Neurosciences Commons^™

Fatigue And Depression In Epilepsy Patients May Not Be Solely Related To The Epilepsy Itself, Sounira Mehri, Josef Finsterer

Neurosciences

No abstract provided.

Efficacy And Safety Of Plasma Exchange And Immunoadsorption For Acute Optic Neuritis In Patients With Demyelinating Diseases: A Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis, Mehenaz A Hanbazazh, Mohammed Ridha Algethami, Abdulwahhab Omar Anbarserry, Ruba Mohammed Alghanmi, Lama Nawaf Alanazi, Ahmed Ayed N Alanazi, Bashaier Gubran Alqahtani, Mohammed Abdullah Alamri

Neurosciences

Background: Optic neuritis (ON), a common manifestation of demyelinating disorders such as multiple sclerosis (MS), neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD), and myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein antibody-associated disease (MOGAD), often leads to significant visual impairment. Although high-dose corticosteroids are a first-line therapy, many patients experience incomplete recovery. Apheresis therapies, including plasma exchange (PLEX) and immunoadsorption (IA), are being increasingly used as rescue treatments, but their efficacy and safety are debated.

Methods: We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of studies evaluating PLEX and IA for acute ON in patients with demyelinating diseases. Four databases were searched up to January 2025. The included …

Investigating The Patent Foramen Ovale–Migraine Link In Southern Saudi Arabia, Al-Amir Bassiouny Mohamed, Maeed Alkathiri, Saad Mushabab Ali Alqahtani, Naif H. Ali, Saima Kashif, Saad A. Alshahrani, Mohammed S. Alqahtani, Mohamed Gaber Mahmoud Gabr, Eltohami Zydan Dafalla, Basharat Hameed Zargar, Wael Qenawi, Ali Mohammed A. Alshehri, Fatimah Asiri, Ahmed Borai

Neurosciences

Objective: Migraine is a highly disabling neurological condition, and increasing attention has focused on a possible connection with patent foramen ovale (PFO).

Methods: This single-center observational study enrolled 45 individuals from January to April 2024: 30 migraine patients with PFO (Group 1) and 15 migraine patients without PFO serving as controls (Group 2). All subjects underwent transthoracic echocardiography and completed standardized instruments including the Migraine Disability Assessment (MIDAS), Headache Impact Test (HIT-6), Migraine Symptom Severity Scale (MSSS), Allodynia Symptom Checklist (ASC-12), Visual Aura Rating Scale (VARS), and Migraine Treatment Optimization Questionnaire (mTOQ-6).

Results: The participant's mean age was 37.3 ± …

The Role Of 14-3-3 Proteins In The Pro-Inflammatory Response Of Microglia And The Neuronal Stress Response To Trichloroethylene Exposure, William Stone

ETDs from 2020-2029

ABSTRACT This dissertation examines how 14-3-3 proteins, with a focus on the 14-3-3θ iso-form, regulate signaling pathways relevant to neurodegeneration. While tradition-ally described as molecular hubs that organize protein–protein interactions, our work reveals how 14-3-3 function is shaped by environmental insults, namely bac-terial and neurotoxicant exposures, and how its disruption contributes to disease-associated processes. Two complementary approaches were used, focusing on microglial inflammatory signaling and neuronal responses to an environmental neurotoxicant, to define a broader role for 14-3-3 proteins in disease associated pathways in the brain. Chapter I identifies 14-3-3 proteins as modulators of microglial activation. Disrup-tion of 14-3-3 interactions …

Anatomy And Function Of Vasopressin Receptor 1a-Expressing Neurons In The Limbic Thalamus, David Joseph Kahn

Theses and Dissertations

The vasopressin (Avp) system modulates social behavior through region-specific and sex-dependent mechanisms, yet the role of Avp receptor 1a (Avpr1a) signaling in the thalamus has remained largely unexplored. This dissertation examined the distribution and functional contributions of Avpr1a-expressing neurons across the mouse thalamus using a combination of genetic labeling, anatomical quantification, and chemogenetic manipulation. Mapping of Avpr1a-expressing neurons revealed a presence in most thalamic nuclei, with highest densities in the anterior thalamic nuclei and midline nuclei. Notably, Avpr1a-expressing neuron densities did not mirror previously described patterns of Avp innervation, and no sex differences in Avpr1a-expressing neuron density were observed. Chemogenetic …

