Neuroscience and Neurobiology Commons^™

The Influence Of Canine Aggression And Behavioral Treatment On Heart Rate Variability, Lydia Craig

Psychology Honors Projects

Dog aggression affects many, with nearly 5 million dog bites reported yearly in the United States alone. With the physical, emotional, and monetary costs of bites, it is of considerable interest to identify dogs that are likely to bite. One physiological measure that might serve as an index of aggression is heart rate variability (HRV), which refers to vagally mediated beat-to-beat change in heart rate. Low HRV has been associated with impaired emotional and behavioral regulation and stress in both humans and animals. To assess whether this measure corresponds with aggression in dogs, resting HRV was measured for dogs with …

The Connectivity Domain: Analyzing Resting State Fmri Data Using Feature-Based Data-Driven And Model-Based Methods, Armin Iraji, Vince D. Calhoun, Natalie M. Wiseman, Esmaeil Davoodi-Bojd, Mohammad R. N. Avanaki, Zhifeng Kou

Biomedical Engineering Faculty Research Publications

Spontaneous fluctuations of resting state functional MRI (rsfMRI) have been widely used to understand the macro-connectome of the human brain. However, these fluctuations are not synchronized among subjects, which leads to limitations and makes utilization of first-level model-based methods challenging. Considering this limitation of rsfMRI data in the time domain, we propose to transfer the spatiotemporal information of the rsfMRI data to another domain, the connectivity domain, in which each value represents the same effect across subjects. Using a set of seed networks and a connectivity index to calculate the functional connectivity for each seed network, we transform data into …

Effect Of Apoe E4 Variant On Progression From Mild Cognitive Impairment To Alzheimer’S Disease, Brad P. Taylor

Butler Journal of Undergraduate Research

Alzheimer’s disease is a very prevalent and fatal disorder in older adults, and Mild Cognitive Impairment is often seen as a precursor to Alzheimer’s disease. Alzheimer’s disease is a form of Dementia that is characterized by loss of cognitive abilities while aging. It is ultimately fatal. Mild Cognitive Impairment is more of an intermediate stage between normal mental decline with aging and the more serious decline of dementia. The ApoE E4 gene has been shown to be highly correlated with a greater likelihood of acquiring late-onset Alzheimer’s disease. This study looked to see the effect that the ApoE E4 gene …

Treatment Of Diabetic Neuropathy With Nitric Oxide Gel, Daniel R. Lathen, David Walton, Yukino Strong, Jeff Ward, Conner Sugrue, Jonathan Trout, Devin Vanderwood, Alonzo Cook Ph.D.

FHSS Mentored Research Conference

Our study investigates a novel therapy to address a vascular factor that contributes to the development of diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN) using five experimental groups of a mouse model that spontaneously develops diabetes. The compound under investigation is a nitric oxide (NO)-donating topical gel which has potential as a treatment for preventing and treating DPN.

Novel Pharmacological Target: Characterization Of A3b2 Nachrs Expressed In Xenopus Laevis Oocytes, Doris Jackson, Marcel Hall, J. Kolb, B. Todd Jr., D. Pugh, B. Vance, B. Klienstuber, R. Drecketts, S. N. Sudweeks

FHSS Mentored Research Conference

We have identified two subtypes of the novel a3b2 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) found within interneurons of the hippocampus. This novel receptor may be a valuable pharmacological target in drug development for disease such as Alzheimer’s disease (AD) which is largely characterized by degeneration of the hippocampus.

Pams: A Growing Field In Pharmacological Drug Development, Marcel Hall, J. Kolb, B. Todd Jr., D. Pugh, B. Vance, B. Klienstuber, R. Drecketts, Doris Jackson, H. R. Arias, S. N. Sudweeks

FHSS Mentored Research Conference

Positive Allosteric Modulators (PAMs) are a growing field in pharmacology. PAM-5 and genisteincause acetylcholine (ACh) to elicit larger currents on nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) without activating the channel themselves. In effect, PAMs increase the amplitude of currents at a synapse without altering the normal firing rate of the neurons.

