Faculty for Undergraduate Neuroscience

         FUN  Poster  Session  and  Social  Events  and  Abstract  book    Monday,  November  17,  2014  6:45-­‐8:45  PM  The  Renaissance  Washington,  DC  Grand  Ballroom    Welcome  to  the  2014  FUN  Poster  Session  and  Social  –  an  event  that  embodies  the  mission  of  FUN  to  facilitate  and  celebrate  undergraduate  neuroscience  research  and  education.  This  year  is  a  record-­‐breaker,  with  over  200  posters  being  presented!  We  are  tremendously  thankful  for  the  support  of  the  Society  for  Neuroscience.  In  addition,  we  thank  those  institutions,  organizations,  and  companies  that  have  sponsored  student  travel  awards  (see  below).  Their  commitment  to  undergraduate  neuroscience  research  and  education  is  greatly  appreciated!   Agenda  for  the  Fun  Poster  Session  and  Social   6:45-­‐8:00  pm  Poster  presentations   8:00-­‐8:45  pm  Awards  ceremony  Opening  remarks  Announcement  of  new  officers  Travel  Award  winners  recognized  Brain  Awareness  award  winner  recognized  JUNE  Editor  Awards  FUN  Faculty  Awards    Mentor  Award   Educator  of  the  Year  Award   Service  Award   Career  Achievement  Award   Lifetime  Achievement  Award   Recognition  of  the  Out-­‐Going  President  Closing  Remarks   FUN  Student  Travel  Awards  Committee:  Lisa  Gabel  (Lafayette  College),  Chair,  President-­‐Elect  Reviewers:  Amanda  Clinton,  Dorothy  Kozlowski,  Elizabeth  Meyer-­‐Bernstein,  Katherine  Mickley-­‐Steinmetz,  Tracie  Paine,  Charles  Weaver,  Amy  Beadles-­‐Bohling,  Lora  Becker,  Greg  Butcher,  Aaron  Cecala,  Lee  Coates,  Sarita  Lagalwar,  Jacqueline  Morris,  Mary  Morrison,  James  Roberts,  Josef  Trapani   Travel  Award  Sponsors:  Grass  Foundation  Med  Associates  Nu  Rho  Psi  MBF  Bioscience  ADInstruments  Carnegie  Mellon  University  Leica  Microsystems  Faculty  for  Undergraduate  Neuroscience  Sinauer  Associates  Data  Sciences  International  Noldus  Information  Technology  San  Diego  Instruments  Wellesley  College  Coulbourn  Instruments,  Panlab,  &  Harvard  Apparatus  Lafayette  Instruments  and  Campden  Instruments   FUN  Faculty  Awards  Committee:  Noah  Sandstrom  (Williams  College),  Chair,  Past-­‐President  Jeffrey  Smith  (Saginaw  Valley  State  University),  President  Elizabeth  Meyer-­‐Bernstein  (College  of  Charleston)  Adrienne  Betz  (Quinnipiac  University)     2  1  TRAVEL  AWARD  sponsored  by  Carnegie  Mellon  University  Craig  Russo  Merritt  Taylor   Characterization  of  candidate  genes  that  regulate  stem  cell  differentiation  in  the  developing  chick  embryo  C.A  RUSSO,  K.M.  MCKAY,  K.A.  MCGUIRE,  M.K.  TAYLOR  Grand  Valley  State  University   The  characterization  of  candidate  regulators  of  stem  cell  differentiation  can  be  performed  in  the  chick  embryo  using  quantitative  PCR  and  anatomical  techniques.  Here  we  focus  on  one  gene  of  interest,  Barx2,  on  neural  progenitor  differentiation  in  the  developing  chick  neural  tube.  Our  work  focuses  on  characterizing  the  localization  of  the  endogenous  protein  in  the  developing  neural  tube  and  determining  the  effect  of  Barx2  overexpression.  Email:  craig.russo@childrens.harvard.edu   2    TRAVEL  AWARD  sponsored  by  Leica  Microsystems  Daniel  VanDerhoef  Michelle  Mynlieff   Colocalization  of  interneuron  markers  with  proteins  involved  in  GABAB  receptor  mediated  calcium  current  enhancement  in  neonatal  hippocampus  D.P.  VANDERHOEF,  M.  MYNLIEFF  Marquette  University   Previously,  we  demonstrated  that  activation  of  the  G-­‐protein  coupled  GABAB  receptor  (GABABR)  modulates  currents  through  voltage-­‐gated  calcium  channels  with  an  attenuation  of  N-­‐Type  calcium  current  mediated  by  a  Gαi/o  G  protein.  Our  laboratory  has  also  described  enhancement  of  L-­‐type  calcium  current  mediated  by  a  Gαq  G  protein  and  the  α  isoform  of  protein  kinase  C  (PKCα).  This  enhancement  peaks  at  postnatal  day  7  and  is  expressed  in  only  10-­‐20%  of  cells  in  the  superior  region  of  the  hippocampus.  Since  a  large  percentage  of  the  cells  in  the  CA1  region  are  excitatory  pyramidal  cells,  we  hypothesized  that  enhancement  of  current  is  confined  to  one  or  more  inhibitory  interneuron  subtypes  and  determining  the  subtype  may  provide  insight  into  a  physiological  role  for  the  L-­‐type  current  enhancement  observed.  Studies  have  reported  up  to  21  different  inhibitory  interneuron  subtypes.  Sloviter  et  al.  (Neuropharm.,  38(11),  1707-­‐21,  1999)  has  demonstrated  that  in  the  CA1  region,  interneurons  expressing  the  neurochemical  markers  cholecystokinin  (CCK),  calbindin,  neuropeptide  Y,  and  somatostatin  all  express  GABABR;  making  them  possible  candidates  for  the  neuron(s)  in  which  GABABR  mediated  calcium  current  enhancement  occurs.  Interneurons  that  encompass  these  parameters  are  the  CCK+  basket  cells,  Schaffer  collateral  associated  cells,  and  quadrilaminar  cells.  In  the  present  study,  fluorescent  confocal  microscopy  in  the  superior  hippocampal  region  from  6-­‐8  day  old  rats  is  utilized  to  determine  colocalization  of  neurochemical  markers  used  to  identify  interneuron  subtypes  with  different  components  of  the  signaling  pathway  mediating  calcium  current  enhancement.  We  hypothesized  that  the  neuron  of  interest  is  a  CCK+  basket  cell,  due  to  the  morphology  of  the  cell  and  similar  localization  as  seen  in  preliminary  data.  The  components  of  the  signaling  pathway  of  interest  include  GABABR,  Gαq,  PKCα  and  the  two  L-­‐type  calcium  channel  isoforms  expressed  in  the  brain,  CaV1.2  and  CaV1.3.  The  specific  isoform  of  L-­‐type  channel  enhanced  by  GABABR  activation  has  not  been  determined  but  the  developmental  expression  and  colocalization  with  GABAB  receptors  suggest  that  CaV1.2  is  a  component  in  the  pathway.  Preliminary  data  demonstrate  a  much  higher  colocalization  of  calbindin  with  CaV1.2  than  CCK  with  CaV1.2.  However,  only  1.17%  of  the  total  cells  counted  in  the  CA1  region  express  both  calbindin  and  CaV1.2  and  thus,  it  is  likely  that  enhancement  of  the  calcium  current  by  GABAB  receptor  activation  occurs  in  multiple  interneuron  subtypes.    3  3  TRAVEL  AWARD  sponsored  by  San  Diego  Instruments  Jacob  Stafford  Ryan  Bachtell   Effects  of  adolescent  caffeine  consumption  on  anxiety  behaviors,  plasma  corticosterone,  and  neural  activity  J.  STAFFORD,  C.E.  O’NEILL,  R.J.  NEWSOM,  S.C.  LEVIS,  T.  SCOTT,  R.K.  BACHTELL  University  of  Colorado  at  Boulder   Caffeine  is  the  most  commonly  used  psychoactive  substance  worldwide,  and  consumption  by  children  and  adolescents  has  risen  dramatically  in  recent  years.  Previous  studies  have  found  that  energy  drink  use  is  associated  with  anxiety  young  adult  males,  and  can  induce  panic  attacks  in  patients  diagnosed  with  panic  disorder.  These  experiments  examine  the  effects  of  adolescent  caffeine  consumption  on  anxiety  related  behaviors,  basal  and  stress-­‐induced  plasma  corticosterone  (CORT),  and  stress-­‐induced  c-­‐fos  mRNA  expression.  Beginning  on  post-­‐natal  day  28  (P28),  Sprague-­‐Dawley  rats  consumed  caffeine  (0.3  g/L)  for  28  days  (P28-­‐55).  Age-­‐matched  control  rats  consumed  water.  Caffeine  and  water  consumption  were  monitored  throughout  the  procedure,  with  no  significant  differences  between  groups  on  fluid  consumption  or  body  weight  gain.  Following  28  days  of  caffeine  consumption,  the  caffeine  solution  was  replaced  with  water  for  the  remainder  of  the  experiment.  Behavioral  testing  occurred  at  three  different  time  points:  during  caffeine  exposure  (P52-­‐55),  short-­‐term  withdrawal  (24  hrs)  from  caffeine  (P56),  and  long-­‐term  withdrawal  (1  week)  from  caffeine  (P62-­‐66).  Animals  exposed  to  caffeine  during  adolescence  exhibited  increased  anxiety  in  the  open  field  at  both  withdrawal  time  points,  24  hrs  and  1  week  post  caffeine,  but  not  during  the  caffeine  exposure.  Chronic  adolescent  caffeine  consumption  also  decreased  social  interaction  with  age-­‐matched  conspecifics  at  both  short-­‐  (24  hr)  and  long-­‐term  withdrawal  (1  week),  but  not  during  caffeine  exposure.  Finally,  caffeine-­‐exposed  rats  demonstrated  increased  anxiety  on  an  elevated  plus  maze  at  all  three  time  points.  Because  systemic  caffeine  administration  has  been  shown  to  increase  plasma  CORT  levels,  we  examined  the  effect  of  adolescent  caffeine  consumption  on  basal  and  stress-­‐induced  CORT  levels  during  caffeine  withdrawal.  Animals  exposed  to  caffeine  had  increased  plasma  CORT  at  the  circadian  trough,  however  no  differences  were  observed  at  the  circadian  peak.  Stress-­‐induced  CORT  was  measured  30  min  after  animals  were  placed  on  a  small  pedestal  elevated  2  feet  off  the  ground  for  5  minutes.  Stress-­‐induced  CORT  was  significantly  lower  in  animals  exposed  to  caffeine  during  adolescence.  