic elements correlate to bigger synapses and bigger post-synaptic elements. We compared these two different layers because they receive synaptic …

When The Brain Plays A Game: Neural Responses To Visual Dynamics During Naturalistic Visual Tasks, Jason Ki

Dissertations and Theses

Many day-to-day tasks involve processing of complex visual information in a continuous stream. While much of our knowledge on visual processing has been established from reductionist approaches in lab-controlled settings, very little is known about the processing of complex dynamic stimuli experienced in everyday scenarios. Traditional investigations employ event-related paradigms that involve presentation of simple stimuli at select locations in visual space and discrete moments in time. In contrast, visual stimuli in real-life are highly dynamic, spatially-heterogeneous, and semantically rich. Moreover, traditional experiments impose unnatural task constraints (e.g., inhibited saccades), thus, it is unclear whether theories developed under the reductionist …

Rapid Golgi Stain For Dendritic Spine Visualization In Hippocampus And Prefrontal Cortex, Maya Frankfurt, Rachel E. Bowman

Psychology Faculty Publications

Golgi impregnation, using the Golgi staining kit with minor adaptations, is used to impregnate dendritic spines in the rat hippocampus and medial prefrontal cortex. This technique is a marked improvement over previous methods of Golgi impregnation because the premixed chemicals are safer to use, neurons are consistently well impregnated, there is far less background debris, and for a given region, there are extremely small deviations in spine density between experiments. Moreover, brains can be accumulated after a certain point and kept frozen until further processing. Using this method any brain region of interest can be studied. Once stained and cover …

How Does Direct Volunteering Affect The Onset Of Alzheimer’S Dementia In Elderly Patients With Preexisting Cardiac Comorbidities?, Sneha R. Gade

UROP Posters

Alzheimer's Dementia is a disease that affects memory, thinking, and behavior. The Alzheimer's Association reported Alzheimer's as the sixth-leading cause of death in the United States, and a cure does not exist. Donepezil, a cholinesterase inhibitor drug, is frequently prescribed to treat Alzheimer's disease. Still, patients must continuously take the medication for years to receive any measurable improvement in quality of life after developing Alzheimer's Dementia. Further, research shows prolonged use of Donepezil can lead to other health problems, such as QTc prolongation, for cardiac disease patients. Therefore, the effectiveness of non-drug interventions, such as volunteering to prevent the disease's …

Motivation To Persevere Among Nontraditional Black Online College Students, Alice Ginwright Sapp

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

There is limited research on grit among nontraditional online adult learners, especially focusing on male and female Black college students who are adult online learners, including those who are older than 40. The purpose of this quantitative quasi-experimental study was to examine possible between-group differences in motivation to persevere, as defined by grit, among nontraditional-age Black online college students. The theoretical framework for this study was life-span development theory and the grit motivational factor model. A sample of 138 Black male and female online, nontraditional-age college students completed an online survey. Demographic information was collected, and scores from the Short …

Probation Officer’S Experiences Regarding Juvenile Delinquency And Alternatives To Detention Centers, Bailey Rodriguez

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

With a shift in focus from punitive measures to rehabilitation within the juvenile justice system, it is imperative that the efficacy of alternative resources is more closely examined. Given the existing research that highlights adolescent development and the negative or neutral impacts detention centers impose on juveniles, the conversation has now shifted to the use of alternative resources or alternatives to detention. The question now, however, is whether or not these alternatives are sufficient enough to ensure the safety of the community, victims, and the well-beings of the juveniles, when a violent crime has been committed. This study, which was …

Tet1-Mediated Dna Hydroxymethylation Regulates Adult Remyelination In Mice, Sarah Moyon, Rebecca Frawley, Damien Marechal, Dennis Huang, Katy L.H. Marshall-Phelps, Linde Kegel, Boguslawa Sadowski, Yong-Hui Jiang, David A. Lyons, Wiebke Möbius, Patrizia Casaccia

Advanced Science Research Center

The mechanisms regulating myelin repair in the adult central nervous system (CNS) are unclear. Here, we identify DNA hydroxymethylation, catalyzed by the Ten-Eleven- Translocation (TET) enzyme TET1, as necessary for myelin repair in young adults and defective in old mice. Constitutive and inducible oligodendrocyte lineage-specific ablation of Tet1 (but not of Tet2), recapitulate this age-related decline in repair of demyelinated lesions. DNA hydroxymethylation and transcriptomic analyses identify TET1-target in adult oligodendrocytes, as genes regulating neuro-glial communication, including the solute carrier (Slc) gene family. Among them, we show that the expression levels of the Na+/K+/Cl− transporter, SLC12A2, are …

Pharmacokinetics And Reward-Related Behaviors Of Ethanol In Male And Female Japanese Quail (Coturnix Japonica), Shannon Eaton

Theses and Dissertations--Psychology

Ethanol is one of the most widely used and abused drugs. Problem use is associated with many different health problems and the economic burden is in the billions of dollars. Additionally, many people have difficulty controlling their ethanol consumption and about 5% of adults end up with an alcohol use disorder (AUD). Many people with an AUD often find themselves in a cycle of binge, remission, and relapse.

Following ethanol consumption ethanol enters the bloodstream from the small intestine where it gets distributed to peripheral tissues. Ethanol in the bloodstream is cleared from the system by the liver. The primary …

The Identification Of Lxr-Dependent Pathways In The Dorsal Root Ganglia In Models Of Obesity, Nadia Elshareif

Master's Theses

Peripheral Neuropathy is characterized as injury to the peripheral nervous system. In terms of sensory neuropathy, metabolic syndrome is involved in chronic inflammation and ER stress pathways induced by lipid overload, leading to the structural and physiological damage of afferent sensory nerves. To protect the cell from lipid-induced ER stress, Liver X Receptors (LXRs) are sterol-activated nuclear transcription factors that are of particular interest due to its role in the regulation of lipid homeostasis, membrane phospholipids, and inflammation in metabolic tissues. Their role in the peripheral nervous system remains to be elucidated. LPCAT3, regulated by LXRs, has been shown to …

Advancing Our Understanding Of Mechanosensitive Microtubule Acetylation In Neurons, Margaret Earl Utgaard

Master's Theses

Stiffness is a signaling cue in the brain, and neuronal response to stiffness impacts development, injury and disease. Mechanotransduction is the process of cells interpreting and converting mechanical cues to biochemical signals. Tubulin acetylation increases microtubule stability and could be mechanosensitive. The impact of stiffness on tubulin acetylation and role of septins is the focus of this project.It was hypothesized that stiffer surfaces would increase tubulin acetylation. SH-SY5Y cells were plated on varying stiffness and the ratio of acetylated to alpha tubulin was measured using immunocytochemistry. This study found SH-SY5Y cells had the highest acetylation on hard surfaces. SH-SY5Y cells …