Neuroscience and Neurobiology Commons^™

Physical Activity And Sedentary Behavior Of Cancer Survivors And Non-Cancer Individuals: Results From A National Survey, Roy B. Kim, Allison Phillips, Kirsten Herrick, Marieka Helou, Carlin Rafie, Mitchell S. Anscher, Ross B. Mikkelsen, Yi Ning

Anatomy and Neurobiology Publications

Increasing physical activity and decreasing sedentary behavior are associated with a higher quality of life and lower mortality rates for cancer survivors, a growing population group. Studies detailing the behavior of cancer survivors are limited. Therefore, we investigated physical activity and sedentary behavior of cancer survivors using data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2007–2010. Participants were those who provided physical activity and sedentary behavior data. Those who were pregnant,old, or10,472 non-cancer participants. After adjustment for age, race, gender, education status, body mass index, and smoking status, cancer survivors (n = 10,472) reported significantly longer duration of …

Contributions Of Vldlr And Lrp8 In The Establishment Of Retinogeniculate Projections, Jianmin Su, Michael A. Klemm, Anne M. Josephson, Michael A. Fox

Anatomy and Neurobiology Publications

Background

Retinal ganglion cells (RGCs), the output neurons of the retina, project to over 20 distinct brain nuclei, including the lateral geniculate nucleus (LGN), a thalamic region comprised of three functionally distinct subnuclei: the ventral LGN (vLGN), the dorsal LGN (dLGN) and the intergeniculate leaflet (IGL). We previously identified reelin, an extracellular glycoprotein, as a critical factor that directs class-specific targeting of these subnuclei. Reelin is known to bind to two receptors: very-low-density lipoprotein receptor (VLDLR) and low-density lipoprotein receptor-related protein 8 (LRP8), also known as apolipoprotein E receptor 2 (ApoER2). Here we examined the roles of these canonical reelin …

Meyer Navigator: User Scanimage Functions To Show X/Y Positions Of The Stage/Objective In A Coordinate System, Stephan Meyer Zum Alten Borgloh

Gilbert Laboratory

These Matlab functions extend Janelia Farms' ScanImage microscope control software. The functions allow the user to view, mark and track positions of the motor stage/objective in x, y, and z, which get displayed in a separate window. This helps to keep track of the stage movements, regions of interest and makes it easy to document areas imaged and map out the specimen being investigated. For detailed information about the functionality as well as installation, view the included manual file.

The Expanding Genomic Landscape Of Autism: Discovering The 'Forest' Beyond The 'Trees', Valerie Wailin Hu

Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine Faculty Publications

Autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) are neurodevelopmental disorders characterized by significant deficits in reciprocal social interactions, impaired communication, and restricted, repetitive behaviors. Because ASDs are among the most heritable of neuropsychiatric disorders, much of autism research has focused on the search for genetic variants in protein-coding genes (i.e., the "trees"). However, no single gene can account for more than 1% of the cases of ASD. Yet, genome-wide association studies have often identified statistically significant associations of genetic variations in regions of DNA that do not code for proteins (i.e., intergenic regions). There is increasing evidence that such noncoding regions are actively …

Microglial Activation Decreases Retention Of The Protease Inhibitor Saquinavir: Implications For Hiv Treatment, Shannon Dallas, Michelle L. Block, Deborah M. Thompson, Marcelo G. Bonini, Patrick T. Ronaldson, Reina Bendayan, David S. Miller

Anatomy and Neurobiology Publications

Background

Active HIV infection within the central nervous system (CNS) is confined primarily to microglia. The glial cell compartment acts as a viral reservoir behind the blood-brain barrier. It provides an additional roadblock to effective pharmacological treatment via expression of multiple drug efflux transporters, including P-glycoprotein. HIV/AIDS patients frequently suffer bacterial and viral co-infections, leading to deregulation of glial cell function and release of pro-inflammatory mediators including cytokines, chemokines, and nitric oxide.