Together  these  findings  suggest  that  adolescent  caffeine  consumption  alters  emotional  reactivity  using  behavioral  and  neuroendocrine  measures.  We  are  currently  processing  the  tissue  to  examine  stress-­‐induced  c-­‐fos  mRNA  expression  in  several  stress-­‐responsive  brain  areas  including  the  frontal  cortex,  the  extended  amygdala,  lateral  septum,  and  hypothalamic  regions.  Email:  jacob.stafford@colorado.edu   4    TRAVEL  AWARD  sponsored  by  the  Grass  Foundation  Alexandria  White  Kyle  J.  Frantz   Arc  and  BDNF  expression  after  cocaine  self-­‐administration  or  cue-­‐induced  reinstatement  of  cocaine-­‐seeking  in  adolescent  and  adult  male  rats  A.C.  WHITE,  C.  LI,  B.F.  WILLIAMS,  J.  MCGINTY,  K.J.  FRANTZ  Georgia  State  University   In  our  laboratory,  male  rats  that  self-­‐administer  cocaine  as  adolescents  exhibit  lower  levels  of  cue-­‐induced  reinstatement  of  cocaine-­‐seeking,  as  compared  with  adults.  Activity-­‐regulated  cytoskeletal-­‐associated  gene  (arc)  and  brain-­‐derived  neurotrophic  factor  (bdnf)  are  two  important  neuroplasticity-­‐related  genes  that  influence  drug-­‐seeking  behavior,  change  over  development,  and  may  play  a  role  in  age  differences  we  observe.  For  the  present  study,  we  predicted  that  levels  of  cocaine-­‐seeking  correlate  negatively  with  differential  expression  of  Arc  and  BDNF  in  reward  and  reinforcement-­‐related  brain  regions.  Adolescent  and  adult  rats  were  allowed  to  acquire  lever-­‐pressing  maintained  by  i.v.  infusions  of  cocaine  in  daily  two-­‐
4  hour  sessions  over  13  days.  A  subset  of  rats  in  both  age  groups  received  only  saline  infusions.  At  three  experimental  time  points  (immediately  after  the  last  self-­‐administration  session,  after  extinction  and  reinstatement  at  1  day  abstinence  from  cocaine,  and  after  extinction  and  reinstatement  at  60  days  abstinence),  rats  were  sacrificed  and  brain  tissue  was  collected.  Arc  and  BDNF  mRNA  levels  were  analyzed  by  in  situ  hybridization  and  densitometry  in  the  prelimbic  and  infralimbic  cortex,  nucleus  accumbens  core  and  shell,  claustrum,  caudate  putamen,  and  motor  cortex.  Although  Arc  expression  varied  by  drug  treatment  and  time  in  region-­‐dependent  ways,  Arc  expression  was  similar  across  age  groups  in  almost  all  cases.  In  contrast,  BDNF  expression  was  higher  in  adolescent  compared  to  adult  rats.  Additionally,  BDNF  expression  was  higher  in  cocaine-­‐experienced  rats  and  rats  sacrificed  at  the  first  and  last  experimental  time  points.  These  data  generally  support  the  hypothesis  that  higher  levels  of  BDNF  mRNA  in  reward  and  reinforcement-­‐related  brain  regions  during  adolescence  could  attenuate  some  long-­‐term  effects  of  cocaine.  Future  studies  should  entail  mechanistic  analysis  of  BDNF  mRNA  and  protein,  as  well  as  the  role  of  BDNF  receptors  in  age-­‐dependent  cocaine-­‐related  behaviors.  Email:  awhite84@student.gsu.edu  5    TRAVEL  AWARD  sponsored  by  Wellesley  College  Emily  Powers  Jean  Hardwick   Expression  and  actions  of  AT1,  AT2  and  Mas  receptors  in  the  guinea  pig  intrinsic  cardiac  plexus  E.N.  POWERS,  K.  A.  LUCKETT,  S.A.  ROSEN,  E.M.  SOUTHERLAND,  J.L.  ARDELL,  J.C.  HARDWICK  Ithaca  College,  East  Tennessee  State  University   The  intrinsic  cardiac  (IC)  nervous  system  integrates  inputs  from  multiple  sources  to  coordinate  cardiac  function.  These   inputs  include  parasympathetic  efferent,  sympathetic  efferent  and  sensory  afferent  fibers  in  addition  to  local  hormonal   factors.  A  major  local  factor  is  angiotensin  II  (Ang  II)  which  is  found  in  the  blood  and  is  also  produced  by  proteases  within   the  cardiac  interstitium.  Ang  II  acts  via  AT1  or  AT2  receptors.  In  addition,  Ang  II  can  be  cleaved  by  ACE2  to  formed   Ang(1-­‐7),  a  peptide  that  has  been  found  to  have  significant  effects  on  neurons  via  activation  of  Mas  receptors.  In  this  study,   we  looked  at  the  expression  of  the  different  angiotensin  peptide  receptors  and  their  actions  on  neurons  of  the  guinea  pig   intrinsic  cardiac  plexus.  All  three  receptors,  AT1R,  AT2R,  and  MasR,  were  detected  in  homogenates  of  the  isolated  cardiac   ganglion  by  Western  blot  analysis.  Previous  studies  showed  that  AT2R  can  increase  the  neuronal  responses  to  adrenergic   and  muscarinic  signals.  