Hp1bp3 Loss Links Chromatin Reorganization To Metabolic Vulnerability In Glioma, Brittney Lozzi, Taylor A Gatesman, Pushan Dasgupta, Debosmita Sardar, Yeunjung Ko, Chenyu Mao, Hsiao-Chi Chen, Rachel N Curry, Dongjoo Choi, Carrie A Mohila, Melissa L Bondy, Ganesh Rao, Marco Gallo, Sameer Agnihotri, Benjamin Deneen

Duncan NRI Faculty and Staff Publications

High-grade gliomas (HGGs) are aggressive brain tumors with poor prognosis, driven in part by metabolic and epigenetic adaptations. Methionine metabolism supports HGG growth by supplying S-adenosylmethionine for methylation reactions, yet how nutrient availability influences chromatin organization in HGG remains incompletely understood. Using an immunocompetent mouse model of HGG, we found that dietary methionine restriction reduced tumor proliferation, extended survival, and induced partial nuclear inversion. We identified Hp1bp3 as a key regulator of tumor growth that functions by interacting with nuclear tethering proteins to mediate chromatin reorganization. Loss of Hp1bp3 results in the upregulation of histone demethylases leading to selective depletion …

The Role Of Mitochondrial And Lysosomal Damage In Neurotoxicity From Parkinson 'S-Related Environmental Exposures, Neda Ilieva

ETDs from 2020-2029

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a progressive motor neurodegenerative disorder with a predominantly idiopathic etiology. More recently, however, the contribution of exogenous risk factors such as environmental contaminants has become of interest. Some endogenous genetic risk factors have been well characterized, but the mechanisms by which exogenous insults, such as environmental contaminants, drive dopaminergic neurodegeneration remain incompletely understood. This dissertation will address how environmental contaminants converge on mitochondrial and lysosomal dysfunction to activate parallel neurotoxic signaling pathways, with a focus on the LRRK2 kinase and the cGAS-STING innate immune pathway. Chapter 2 demonstrates that pharmacological inhibition of LRRK2 kinase activity protects …

A Caveat Regarding The Unfolding Argument: Implications Of Plasticity, Viknas N. O'Reilly-Shah, Alessandro Maria Selvitella, Aaron Schurger

Psychology Faculty Articles and Research

The unfolding argument in the neuroscience of consciousness posits that causal structure cannot account for consciousness because any recurrent neural network (RNN) can be “unfolded” into a functionally equivalent feedforward neural network (FNN) with identical input–output behavior. Subsequent debate has focused on dynamical properties and philosophy of science critiques. We examine a boundary condition on the unfolding argument for RNN systems with rapid plasticity in their connection weights. We demonstrate through rigorous mathematical proofs that rapid plasticity negates the functional equivalence between the RNN and the FNN. Our proofs address history-dependent plasticity, dynamical systems analysis, information-theoretic considerations, perturbational stability, complexity …

Understanding Whole-Brain Dynamics Through Generative Modeling, Ruiqi Chen

Arts & Sciences Graduate Student Theses and Dissertations

A central goal in cognitive neuroscience is to map mental processes onto their physical substrates. Traditionally, this goal is pursued by associating different mental processes with spatially-based anatomic localization. On the contrary, much less is known about the temporal dynamics of neural activity, particularly at the scale of the whole brain. Research into whole-brain dynamics has been challenging primarily due to the lack of an analytic framework that can summarize such dynamics, expose the underlying mechanisms, and associate the mechanisms with cognitive processes. In this dissertation, I describe my doctorate research aimed at building such a framework and deploying it …

Mapping The Neuroexposome: Integrative Analysis Of Dementia Risk Factors Through Multi-Omics And Environmental Profiling In The Egyptian Population., Mai Ahmed Saadzaghloul Othman

Theses and Dissertations

Background: Dementia represents one of the most pressing public health challenges of the twenty-first century, with the global burden projected to reach 153 million cases by 2050. Egypt, as the most populous Arab nation, faces a corresponding rise in age-related diseases, yet comprehensive data from low- and middle-income countries remain severely limited. The neuroexposome framework, integrating genetic susceptibility, environmental exposures, and metabolic alterations, offers a powerful strategy to characterize the complex interplay between internal and external risk factors for Alzheimer's disease (AD) and Alzheimer's disease Related Dementias (ADRD).

