Neuroscience and Neurobiology Commons^™

Mind Perception: Real But Not Artificial Faces Sustain Neural Activity Beyond The N170/Vpp, Thalia Wheatley, Anna Weinberg, Christine Looser, Tim Moran, Greg Hajcak

Dartmouth Scholarship

Faces are visual objects that hold special significance as the icons of other minds. Previous researchers using event-related potentials (ERPs) have found that faces are uniquely associated with an increased N170/vertex positive potential (VPP) and a more sustained frontal positivity. Here, we examined the processing of faces as objects vs. faces as cues to minds by contrasting images of faces possessing minds (human faces), faces lacking minds (doll faces), and non-face objects (i.e., clocks). Although both doll and human faces were associated with an increased N170/VPP from 175–200 ms following stimulus onset, only human faces were associated with a sustained …

Common And Distinct Mechanisms Of Cognitive Flexibility In Prefrontal Cortex, Chobok Kim, Nathan F. Johnson, Sara E. Cilles, Brian T. Gold

Neuroscience Faculty Publications

The human ability to flexibly alternate between tasks represents a central component of cognitive control. Neuroimaging studies have linked task switching with a diverse set of prefrontal cortex (PFC) regions, but the contributions of these regions to various forms of cognitive flexibility remain largely unknown. Here, subjects underwent functional brain imaging while they completed a paradigm that selectively induced stimulus, response, or cognitive set switches in the context of a single task decision performed on a common set of stimuli. Behavioral results indicated comparable reaction time costs associated with each switch type. Domain-general task-switching activation was observed in the inferior …

Differential Levels Of Glutamate Dehydrogenase 1 (Glud1) In Balb/C And C57bl/6 Mice And The Effects Of Overexpression Of The Glud1 Gene On Glutamate Release In Striatum, Kevin N. Hascup, Xiaodong Bao, Erin R. Hascup, Dongwei Hui, Wenhao Xu, Francois Pomerleau, Peter Huettl, Mary L. Michaelis, Elias K. Michaelis, Greg A. Gerhardt

Neuroscience Faculty Publications

We have previously shown that overexpression of the Glud1 (glutamate dehydrogenase 1) gene in neurons of C57BL/6 mice results in increased depolarization-induced glutamate release that eventually leads to selective neuronal injury and cell loss by 12 months of age. However, it is known that isogenic lines of Tg (transgenic) mice produced through back-crossing with one strain may differ in their phenotypic characteristics from those produced using another inbred mouse strain. Therefore, we decided to introduce the Glud1 transgene into the Balb/c strain that has endogenously lower levels of GLUD1 (glutamate dehydrogenase 1) enzyme activity in the brain as compared with …

Association Between Academic Performance And Electrocortical Processing Of Cognitive Stimuli In College Students, Mary Menn Wolf

Theses and Dissertations

Because event-related potentials (ERPs) can reflect individual differences in intellectual ability, individual differences in college grade-point average (GPA) may be associated with specific individual ERP waves, such as the P300. However, P300 amplitude is higher in women than in men and varies across the menstrual cycle, factors that could confound the association between GPA and ERPs. In this regard, our objective was to determine whether differences in GPA are reflected in ERPs while standardling for sex and menstrual phase. After participants provided informed consent, we obtained GPAs from 22 right-handed college students (11 male, age range 22 to 26 and …

Neuromagnetic Measures Of Word Processing In Bilinguals And Monolinguals, Yingying Wang, Jing Xiang, Jennifer Vannest, Tom Holroyd, Daria Narmoneva, Paul Horn, Yinhong Liu, Douglas Rose, Ton Degrauw, Scott Holland

Center for Brain, Biology, and Behavior: Faculty Publications

Objective: This study aimed to use magnetoencephalography (MEG) to examine the question of whether Mandarin-English bilingual speakers recruit the same cortical areas or develop distinct language-specific networks without overlaps for word processing.

Methods: Eight healthy Mandarin-English bilingual adults and eight healthy English monolingual adults were scanned while single-word paradigms were audio-visually presented.

Results: Our results showed significantly stronger beta-band power suppression in the right inferior parietal lobe (IPL) covering the supramarginal gyrus (BA 40) and angular gyrus (BA 39) for bilinguals when processing Mandarin versus English. Moreover, there were no significant differences between bilinguals and monolinguals in the left inferior …

Sleep Assessments In Healthy School-Aged Children Using Actigraphy: Concordance With Polysomnography, Karen Spruyt, David Gozal, Ehab Dayyat, Adrienne Roman, Dennis L. Molfese

Center for Brain, Biology, and Behavior: Faculty Publications

Actigraphic recordings (ACT) are widely used in school children as a less intrusive and more extended approach to evaluation of sleep problems. However, critical assessment of the validity and reliability of ACT against overnight polysomnography (NPSG) are unavailable. Thus, we explored the degree of concordance between NPSG and ACT in school-aged children to delineate potential ACT boundaries when interpreting pediatric sleep. Non-dominant wrist ACT was simultaneously recorded with NPSG in 149 healthy school-aged children (4.1 to 8.8 years old, 41.7% boys and 80.4% Caucasian) recruited from the community. Analyses were limited to the Actiware (MiniMitter-64) calculated parameters originating from 1-min …

Driving For Results: Building A Strong Local Aann Chapter To Assure Relevance In Neuroscience Nursing, Holly Tavianini Rn, Bsn, Mshsa, Cnrn, Jill Hinnershitz Msn, Rn

Patient Care Services / Nursing

No abstract provided.