The Effects Of Chronic Partial Sleep Deprivation On Alcohol Consumption And Delta Fos B Accumulation, Kristian Ponder

Showcase of Graduate Student Scholarship and Creative Activities

The present study explores the relation between sleep restriction and alcohol use and the neural substrates that result from chronic behaviors, such as transcription factors. Transcription factor activity is suggested as a possible outcome of chronic behaviors, such as addiction. Sleep is discussed as possible mediating factor in the relationship between specific transcription factors and alcohol. Analysis will focus on brain areas related to both sleep and reward.

Proceedings Of The Third Annual Deep Brain Stimulation Think Tank: A Review Of Emerging Issues And Technologies, P. Justin Rossi, Aysegul Gunduz, Jack Judy, Linda Wilson, Andre Machado, James J Giordano, W. Jeff Elias, Marvin A. Rossi, Christopher L. Butson, Michael D. Fox, Cameron C. Mcintyre, Nader Pouratian, Nicole C. Swann, Coralie De Hemptinne, Robert E. Gross, Howard J. Chizeck, Michele Tagliati, Andres M. Lozano, Wayne Goodman, Jean-Philippe Langevin, Ron L. Alterman, Umer Akbar, Greg A. Gerhardt, Warren M. Grill, Mark Hallett, Todd Herrington, Jeffrey Herron, Craig Van Horne, Brian H. Kopell, Anthony E. Lang

Neuroscience Faculty Publications

The proceedings of the 3rd Annual Deep Brain Stimulation Think Tank summarize the most contemporary clinical, electrophysiological, imaging, and computational work on DBS for the treatment of neurological and neuropsychiatric disease. Significant innovations of the past year are emphasized. The Think Tank's contributors represent a unique multidisciplinary ensemble of expert neurologists, neurosurgeons, neuropsychologists, psychiatrists, scientists, engineers, and members of industry. Presentations and discussions covered a broad range of topics, including policy and advocacy considerations for the future of DBS, connectomic approaches to DBS targeting, developments in electrophysiology and related strides toward responsive DBS systems, and recent developments in sensor and …

Cosmomvpa: Multi-Modal Multivariate Pattern Analysis Of Neuroimaging Data In Matlab/Gnu Octave, Nikolaas N. Oosterhof, Andrew C. Connolly, James V. Haxby

Dartmouth Scholarship

Recent years have seen an increase in the popularity of multivariate pattern (MVP) analysis of functional magnetic resonance (fMRI) data, and, to a much lesser extent, magneto- and electro-encephalography (M/EEG) data. We present CoSMoMVPA, a lightweight MVPA (MVP analysis) toolbox implemented in the intersection of the Matlab and GNU Octave languages, that treats both fMRI and M/EEG data as first-class citizens. CoSMoMVPA supports all state-of-the-art MVP analysis techniques, including searchlight analyses, classification, correlations, representational similarity analysis, and the time generalization method. These can be used to address both data-driven and hypothesis-driven questions about neural organization and representations, both within and …

Axonal Transport And Life Cycle Of Mitochondria In Parkinson's Disease Model, Hyun Sung

Open Access Dissertations

In neurons, normal distribution and selective removal of mitochondria are essential for preserving compartmentalized cellular function. Parkin, an E3 ubiquitin ligase associated with familial Parkinson’s disease, has been implicated in mitochondrial dynamics and removal. However, it is not clear how Parkin plays a role in mitochondrial turnover in vivo, and whether the mature neurons possess a compartmentalized Parkin-dependent mitochondrial life cycle. Using the live Drosophila nervous system, here, I investigate the involvement of Parkin in mitochondrial dynamics; organelle distribution, morphology and removal. Parkin deficient animals displayed less number of axonal mitochondria without disturbing organelle motility behaviors, morphology and metabolic state. …