Objectives: This thesis aimed to: (1) examine the distribution of APOE alleles …

Patterns Of Language And Visuospatial Lateralisation In Three-Year-Old Children, Josephine E. Quin-Conroy, Donna M. Bayliss, Stephanie J. Bovell, Debra Eamer, Georgina H.M. Earl, Simon E. Fisher, Clyde Francks, Murray T. Maybery, Sarah Pillar, Desiree Silva, Andrew J.O. Whitehouse, Nicholas A. Badcock

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Little is known about how or when language and visuospatial processing lateralise in the brain, and if individual differences in lateralisation are related to early language or visuospatial abilities. We explored if patterns of language and visuospatial lateralisation are related to cognitive skills in young children. A large sample of 3-year-olds (n = 136) attempted two functional transcranial Doppler ultrasound (fTCD) tasks to estimate language and visuospatial lateralisation. At the group level, language was lateralised to the left hemisphere, but visuospatial processing was weakly lateralised to the right hemisphere. The relationship between patterns of lateralisation and cognitive skills was investigated …

Molecular And Histologic Studies Of The Amygdala And Reward Circuits In Rhesus Macaques (Macaca Mulatta) With Self-Injurious Behavior (Sib), Jackie Barua

Doctoral Dissertations

Self-injurious behavior (SIB), also known as non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI), is characterized by deliberate infliction of harming one’s own body tissues without committing suicide, and persists in a group of captive rhesus macaques despite an enhanced enrichment program and pharmacological intervention with diazepam. The aim of this dissertation was to identify the neurobiological underpinnings of SIB by combining RNA-seq guided transcriptomic discovery and targeted candidate gene validation with unbiased histological and imaging analysis. The secondary aim was to employ a complementary mouse model to investigate the endogenous opioid system in response to diazepam. The amygdala transcriptome of primates with SIB (n …

Activated Dorsomedial Hypothalamic Astrocytes Regulate Feeding Behavior, Bella M. Lisenby

Honors Projects

The dorsomedial hypothalamus (DMH) region of the brain has been shown to be important for anticipatory feeding activity and play a role in restricting excessive food intake. In obese animals that overconsume calories, astrocytes within the DMH exhibit intracellular signaling changes indicative of cellular activation. Because astrocytes are known to influence neuronal function, we hypothesize that activated astrocytes regulate behavior. In the current study, we use chemogenetics combined with stereotaxic surgery to assess the contribution of astrocyte activity in the DMH towards metabolic behaviors.

Fentanyl Mediated Distortions Of Phasic Dopamine Release Dynamics Encoding Natural Reward And Aversive Processing In The Mammalian Mesolimbic Circuit, Oliver P. Culver Iv

MUSC Theses and Dissertations

Mu opioid receptor (MOR) agonists are recognized to disinhibit tonic dopamine (DA) in the ventral striatum (VS), contributing to opioid addiction and euphoria. However, MOR agonists can also inhibit non-drug reward-seeking, and disrupt conditioned responding to aversive stimuli, a phenomenon not readily explained by tonic DA disinhibition. We hypothesized that this effect could be due in part to disruption of phasic DA responses to conditioned stimuli (CS) which critically shape and maintain behaviors during naturalistic reward and aversive processing. Because MOR effects on CS-evoked phasic DA are largely unexamined, we conducted in vivo fiber photometric recordings in water-deprived male and …

Assessing Shifts In Research Priority Areas From The Neurological Community Before And After The Covid-19 Pandemic, Leah Dempsey, Travis Cruickshank, Mitchell Turner, Manja Laws, Danielle Bartlett, Barby Singer, Onno Van Der Groen, Moira Sim, Mandy Stanley

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Introduction: People living with a neurological condition face many difficulties in daily life, impacting their function and quality of life (QoL). There is currently no cure to many neurological conditions, therefore identifying interventions to improve QoL is of high importance. COVID-19 changed society in many ways and understanding the research priorities from the neurological community post pandemic is urgently needed to ensure resources are used efficiently and aligned with the needs and priorities of the community. To better understand the priority areas, it is essential for individuals with lived experience to have input into priority areas for research. Therefore, the …

Higher Sodium Intake Is Associated With Episodic Memory Decline In Cognitively Unimpaired Older Males: A 6-Year Longitudinal Study, Francisca Chuwa, Stephanie R. Rainey-Smith, Hilal Salim Said Al Shamsi, Hamid Sohrabi, Kevin Taddei, Colin L. Masters, Ralph N. Martins, Samantha L. Gardener