Using  a  whole  mount  in  vitro  preparation  of  the  cardiac  plexus,  intracellular  voltage  recordings  were   made  from  individual  IC  neurons.  We  found  that  Ang(1-­‐7)  synergistically  increases  neuronal  excitability  responses  to  NE   and  muscarinic  agonists.  We  also  examined  the  effects  of  Ang  II  on  synaptic  function  in  the  ganglion  by  stimulating   intraganglionic  fibers  leading  to  IC  neurons  of  interest.  Application  of  Ang  II  reduced  the  synaptic  efficacy,  as  indicated  by  a   reduced  number  of  postsynaptic  action  potentials  generated  with  increasing  frequency  suprathreshold  stimulation.  Addition   of  the  AT1R  antagonist  losartan  inhibited  this  effect.  To  examine  potential  changes  in  AngII  receptor  function  with  chronic   heart  disease,  myocardial  infarction  (MI)  was  surgically  induced  in  animals,  and  the  cardiac  ganglion  examined  8  weeks   later.  Western  blot  analysis  showed  a  decrease  in  AT1R  expression  in  ganglia  from  MI  animals,  with  no  significant  change   in  either  AT2R  or  MasR  expression  levels.  However,  prior  functional  studies  of  the  effects  of  Ang  II  on  IC  neurons   demonstrated  a  MI-­‐induced  loss  in  sensitivity  to  exogenous  Ang  II  application.  Combined,  these  results  indicate  that  MI   induces  a  down  regulation  in  presynaptic  AT1  receptors,  as  well  as  a  decrease  in  signaling  via  AT2R.  Thus,  increases  in   Ang  II  production,  such  as  occurs  with  chronic  heart  disease,  can  result  in  significant  alterations  in  function  within  this  ganglion.  Grant/Other  Support:  :  NIH  HL98589,  NIH  HL71830.  Email:  epowersss@gmail.com      5   6  TRAVEL  AWARD  sponsored  by  Sinauer  Associates  and  FUN  Nick  Upright  Julio  J.  Ramirez   Characterization  of  the  heterosynaptic  interaction  of  the  septal  and  crossed  entorhinal  projections  to  the  dentate  gyrus  after  unilateral  entorhinal  cortex  lesion  in  rats:  A  time  course  study  N.A.  UPRIGHT,  E.L.  KRAUSE,  G.R.  SMITH,  M.K.  MOSES-­‐HAMPTON,  P.G.  LAKHMANI,  J.J.  RAMIREZ  Davidson  College   Axonal  sprouting  has  been  investigated  following  various  forms  of  damage  to  the  CNS,  including  Alzheimer's  disease,  stroke,  and  traumatic  brain  injury.  Alzheimer's  disease  is  known  to  involve  a  marked  degeneration  of  the  entorhinal  cortex  (EC).  A  significant  number  of  entorhinal  projections  to  the  hippocampus  terminate  in  the  ipsilateral  dentate  gyrus  (DG);  however,  a  small  number  of  fibers  project  to  the  contralateral  DG  forming  the  crossed  temporodentate  (CTD)  pathway.  Following  a  unilateral  EC  lesion  in  rats,  the  glutamatergic  CTD  and  the  acetylcholinesterase-­‐containing,  cholinergic  septal  input  to  the  DG,  termed  the  septodentate  (SD)  pathway,  have  been  shown  to  undergo  axonal  sprouting.  Lesion-­‐induced,  CTD  sprouting  results  in  greater  synaptic  efficacy  as  early  as  6  days  postlesion  relative  to  the  normal  CTD.  The  present  study  explored  whether,  relative  to  CTD  stimulation  alone,  paired  stimulation  of  the  SD  pathway  followed  by  CTD  stimulation  would  affect  the  response  of  the  DG  at  6,  8,  12,  or  90  days  postlesion.  Male,  Sprague-­‐Dawley  rats  were  given  either  unilateral  entorhinal  lesions  or  sham  operations,  which  consisted  of  a  craniotomy  over  the  entorhinal  area.  Stimulating  electrodes  were  placed  in  the  medial  septum  and  in  the  intact,  contralateral  EC  6,  8,  12,  or  90  days  after  a  unilateral  lesion  or  sham  operation.  Evoked,  field  excitatory  postsynaptic  potentials  (fEPSPs)  were  recorded  in  the  DG  ipsilateral  to  the  lesioned  EC.  The  paired-­‐pulse  paradigm  involves  stimulation  of  an  initial  input,  termed  the  "conditioning  pulse,"  followed  by  a  second  input,  termed  the  "test  pulse."  In  the  heterosynaptic  paired-­‐