The Effects Of Body Weight, Food Intake, Activity, And Anxiety In Female Rats, Rachel Mangan

Senior Honors Projects

Zolpidem is a nonbenzodiazepine sedative-hypnotic drug. It is placed in the imidazopyridine class of drugs, which are gamma aminobutyric acis (GABA)-A receptor agonists due to their effect on the alpha-1 GABA-A receptor subunit. The present study focused on differences observed during administration of zolpidem to female rats as compared to a previous study performed on male rats. Female rats receiving zolpidem did not differ significantly from those rats not receiving zolpidem; whereas, male animals were shown to be more affected by zolpidem causing increased food intake, lowered activity levels, increased anxiety, and increased visceral adiposity. Female rats exhibited little change …

Oxytocin Receptor (Oxtr) Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms Indirectly Predict Prosocial Behavior Through Perspective Taking And Empathic Concern, Christa C. Christ, Gustavo Carlo, Scott F. Stoltenberg

Center for Brain, Biology, and Behavior: Faculty Publications

Engaging in prosocial behavior can provide positive outcomes for self and others. Prosocial tendencies contribute to the propensity to engage in prosocial behavior.The oxytocin receptor gene (OXTR) has also been associated with prosocial tendencies and behaviors. There has been little research, however, investigating whether the relationship between OXTR and prosocial behaviors is mediated by prosocial tendencies.This relationship may also vary among different types of prosocial behavior. The current study examines the relationship between OXTR, gender, prosocial tendencies, and both altruistic and public prosocial behavior endorsement. Students at a midwestern university (N = 398; 89.2% Caucasian; M …

“My Logic Is Undeniable”: Replicating The Brain For Ideal Artificial Intelligence, Samuel C. Adams

Senior Honors Theses

Alan Turing asked if machines can think, but intelligence is more than logic and reason. I ask if a machine can feel pain or joy, have visions and dreams, or paint a masterpiece. The human brain sets the bar high, and despite our progress, artificial intelligence has a long way to go. Studying neurology from a software engineer’s perspective reveals numerous uncanny similarities between the functionality of the brain and that of a computer. If the brain is a biological computer, then it is the embodiment of artificial intelligence beyond anything we have yet achieved, and its architecture is advanced …

Consonant Discrimination In The Inferior Colliculus Of Young And Aged Rats, Christopher S. Soverns

Open Access Theses

Complex acoustic stimuli are thoroughly encoded and processed along the primary auditory pathway to give reliable and relevant information about the environment, and elucidating the neural coding mechanisms is essential to informing clinical attempts to combat auditory dysfuntion. Receiving a uniquely diverse set of ascending and descending inputs, the inferior colliculus (IC) is a site of intricate temporal processing. In this work, natural and modified human speech is used to investigate discrimination of voice onset time (VOT) in the spiking output of IC neurons. A template-matching classification model is proposed in which single stimulus presentation responses are correlated with aggregate …

The Effect Of Voluntary Binge Caffeine And Ethanol Coexposure On Neurobehavioral Sensitivity To Cocaine In Male C57bl/6j Mice, Brandon M. Fritz

Open Access Dissertations

Recently, the co-consumption of highly caffeinated energy drinks and alcohol has become a public health concern. Consumption of these beverages has been linked to a wide variety negative consequences including alcohol poisoning, driving under the influence, physical harm, and sexual violence. The more protracted consequences of caffeinated alcohol consumption have received very little attention, however. Some evidence suggests that individuals that frequently consume energy drinks mixed with alcohol are more likely to develop an alcohol use disorder. Interestingly, both caffeine and alcohol use alone have been linked to polydrug abuse. It is therefore of interest whether combined caffeine and alcohol …

Characterization Of Cu-Rich Aggregates In Neurogenic Niches Of The Rodent Brain By X-Ray Fluorescence Microscopy, Brendan T. Sullivan