Open To The Public: Meeting The Nursing Challenge Of A Diverse America, Bonnie Wasilowsky Rn, Bspa-Hca, Cnrn

Patient Care Services / Nursing

No abstract provided.

Family Art Therapy: A Case Report Of A Family With A Child With Autism, E. Lange Eve

EVMS School of Health Professions Theses & Dissertations

Children diagnosed with an Autism Spectrum Disorder can experience a wide range of difficulties due to social and communication impairments. These challenges also affect the child’s family and can cause stress and disturbances within the family system. This case report describes an eight-week art therapy experience with a family who has a child with autism. A Projective Imagery Family Evaluation (PIFE) was conducted, followed by a discussion session with the family and then six one-hour art therapy sessions. The sessions occurred once a week and were implemented to address the specific concerns demonstrated by the family. Participants included a mother, …

Fuzzy Logic: A “Simple” Solution For Complexities In Neurosciences?, Saniya Siraj Godil, Muhammad Shahzad Shamim, Ather Enam, Uvais Qidwai

Medical College Documents

Background: Fuzzy logic is a multi-valued logic which is similar to human thinking and interpretation. It has the potential of combining human heuristics into computer-assisted decision making, which is applicable to individual patients as it takes into account all the factors and complexities of individuals. Fuzzy logic has been applied in all disciplines of medicine in some form and recently its applicability in neurosciences has also gained momentum.
Methods: This review focuses on the use of this concept in various branches of neurosciences including basic neuroscience, neurology, neurosurgery, psychiatry and psychology.
Results: The applicability of fuzzy logic is not limited …

Characterization Of Genetically Targeted Neuron Types In The Zebrafish Optic Tectum, Estuardo Robles, Stephen J. Smith, Herwig Baier

Neuroscience: Faculty Publications

The optically transparent larval zebrafish is ideally suited for in vivo analyses of neural circuitry controlling visually guided behaviors. However, there is a lack of information regarding specific cell types in the major retinorecipient brain region of the fish, the optic tectum. Here we report the characterization of three previously unidentified tectal cell types that are specifically labeled by dlx5/6 enhancer elements. In vivo laser-scanning microscopy in conjunction with ex vivo array tomography revealed that these neurons differ in their morphologies, synaptic connectivity, and neurotransmitter phenotypes. The first type is an excitatory bistratified periventricular interneuron that forms a dendritic arbor …

Sleep Duration, Sleep Regularity, Body Weight, And Metabolic Homeostasis In School-Aged Children, Karen Spruyt, Dennis L. Molfese, David Gozal

Center for Brain, Biology, and Behavior: Faculty Publications

OBJECTIVE: The goal was to explore the effects of duration and regularity of sleep schedules on BMI and the impact on metabolic regulation in children.

METHODS: Sleep patterns of 308 community-recruited children 4 to 10 years of age were assessed with wrist actigraphs for 1 week in a cross-sectional study, along with BMI assessment. Fasting morning plasma levels of glucose, insulin, lipids, and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein also were measured for a subsample.

RESULTS: Children slept 8 hours per night, on average, regardless of their weight categorization. A nonlinear trend between sleep and weight emerged. For obese children, …

Increased Mitochondrial Calcium Sensitivity And Abnormal Expression Of Innate Immunity Genes Precede Dopaminergic Defects In Pink1-Deficient Mice, Ravi S. Akundi, Zhenyu Huang, Joshua Eason, Jignesh D. Pandya, Lianteng Zhi, Wayne A. Cass, Patrick G. Sullivan, Hansruedi Büeler

Neuroscience Faculty Publications

BACKGROUND: PTEN-induced kinase 1 (PINK1) is linked to recessive Parkinsonism (EOPD). Pink1 deletion results in impaired dopamine (DA) release and decreased mitochondrial respiration in the striatum of mice. To reveal additional mechanisms of Pink1-related dopaminergic dysfunction, we studied Ca²⁺ vulnerability of purified brain mitochondria, DA levels and metabolism and whether signaling pathways implicated in Parkinson's disease (PD) display altered activity in the nigrostriatal system of Pink1⁻/⁻ mice.

METHODS AND FINDINGS: Purified brain mitochondria of ^Pink1⁻/⁻ mice showed impaired Ca²⁺ storage capacity, resulting in increased Ca²⁺ induced mitochondrial permeability transition (mPT) that was rescued by cyclosporine A. …

Mglur5 Involvement In Methamphetamine Reward And The Co-Morbidity Of Schizophrenia And Stimulant Use Disorders, Amy Anne Herrold

Dissertations (2 year embargo)

Methamphetamine (Meth) is a potent, widely-used stimulant. Stimulant abuse occurs more frequently in the schizophrenia patient population than the general population. The co-morbidity of stimulant use disorders and schizophrenia presents an understudied phenomenon and suggests overlapping brain states of these two pathologies.