Methods

To better define the role of inflammation in decreased HIV drug accumulation into CNS targets, accumulation of the antiretroviral saquinavir was examined in purified cultures of rodent …

Seeded Propagation Of Tau Fibrils, Paul David Dinkel

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In various neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer's disease, progressive supranuclear palsy, Pick's disease, and corticobasal degeneration, the deposition of fibrils composed of misfolded tau protein is observed. Recent evidence suggests that tau fibrils transfer between cells and spread throughout the brain, underscoring the significance of fibril propagation.

Six tau isoforms exist in the adult human brain that can be grouped into 4-repeat (4R) tau and 3-repeat (3R) tau based on the presence or absence of the second of four microtubule binding repeats. We demonstrate in vitro that seeded fibril growth, a prerequisite for the spreading of the tau pathology, is crucially …

Nocturnal Diaphoresis Secondary To Mild Obstructive Sleep Apnea In A Patient With A History Of Two Malignancies, Robert Daniel Vorona, Mariana Szklo-Coxe, Mark Fleming, J. Catesby Ware

Community & Environmental Health Faculty Publications

Numerous medical disorders, including obstructive sleep apnea, may cause nocturnal diaphoresis. Previous work has associated severe obstructive sleep apnea with nocturnal diaphoresis. This case report is of import as our patient with severe nocturnal diaphoresis manifested only mild sleep apnea, and, for years, his nocturnal diaphoresis was ascribed to other causes, i.e., first prostate cancer and then follicular B-cell lymphoma. Additionally, it was the nocturnal diaphoresis and not more common symptoms of obstructive sleep apnea, such as snoring, that led to the definitive diagnosis of his sleep apnea and then to treatment with a gratifying resolution of his onerous symptom.

Isoform-Specific Effects Of Apoe On Neurite Outgrowth In Olfactory Epithelium Culture, Aseem Hussain, Minh Luong, Apryl Pooley, Britto P. Nathan

Faculty Research & Creative Activity

The apolipoprotein E4 (apoE4) genotype is a major risk factor for developing late-onset Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Inheritance of apoE4 is also associated with impairments in olfactory function in early stages of AD. In this project we examined the effects of the three common isoforms of human apoE (apoE2, apoE3, and apoE4) on neuronal differentiation and neurite outgrowth in explant cultures of mouse olfactory epithelium (OE).

Isoform-Specific Effects Of Apoe On Neurite Outgrowth In Olfactory Epithelium Culture, Aseem Hussain, Minh Luong, Apryl Pooley, Britto Nathan

Faculty Research & Creative Activity

The apolipoprotein E4 (apoE4) genotype is a major risk factor for developing late-onset Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Inheritance of apoE4 is also associated with impairments in olfactory function in early stages of AD. In this project we examined the effects of the three common isoforms of human apoE (apoE2, apoE3, and apoE4) on neuronal differentiation and neurite outgrowth in explant cultures of mouse olfactory epithelium (OE).

A One-Hour Sleep Restriction Impacts Brain Processing In Young Children Across Tasks: Evidence From Event-Related Potentials, Dennis Molfese, Anna Ivanenko, Alexandra P.F. Key, Adrienne Roman, Victoria J. Molfese, Louise M. O'Brien, David Gozal, Srinivas Kota, Caitlin M. Hudac

Center for Brain, Biology, and Behavior: Faculty Publications

The effect of mild sleep restriction on cognitive functioning in young children is unclear, yet sleep loss may impact children's abilities to attend to tasks with high processing demands. In a preliminary investigation, six children (6.6 - 8.3 years of age) with normal sleep patterns performed three tasks: attention (“Oddball”), speech perception (conconant-vowel syllables) and executive function (Directional Stroop). Event-related potentials (ERP) responses were recorded before (Control) and following one-week of 1-hour per day of sleep restriction. Brain activity across all tasks following Sleep Restriction differed from activity during Control Sleep, indicating that minor sleep restriction impacts children's neurocognitive functioning.