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Recent evidence has suggested an association between high sodium intake and development of cognitive impairment. However, while animal studies demonstrate consistent relationships between sodium intake and cognitive impairment, this relationship remains less clear in humans. Our aim was to investigate the relationship between self-reported baseline sodium intake and cognitive decline over 72 months. Cognitively unimpaired participants (n = 1208) from the Australian Imaging, Biomarkers and Lifestyle study were included (70.87 years of age; 41 % male). Participants completed a food frequency questionnaire to quantify sodium intake and underwent comprehensive neuropsychological assessment at baseline and four additional timepoints, 18 months apart. …

Investigating The Effects Of Increased O-Glcnaylation On Pathology In Alzheimer’S Disease, Melissa Louise Garcia

ETDs from 2020-2029

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is currently the 7th leading cause of death, with few treatment options. It is known that AD pathology begins 20-30 years before clinical symptoms manifest. Some of the earliest pathological changes occur in glial cells of the hippocampus, causing them to become chronically reactive, as well as the accumulation of Amyloid-β (Aβ) in the hippocampus and hyperphosphorylated Tau (pTau) in the locus coeruleus, resulting in dysfunction of the noradrenergic (NA) system. Preclinical studies have shown promise in the abilities of the post-translational modification O-linked β-N-acetylglucosamine (O-GlcNAc). O-GlcNAc is a tightly regulated reversible enzymatic modification controlled by the …

Characterizing The Role Of The Paraventricular Nucleus Of The Thalamus D2r+ Neurons In Interoceptive Predictions, Briana Machen

ETDs from 2020-2029

Interoceptive predictions are internal models through which the brain anticipates future bodily states based on past experiences and environmental cues. Under healthy conditions, these predictions allow organisms to anticipate physiological needs and proactively adjust behavior to maintain homeostasis. When these processes become dysregulated, however, environmental cues can trigger maladaptive physiological responses. Although interoceptive prediction is increasingly recognized as a key mechanism underlying adaptive behavior, the neuronal circuits responsible for generating these predictions remain poorly understood. The paraventricular nucleus of the thalamus (PVT) receives convergent inputs from brain regions involved in processing both interoceptive signals and exteroceptive cues, positioning it to …

Age-Related Increase In Plasma P-Tau217 In Amyloid-Beta–Negative Cognitively Unimpaired Individuals Affects Diagnostic Interpretation, Anna E. Mammel, Fernando Gonzalez-Ortiz, Ali Mousavi, Kelsey Hallett, Mary Encarnacion, Don Biehl, Pradip Gill, Sazan Ismael, Christopher Fowler, James D. Doecke, Larry Ward, Hans Frykman

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Introduction: The extent to which non-pathological aging influences plasma biomarkers remains unclear. Here, we investigate factors influencing plasma p-tau217 levels in cognitively unimpaired (CU), amyloid-beta–negative (Aβ-) individuals. Methods: Plasma p-tau217 was measured in CU Aβ- positron emission tomography–negative (PET-) participants using two immunoassays (ALZpath n = 360 and LUMIPULSE G1200 n = 73). Associations between p-tau217 and age groups (60–69, 70–79, and 80+ years), apolipoprotein E (APOE) genotype, and gender were evaluated. Results: ALZpath plasma p-tau217 showed a non-pathological age-related increase (p < 0.001), and increased percentage within the intermediate zone with age. Lumipulse p-tau217 showed an increase in the percentage of subjects with positive results with age, however, this trend was not significant (p > 0.05). Men had higher levels of p-tau217 only with the ALZpath assay (p = 0.02; Lumipulse: p = …

Evidence For Direct And Sleep-Moderated Relationships Between Aquaporin-4 Genetic Variants And Alzheimer's Disease Phenotypes, Tenielle Porter, Ayeisha Milligan Armstrong, Eleanor K. O'Brien, Vincent Doré, Pierrick Bourgeat, Mitchell Turner, Paul Maruff, Christopher C. Rowe, Belinda M. Brown, Victor L. Villemagne, Stephanie R. Rainey-Smith, Simon M. Laws

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Introduction: Variants in the aquaporin-4 gene (AQP4) have been associated with Alzheimer's disease (AD) diagnosis, cognition, and brain amyloid beta (Aβ) and may affect the sleep and Aβ relationship. Their association with other AD-related phenotypes/disease progression remain largely unknown. Methods: Associations between AQP4 variants, self-reported sleep measures, and AD-related phenotypes in cognitively unimpaired individuals with evidence of Aβ accumulation were examined using data from the Australian Imaging, Biomarkers and Lifestyle study. Results: AQP4 variants were directly associated with regional brain volumes, atrophy, and cognition. They were also associated with differences in regional brain volumes and atrophy in interaction with sleep …