There are currently no FDA-approved pharmacotherapies for Meth addiction and relapse to Meth use remains a substantial challenge for abstinent Meth addicts. One factor that contributes to craving and relapse is exposure to environmental or contextual cues associated with Meth use. This effect is the consequence of associative learning that occurs between the rewarding properties of drugs and …

Air Pollution & The Brain: Subchronic Diesel Exhaust Exposure Causes Neuroinflammation And Elevates Early Markers Of Neurodegenerative Disease, Shannon Levesque, Michael J. Surace, Jacob Mcdonald, Michelle L. Block

Anatomy and Neurobiology Publications

Background

Increasing evidence links diverse forms of air pollution to neuroinflammation and neuropathology in both human and animal models, but the effects of long-term exposures are poorly understood.

Objective

We explored the central nervous system consequences of subchronic exposure to diesel exhaust (DE) and addressed the minimum levels necessary to elicit neuroinflammation and markers of early neuropathology.

Methods

Male Fischer 344 rats were exposed to DE (992, 311, 100, 35 and 0 μg PM/m³) by inhalation over 6 months.

Results

DE exposure resulted in elevated levels of TNFα at high concentrations in all regions tested, with the exception …

Chronic Apocynin Treatment Attenuates Beta Amyloid Plaque Size And Microglial Number In Happ(751)Sl Mice, Melinda E. Lull, Shannon Levesque, Michael J. Surace, Michelle L. Block

Anatomy and Neurobiology Publications

Background

NADPH oxidase is implicated in neurotoxic microglial activation and the progressive nature of Alzheimer's Disease (AD). Here, we test the ability of two NADPH oxidase inhibitors, apocynin and dextromethorphan (DM), to reduce learning deficits and neuropathology in transgenic mice overexpressing human amyloid precursor protein with the Swedish and London mutations (hAPP(751)SL).

Methods

Four month old hAPP(751)SL mice were treated daily with saline, 15 mg/kg DM, 7.5 mg/kg DM, or 10 mg/kg apocynin by gavage for four months.

Results

Only hAPP(751)SL mice treated with apocynin showed reduced plaque size and a reduction in the number of cortical microglia, when compared …

Development Of Melanopsin-Based Irradiance Detecting Circuitry, David S. Mcneill, Catherine J. Sheely, Jennifer L. Ecker, Tudor C. Badea, Duncan Morhardt, William Guido, Samer Hattar

Anatomy and Neurobiology Publications

Background

Most retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) convey contrast and motion information to visual brain centers. Approximately 2% of RGCs are intrinsically photosensitive (ipRGCs), express melanopsin and are necessary for light to modulate specific physiological processes in mice. The ipRGCs directly target the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) to photoentrain circadian rhythms, and the olivary pretectal nucleus (OPN) to mediate the pupillary light response. How and when this ipRGC circuitry develops is unknown.

Results

Here, we show that some ipRGCs follow a delayed developmental time course relative to other image-forming RGCs. Specifically, ipRGC neurogenesis extends beyond that of other RGCs, and ipRGCs begin …

Micrornas 9a, 9b, 9c And 315 Regulate Expression Of A Reporter For The Neuronal Microtubule-Associated Protein Futsch/Map1b, Leslie M. Rozeboom

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Fragile X syndrome (FXS) is the most common form of inherited mental retardation in humans. FXS is caused by loss of the Fragile X Mental Retardation Protein (FMRP), an important regulator of neuronal mRNA translation. Patients with FXS display cognitive deficits including memory problems. Protein synthesis-dependent long-term changes in synaptic plasticity are involved in the establishment and maintenance of long-term memory. One prevalent theory of FXS pathology predicts that FMRP is required to negatively regulate the translation of important mRNAs at the synapse. We are investigating microRNAs (miRNAs) as a potential regulator of synaptic FMRP-regulated mRNAs that have previously been …

Nico-Teen: Neural Substrates That Mediate Adolescent Tobacco Abuse., Laura O'Dell

Selected Works Temporary Series

No abstract provided.

Sleep Estimates In Children: Parental Versus Actigraphic Assessments, Ehab A. Dayyat, Karen Spruyt, Dennis L. Molfese, David Gozal

Center for Brain, Biology, and Behavior: Faculty Publications

Background: In the context of increasing awareness about the need for assessment of sleep duration in community and clinical settings, the use of questionnaire-based tools may be fraught with reporter bias. Conversely, actigraphy provides objective assessments of sleep patterns. In this study, we aimed to determine the potential discrepancies between parentally-based sleep logs and concurrent actigraphic recordings in children over a one-week period.

Methods: We studied 327 children aged 3–10 years, and included otherwise healthy, nonsnoring children from the community who were reported by their parents to be nonsnorers and had normal polysomnography, habitually-snoring children from the community …