Normative Topographic Erp Analyses Of Speed Of Speech Processing And Grammar Before And After Grammatical Treatment, Paul J. Yoder, Dennis Molfese, Micah M. Murray, Alexandra P.F. Key

Center for Brain, Biology, and Behavior: Faculty Publications

Typically developing (TD) preschoolers and age-matched preschoolers with specific language impairment (SLI) received event-related potentials (ERPs) to four monosyllabic speech sounds prior to treatment and, in the SLI group, after 6 months of grammatical treatment. Before treatment, the TD group processed speech sounds faster than the SLI group. The SLI group increased the speed of their speech processing after treatment. Post-treatment speed of speech processing predicted later impairment in comprehending phrase elaboration in the SLI group. During the treatment phase, change in speed of speech processing predicted growth rate of grammar in the SLI group.

Loss Of Dendritic Inhibition In The Hippocampus After Repeated Early-Life Hyperthermic Seizures In Rats., Richard Boyce, L Stan Leung

Physiology and Pharmacology Publications

Seizures are relatively common in children and are a risk factor for subsequent temporal lobe epilepsy. To investigate whether early-life seizures themselves are detrimental to the proper function of the adult brain, we studied whether dendritic excitation and inhibition in the hippocampus of adult rats were altered after hyperthermia-induced seizures in immature rats. In particular, we hypothesized that apical dendritic inhibition in hippocampal CA1 pyramidal cells would be disrupted following hyperthermia-induced seizures in early life. Seizure rats were given three hyperthermia-induced seizures per day for three days from postnatal day (PND) 13 to 15; control rats were handled similarly but …

The Control Of Crawling Movement By Interneuron Circuits Of The Drosophila Larva, Mary Sweet

Honors Theses, 1963-2015

The organization of the human brain is extremely complex. Therefore, scientists have relied upon model organisms like the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster for nervous system studies, because these organisms are less complex and can be experimentally manipulated with genetic tools. In this study, we focus on fruit fly larval crawling behavior and how it can be altered by the manipulation of subsets of neurons that may be involved in generating crawling behavior. Eight subsets were tested and all of them were found to limit normal larval crawling behavior to some degree. The elucidation of these subsets will help us to …

The Effect Of Visual Wulst Lesions And Trigeminal Nerve Sectioning On The Discrimination Of Magnetic Inclination In The Homing Pigeon (Columba Livia), Merissa Acerbi

Honors Projects

The ability of homing pigeons to return to their loft from unknown places has fascinated scientists for centuries. It is well established that homing pigeons, like migratory birds, posses an innate magnetic inclination compass to determine direction by measuring the angle between the magnetic field vector and the Earth's surface. Recent work has indicated that the avian magnetic compass is light mediated and appears to mediate magnetic information to the brain. This occurs via a visual pathway with processing in the visual Wulst area of the forebrain. There is, however, also evidence from other avian species that magnetic direction may …

The Effects Of Acute Nicotine Administration On Memory Formation And Neural Activity In The Hippocampus, Perirhinal Cortex, And Medial Septum: Implications For Neurodegenerative Disorders, Matthew Wishnoff

Behavioral Neuroscience Honors Papers

Within the general public, nicotine is commonly thought of as a harmful molecule due to its role in tobacco addiction. However, nicotinic stimulation of the cholinergic system has also been shown to enhance cognitive functioning. This enhancement is thought to be caused by an increase in the release of the neurotransmitter, acetylcholine (ACh), which is responsible for mediating a variety of cognitive processes, such as REM sleep and memory formation. Recent research by Melichercik and colleagues shows that systemic nicotine administration enhances memory acquisition for both object location and object recognition memory in rats, as assessed by a modified version …

Combined Effects Of Rearing Environment And Lead (Pb2+) Exposure On Visuospatial Learning And Memory In Rats, Nicholas Tolman