Open Access Dissertations

Copper is an essential element in the brain playing several critical roles ranging from neurotransmitter synthesis to ATP production. As Cu is typically present in micromolar concentrations and has a spatially capricious distribution in the brain, determining concentrations has historically been challenging. X-ray fluorescence microscopy (XRF) offers excellent spatial resolution (down to 30~nm) and detection limits (sub parts per million), making it an excellent tool for analyzing metal distributions in the brain. Using XRF, it is demonstrated that Cu-rich aggregates with concentrations in the hundreds of millimolar are present in the subventricular zone of rats and mice. As the subventricular …

Regulation Of The Cystine/Glutamate Antiporter And Its Contribution To Neuronal Death, Rebecca Albano

Dissertations (1934 -)

The aim of this thesis is to better understand the regulation of the cystine/glutamate antiporter (system xc-) and its role in regulating neuronal survival and death. Expressed primarily on astrocytes, system xc- takes up cystine and releases glutamate in a 1:1 ratio. Cystine uptake is the rate-limiting step in glutathione synthesis, the brain’s main antioxidant. Glutamate released into the extrasynaptic space can regulate neuronal function; however excessive glutamate release can cause excitotoxicity. The dual actions of system xc- make it of interest in many neurodegenerative diseases where oxidative stress and excitotoxicity are involved. We investigated the regulation of system xc- …

Suprachiasmatic Nucleus And Subparaventricular Zone Lesions Disrupt Circadian Rhythmicity But Not Light-Induced Masking Behavior In Nile Grass Rats, Andrew J. Gall, Dorela D. Shuboni, Lily Yan, Antonio A. Nunez, Laura Smale

Faculty Publications

The ventral subparaventricular zone (vSPVZ) receives direct retinal input and influences the daily patterning of activity in rodents, making it a likely candidate for the mediation of acute behavioral responses to light (i.e., masking). We performed chemical lesions aimed at the vSPVZ of diurnal grass rats (Arvicanthis niloticus) using N-methyl-D,L-aspartic acid (NMA), a glutamate agonist. Following NMA lesions, we placed grass rats in various lighting conditions (e.g., 12:12 light-dark, constant dark, constant light); presented a series of light pulses at circadian times (CT) 6, 14, 18, and 22; and placed them in a 7-h ultradian cycle to assess behavioral masking. …

Combined Effects Of Optimism Level And Caffeine Intake On Qeeg Alpha Wave Power: A Pilot Study, Melissa Lenert, Luis E. Aguerrevere

Undergraduate Research Conference

Caffeine has a general effect on alpha brain waves (Diukova, 2010).

Heavy caffeine users experienced increased neural activity compared to vasoconstriction (Gilbert et al., 2000).

Purpose of the pilot study is to assess the effects of caffeine intake and optimism levels on alpha wave activity in heavy caffeine users.

Polarity-Dependent Misperception Of Subjective Visual Vertical During And After Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (Tdcs), Taiza E. G. Santos-Pontelli, Brunna P. Rimoli, Diandra B. Favoretto, Suleimy C. Mazin, Dennis Q. Truong, Joao P. Leite, Octavio M. Pontes-Neto, Suzanne R. Babyar, Michael Reding, Marom Bikson, Dylan J. Edwards

Publications and Research

Pathologic tilt of subjective visual vertical (SVV) frequently has adverse functional consequences for patients with stroke and vestibular disorders. Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) of the supramarginal gyrus can produce a transitory tilt on SVV in healthy subjects. However, the effect of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) on SVV has never been systematically studied. We investigated whether bilateral tDCS over the temporal- parietal region could result in both online and offline SVV misperception in healthy subjects. In a randomized, sham-controlled, single-blind crossover pilot study, thirteen healthy subjects performed tests of SVV before, during and after the tDCS applied over the …