pulse  stimulation  portion  of  this  study,  SD  stimulation  preceded  CTD  stimulation  at  a  range  of  interpulse  intervals  (IPIs;  from  30  to  500  ms).  Relative  to  control  cases,  unilateral  EC  lesions  significantly  increased  the  fEPSPs  produced  by  CTD  stimulation  alone  at  all  the  time  points  examined.  In  contrast,  compared  to  CTD  stimulation  alone,  pairing  SD  with  CTD  stimulation  significantly  depressed  the  amplitude  of  the  fEPSPs  across  IPIs  at  8,  12,  and  90  days  postlesion.  Stimulation  of  the  CTD  alone  rarely  produced  granule  cell  discharge  (i.e.,  population  spikes)  at  the  time  points  we  explored;  however,  paired  stimulation  of  the  SD  and  CTD  produced  granule  cell  discharge  in  a  significant  number  of  cases  at  the  90-­‐day  time  point  with  a  response  profile  similar  to  that  observed  after  paired  stimulation  of  the  SD  and  the  perforant  path  in  intact  cases.  Thus,  heterosynaptic  stimulation  in  which  the  septal  input  and  crossed  entorhinal  input  are  paired  following  entorhinal  lesions  significantly  affects  DG  responsivity.    This  research  was  made  possible  through  support  from  the  National  Science  Foundation  and  the  National  Institutes  of  Health.  Email:  niupright@davidson.edu   7    TRAVEL  AWARD  sponsored  by  FUN  Mackenzie  Thibault  Alfred  J  Robison   Region-­‐specific  induction  of  FosB  isoforms  in  mouse  brain  after  stress  or  chronic  fluoxetine  exposure  M.A.  THIBAULT,  A.L.  EAGLE,  S.  KASKA,  E.J.  NESTLER,  M.S.  MAZEI-­‐ROBISON,  V.  VIALOU,  AND  A.J.  ROBISON  Michigan  State  University   An  estimated  1  in  10  U.S.  adults  report  depression,  but  current  pharmacological  therapies  are  effective  in  only  about  50%  of  patients.   In  order  to  uncover  novel  gene  targets  that  may  allow  for  therapeutic  treatment  of  currently  refractive  individuals,  we  examine  the  gene  targets  of  transcriptional  changes  that  occur  with  chronic  exposure  to  antidepressants,  including  the  selective  serotonin  reuptake  inhibitor  6  fluoxetine.   We  have  previously  shown  that  induction  of  the  transcription  factor  ΔFosB  in  the  nucleus  accumbens  (NAc)  of  mice  promotes  resilience  to  the  social  defeat  model  of  depression  and  is  required  for  fluoxetine-­‐mediated  reversal  of  the  social  defeat  phenotype  (Vialou  et  al.,  2010).   Here,  we  show  by  immunohistochemistry  that  FosB  isoforms  are  induced  in  more  than  25  different  brain  regions  by  chronic  fluoxetine,  including  many  regions  classically  associated  with  depression  and  mood,  i.e.  hippocampus  (HPC)  and  prefrontal  cortex  (PFC).   Further,  we  demonstrate  by  Western  blot  that  FosB  isoforms  are  differentially  expressed  by  brain  region,  both  in  the  basal  state  and  after  fluoxetine-­‐mediated  induction.   While  HPC  and  PFC  have  low  basal  levels  of  FosB  isoforms  and  show  high  levels  of  ΔFosB  after  fluoxetine,  NAc  has  a  higher  basal  expression  of  FosB,  ΔFosB,  and  Δ2ΔFosB,  and  shows  a  proportionally  greater  induction  of  full-­‐length  FosB  after  fluoxetine.   We  also  observe  differential  isoform  expression  in  these  brain  regions  after  chronic  social  defeat  stress,  indicating  that  FosB  isoform  expression  patterns  may  underlie  susceptibility  and  resilience  to  stress.   Because  each  FosB  isoform  has  different  gene  targets  that  may  very  further  by  brain  region,  we  hypothesize  that  determining  the  brain-­‐region-­‐specific  gene  expression  changes  mediated  by  FosB  isoforms  may  uncover  novel  targets  for  therapeutic  intervention  in  mood  disorders  that  could  improve  treatment  of  currently  refractive  individuals.   In  line  with  this  hypothesis,  we  are  currently  conducting  experiments  to  determine  whether  ΔFosB  expression  in  hippocampus  controls  mood  or  mediates  the  antidepressant  effects  of  fluoxetine  and  are  exploring  ΔFosB  gene  targets  in  this  and  other  brain  regions.   This  work  was  supported  by  grants  from  NIDA,  NIMH,  and  the  Whitehall  Foundation.  Email:  thibaul8@msu.edu   8    TRAVEL  AWARD  sponsored  by  Lafayette  Instruments  and  Campden  Instruments  Megan  Kechner  Michelle  Mazei-­‐Robison   Physical  and  psychological  stress  increase  voluntary  morphine  consumption  M.  KECHNER,  S.  KASKA,  S.  COOPER,  M.S.  MAZEI-­‐ROBISON  Michigan  State  University   Stress  exposure  is  known  to  influence  drug  craving  and  relapse  in  human  subjects  and  these  effects  can  be  modeled  in  preclinical  rodent  models.  Social  defeat  stress  (SDS),  an  ethologically  valid  model  that  utilizes  the  physical  and  psychological  stress  imposed  by  social  subordination,  has  been  demonstrated  to  exhibit  excellent  face  and  pharmacological  validity  for  stress-­‐related  disorders  like  depression.  The  social  defeat  model  has  been  used  to  assess  drug  behavior,  with  results  generally  supporting  increased  drug  reward  and  self-­‐administration  following  SDS.  However,  SDS,  as  well  as  most  other  rodent  models  of  mood  disorders,  utilize  some  form  of  physical  trauma,  complicating  the  study  of  pain-­‐relieving  opiate  drugs.  