Behavioral Neuroscience Honors Papers

Critical periods of neural development occur during early postnatal life that correspond with increases in synaptic plasticity and the formation of neural circuits needed for learning and memory. This development can be profoundly influenced by experience and negatively affected by environmental toxins. Environmental enrichment and lead exposure inversely affect mediators of synaptic plasticity, which suggests that enrichment may have an attenuating effect on lead induced cognitive deficits. A wealth of evidence has indicated that exposure to excessive amounts of inorganic Pb2+ during early development can produce long lasting cognitive deficits in humans. Evidence also suggests that children raised in an …

Impairment Of Trkb-Psd-95 Signaling In Angelman Syndrome, Cong Cao, Mengia S. Rioult-Pedotti, Paolo Migani, Crystal J. Yu, Rakesh Tiwari, Keykavous Parang, Mark R. Spaller, Dennis J. Goebel, John Marshall

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

Angelman syndrome (AS) is a neurodevelopment disorder characterized by severe cognitive impairment and a high rate of autism. AS is caused by disrupted neuronal expression of the maternally inherited Ube3A ubiquitin protein ligase, required for the proteasomal degradation of proteins implicated in synaptic plasticity, such as the activity-regulated cytoskeletal-associated protein (Arc/Arg3.1). Mice deficient in maternal Ube3A express elevated levels of Arc in response to synaptic activity, which coincides with severely impaired long-term potentiation (LTP) in the hippocampus and deficits in learning behaviors. In this study, we sought to test whether elevated levels of Arc interfere with brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) …

Aβ Alters The Dna Methylation Status Of Cell-Fate Genes In An Alzheimer’S Disease Model, Gary D. Isaacs, Noor Taher, Courtney Mckenzie, Rebecca Garrett, Matthew Baker, Nena Fox

Faculty Publications and Presentations

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is characterized by neurofibrillary tangles and extracellular amyloid-β plaques (Aβ). Despite ongoing research, some ambiguity remains surrounding the role of Aβ in the pathogenesis of this neurodegenerative disease. While several studies have focused on the mutations associated with AD, our understanding of the epigenetic contributions to the disease remains less clear. To that end, we determined the changes in DNA methylation in differentiated human neurons with and without Aβ treatment. We isolated the DNA from neurons treated with Aβ or vehicle, and digested the two samples with either a methylation-sensitive (HpaII) or a methylation-insensitive (MspI) restriction endonuclease. …

Neuroprotection By Chitosan And Chitosan Nanoparticles, Bojun Chen

Open Access Dissertations

In the U.S., about 200,000 people are currently living with spinal cord injury (SCI). An estimated of 50%-70% of all SCI cases occurs in the range of ages between 15-35 years old. The destructive neurotrauma results in the majority of adult disability, even after patients suffering with SCI survived from the acute death. There are two stages involved in the progression of SCI, the primary stage and the secondary stage. The primary stage is mainly the mechanical damage to the central nervous system. The rapid collapse of the integrity of cell membrane and tissue is often one of the initial …

Structure-Activity Relationship Of 2,3-Benzodiazepin-4-Ones As Noncompetitive Ampa Receptor Antagonists, Mohammad Shaban Qneibi

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

2,3-Benzodiazepin-4-one (BDZ-11) derivatives are a special group of 2,3-benzodiazepine compounds. These compounds have been previously synthesized as AMPA receptor inhibitors, and they are also potential drugs for the treatment of various neurological diseases involving excessive AMPA receptor activity. AMPA receptors are a subtype of glutamate ion channel proteins and are responsible for the majority of excitatory neurotransmission in the mammalian central nervous system. Specifically, they are critically involved in neuronal development and brain activities, including learning and memory. Overstimulation of AMPA receptors is associated with some neurological diseases such as ALS, stroke and Alzheimer's disease. Despite the fact that hundreds …