To  overcome  this,  we  utilized  the  recently  developed  model  of  emotional  stress.  In  this  model,  mice  witness,  but  are  not  physically  exposed  to,  chronic  SDS  (CSDS).  Given  the  co-­‐morbidity  of  stress-­‐related  disorders  and  opiate  dependence,  we  sought  to  examine  whether  physical  or  emotional  defeat  stress  increased  morphine  reward  and  consumption.  For  physical  CSDS,  we  utilized  the  previously  validated  paradigm  and  emotional  stress  was  completed  as  described  by  Warren  et  al.  (2013).  To  assess  voluntary  morphine  consumption,  we  used  a  two-­‐bottle  choice  paradigm  that  takes  advantage  of  the  genetic  background  of  C57BL6  mice,  which  have  been  shown  to  exhibit  a  propensity  for  morphine  drinking.  After  establishing  a  morphine  concentration  that  resulted  in  an  ~75%  preference  for  morphine  in  control  mice,  we  assessed  morphine  consumption  following  physical  and  emotional  stress.  We  found  that  both  physical  and  emotional  stress  significantly  increased  morphine  preference  in  the  two-­‐bottle  choice  assay.  We  found  that  there  was  a  significant  negative  correlation  between  SI  ratio  and  morphine  preference,  where  decreasing  SI  ratio  correlates  with  an  increase  in  morphine  reward.  Surprisingly,  morphine  preference  did  not  differ  between  the  physical  and  emotional  stress  groups,  even  though  the  emotional  stress  mice  exhibited  modest  social  avoidance  at  this  time-­‐point.  We  are  currently  evaluating  whether  this  increase  in  morphine  preference  persists  at  longer  time-­‐points.  These  data  suggest  that  both  physical  and  emotional  social  defeat  stress  increase  morphine  reward  and  these  studies,  along  with  others  to  examine  the  molecular  mechanisms  underlying  susceptibility  to  emotional  stress,  offer  promise  of  an  increased  understanding  of  the  neurobiological  mechanisms  that  contribute  to  opiate  use.  7  Email:  kechnerm@msu.edu   9    TRAVEL  AWARD  sponsored  by  FUN  Renee  Rotolo  Adrienne  Betz   Chronic  oral  riluzole  or  caloric  restriction  ameliorate  symptoms  of  experimental  autoimmune  encephalomyelitis  R.  ROTOLO,  J.  DEMURO,  G.  DRUMMOND,  J.  WOOD,  E.  LAZAROFF,  S.  LUPINSKI,  C.  LITTLE,  A.  WOLF,  G.  VANN,  L.  TELISKA,  D.  RILEY,  J.  BAHGAT,  J.  VIDAL,  M.  ALBALAWI,  L.  JOHNS,  A.  BETZ  Quinnipiac  University   Experimental  Autoimmune  Encephalomyelitis  (EAE)  is  an  animal  model  of  multiple  sclerosis  (MS).  We  characterized  the  impairments  that  represent  EAE  in  female  C57BL/6  mice.  Mice  were  immunized  subcutaneously  with  100  μg  of  myelin  oligodendrocyte  glycoprotein  emulsified  in  incomplete  Freund's  adjuvant  supplemented  with  500ug  mycobacterium  tuberculosis  H37RA  and   200  ng  of  intraperitoneal  pertussis  toxin  on  days  0  and  2.  Tail  paralysis  was  observed  daily.  In  Experiment  1,  we  found  that  a  battery  of  behavioral  tasks  delayed  the  onset  and  severity  of  EAE  but  did  not  affect  nociception.  In  Experiment  2,  we  found  that  caloric  restriction  (CR)  and  chronic  oral  administration  of  riluzole,  a  glutamate  antagonist,  delayed  the  onset  and  severity  of  EAE.  Additionally,  CR  and  riluzole  both  reduced  nociceptive  behavior  throughout  disease  progression.  Glutamate  neurotoxicity  has  been  proposed  as  major  determining  factor  that  accompanies  the  demyelination  and  axonal  degeneration  observed  during  the  course  of  MS.  Further,  CR  plus  riluzole  decreased  symptomology  more  so  than  CR  alone.  Lastly,  we  found  altered  levels  in  proteins  important  for  normal  immune  reactions  such  as  TNFα,  Treg,  IL-­‐6,  BDNF,  pSTAT3,  and  leptin.  Altered  immunological  function  was  also  indicated  by  reduced  demyelination  in  the  spinal  cords  of  mice  treated  with  riluzole.  These  findings  indicate  a  compelling  need  to  delineate  the  roles  of  glutamate,  the  immune  response,  and  CR  in  EAE.  Email:  renee.rotolo@gmail.com   10    TRAVEL  AWARD  sponsored  by  Nu  Rho  Psi  Lucas  Huffman  Gary  L.  Dunbar   Bone  marrow-­‐derived  mesenchymal  stem  cells  in  the  suppression  of  highly  proliferative  glioblastoma  multiforme  L.D.  HUFFMAN,  D.J.  DUES,  A.  CRANE,  K.R.  IDYLE,  E.S.  DWENGER,  K.D.  FINK,  J.  ROSSIGNOL,  G.L.  DUNBAR  Central  Michigan  University   Glioblastoma  multiforme  (GBM)  represents  the  most  aggressive  and  infiltrative  primary  tumor  formation  of  the  central  nervous  system  (CNS).  Current  treatments  have  minimal  therapeutic  efficacy,  establishing  a  substantial  need  for  novel  therapeutic  strategies  to  improve  patient  outcome.  Bone  marrow-­‐derived  mesenchymal  stem  cells  (MSCs)  offer  an  innovative  approach  in  the  treatment  of  GBM.  Previous  experimentation  in  our  lab  has  demonstrated  that  MSCs  exhibit  a  significant  suppressive  effect  on  glioma  tumor  cell  growth  in  vitro.  However,  given  the  insufficiency  of  information  regarding  the  effectiveness  of  treating  GBM  with  MSCs,  the  goal  of  this  study  was  to  assess  the  effects  and  outcome  of  transplanted  MSCs  on  tumor  proliferation  in  vivo  using  an  aggressive  F98  glioma  cell  model  of  GBM.  Three  groups  of  2  month-­‐old  Sprague  Dawley  rats  (n=8)  were  used.  SHAM  controls  received  only  vehicle  treatments  (Hank’s  Buffered  Salt  Solution)  rather  than  either  the  F98  cells  that  produce  GBM  or  the  MSCs  used  to  treat  the  GBM.  Another  group  received  only  F98  cells  (producing  GBM)  and  the  other  received  F98  cells,  followed  by  injections  of  MSCs  as  a  potential  treatment.  The  rats  activity  levels  were  monitored  in  an  open-­‐field  test  and  their  general  health  and  length  of  survival  recorded  throughout  the  study.  In  addition  to  statistical  8  comparisons  of  activity  levels,  general  health  measures,  and  survival,  immunohistological  comparisons  of  tumor  size  and  immune  response  were  assessed.  Our  results  suggest  that  MSC  treatments  may  increase  survivability  and  improve  behavioral  outcomes  by  suppressing  tumor  proliferation  and  decreasing  overall  tumor  volume.  Email:  huffm1ld@cmich.edu   11    TRAVEL  AWARD  sponsored  by  Nu  Rho  Psi  Sarah  Cottrell-­‐Cumber  Alev  Erisir   Multiple  sclerosis  therapeutic  glatiramer  acetate  enhances  oligodendrocyte  precursor  cell  differentiation  and  remyelination.  S.  COTTRELL-­‐CUMBER,  A.  ROSEN,  A.  FERNANDEZ-­‐CASTANEDA,  A.  GAULTIER  University  of  Virginia   Multiple  Sclerosis  (MS)  is  a  progressive  neurological  illness  characterized  by  destruction  of  the  myelin  sheath  surrounding  neurons  in  the  central  nervous  system.  The  destruction  of  the  myelin  sheath  is  mediated  by  autoreactive  T  cells.  Current  pharmacological  therapies  seek  to  decrease  the  severity  of  the  inflammatory  response  on  the  damaged  axons  by  suppressing  various  aspects  of  the  immune  system.  One  such  current  MS  treatment,  Glatiramer  Acetate  (GA),  is  believed  to  act  as  an  immunomodulatory  peptide  that  shifts  the  immune  response  by  simulating  myelin  basic  protein.  However,  evidence  suggests  that  GA  also  has  the  ability  to  directly  modulate  oligodendrocyte  progenitor  cells  function  (OPCs)  to  enhance  differentiation  and  remyelination  in  MS  lesions.  Chronic  demyelination  is  a  major  cause  of  neurodegeneration  in  MS  patients.  The  CNS  contains  OPCs  that  have  the  potential  to  differentiate  into  mature  oligodendrocytes  and  remyelinate  denuded  axons.  However,  myelin  debris  lingering  in  the  MS  plaques  inhibits  the  process  of  axon  remyelination.  Here  we  demonstrate  an  immune  independent  action  of  GA  and  OPCs,  through  the  enhancement  of  OPC  differentiation  and  remyelination.  Our  data  shows  that  GA  increases  markers  of  myelination  in  CG4  cells,  an  OPC  cell  line.  We  have  observed  increased  myelin  basic  protein  (MBP)  RNA  and  protein  expression  in  CG4  cells  treated  with  GA.  Since  myelin  is  known  to  inhibit  the  differentiation  of  OPCs,  we  will  challenge  OPCs  with  myelin,  and  then  measure  production  of  MBP  in  the  presence  or  absence  of  GA.  We  expect  to  see  increased  MBP  expression  when  GA  is  applied;  this  would  indicate  the  ability  of  GA  to  overcome  myelin  inhibition  and  augment  remyelination.  We  believe  GA  promotes  OPC  differentiation  in  MS,  which  could  explain  its  beneficial  effects  as  a  therapeutic;  further  identification  of  a  downstream  signaling  pathway  could  lead  to  the    development  of  a  novel  remyelination  therapeutic.  Research  supported  by  The  University  of  Virginia  Center  for  Undergraduate  Excellence  Harrison  Research  Award  and  The  University  of  Virginia  College  Council  Minerva  Award  Email:  sec2nf@virginia.edu   12    TRAVEL  AWARD  sponsored  by  Sinauer  Associates  Katherine  Harmon  Patsy  S.  Dickinson   Mechanisms  and  effects  of  stretch  feedback  in  the  heart  of  the  American  lobster,  Homarus  americanus  K.  HARMON,  M.  CHIN-­‐PURCELL,  E.S.  DICKINSON,  T.M.  HARTLEY,  O.  ELLERS,  A.S.  JOHNSON,  P.S.  DICKINSON  Bowdoin  College   Although  central  pattern  generators  (CPGs)  can  produce  rhythmic  outputs  in  isolation,  their  outputs  in  vivo  are  often  altered  by  both  sensory  feedback  and  neuromodulators.  The  interactions  of  these  components  are  not  well  understood.  We  examined  the  neurogenic  heart  of  the  lobster,  Homarus  americanus,  which  is  controlled  by  a  small  CPG,  the  cardiac  ganglion  (CG).  Previous  research  suggests  that  9  crustacean  heart  muscle  provides  feedback  to  the  CG  about  the  degree  of  cardiac  filling,  mediated  by  stretch  sensitive  dendrites  emanating  from  the  CG  neurons.  We  thus  investigated  the  effects  of  stretch  on  CG  output  and  the  mechanisms  underlying  stretch  sensitivity.  Dendrites  of  CG  motor  neurons  were  identified  using  intracellular  dye  fills.  To  determine  the  role  of  stretch-­‐sensitive  dendrites,  isolated  hearts  were  stretched  while  heart  contractions  and  CG  motor  output  were  recorded.  Tonic  stretches  of  the  heart  significantly  increased  contraction  frequency  in  most  preparations;  the  proportion  that  increased  depended  on  direction  of  stretch.  Frequency  in  the  remaining  preparations  decreased  or  did  not  change.  Removing  stretch  feedback  either  by  severing  the  branches  of  the  CG  that  are  thought  to  contain  the  dendrites  or  by  cutting  the  CG  motor  nerves  decreased  or  eliminated  the  response  to  stretch,  but  increased  the  variability  of  the  heartbeat.  Additionally,  both  frequency  and  amplitude  of  heart  contractions  decreased  slightly  when  the  CG  motor  neuron  dendrites  were  severed;  frequency  likewise  decreased  when  the  motor  nerves  were  severed.  Our  data  suggest  that  feedback  is  mediated  largely  by  dendrites  branching  from  the  main  CG  trunk,  and  is  triggered  primarily  by  active  muscle  contractions.  This  feedback  appears  to  stabilize  the  heartbeat  and  simultaneously  enhance  the  activity  of  the  CPG.  To  determine  the  cellular  mechanism  that  underlies  stretch  sensitivity,  we  recorded  intracellularly  from  CG  motor  neurons  while  manually  stretching  small  bundles  of  muscle  fibers.  Stretch  of  a  single  muscle  bundle  did  not  alter  cycle  frequency,  and  we  saw  no  changes  in  the  membrane  potential  between  bursts.  Surprisingly,  the  amplitude  of  the  driver  potentials  that  underlie  bursting  in  the  CG  neurons  decreased  when  the  attached  muscle  was  stretched.  Both  the  changes  in  heartbeat  frequency  in  response  to  removal  of  the  dendrites  and  the  responses  of  the  membrane  potential  to  stretch  differ  considerably  from  those  previously  recorded  in  other  species,  suggesting  a  different  mechanism  underlying  stretch  sensitivity  in  this  crustacean  species.  Experiments  examining  the  effects  of  neuromodulators  on  this  CPG-­‐effector  system  are  underway.     Support:  NSF  IOS-­‐1121973,  NIH  (INBRE)  5P20-­‐RR-­‐016463,  8P20-­‐GM-­‐103423   13    TRAVEL  AWARD  sponsored  by  Coulbourn  Instruments  David  Swygart  Matthew  Kreitzer   HCO3-­‐-­‐dependent,  K+-­‐induced  increase  in  proton  flux  at  the  endfoot  of  isolated  muller  cells  of  the  tiger  salamander  D.I.  SWYGART,  R.  KAUFMAN,  B.K.  TCHERNOOKOVA,  B.  WILLIAMS,  M.  OSBORN,  B.  SKINNER,  E.  NAYLOR,  R.P.  MALCHOW,  M.A.  KREITZER  Indiana  Wesleyan  University   Within  the  retina  and  the  broader  CNS,  synaptic  transmission  is  extremely  sensitive  to  minute  changes  in  pH.  A  growing  number  of  studies  suggest  that  regulation  of  extracellular  pH  plays  an  important  role  in  shaping  neuronal  communication..  Tightly  regulated  levels  of  HCO3-­‐  are  an  understated  contributor  to  extracellular  pH.  Levels  of  this  extracellular  pH  buffer  are  impacted  by  blood  flow,  CO2  levels,  as  well  as  the  expression  and  activity  of  HCO3-­‐  transporters  and  the  enzyme  carbonic  anhydrase.  Previous  work  (Newman,  1996)  detected  the  presence  of  HCO3-­‐  transporters  and  carbonic  anhydrase  on  radial  glia  (Müller  cells)  that  span  much  of  the  overall  thickness  of  the  retina.  The  Müller  cell  plays  a  primary  role  in  regulating  many  aspects  of  the  retinal  environment,  such  as  ion,  H+,  and  neurotransmitter  levels,  and  an  active  role  in  the  release  of  gliotransmitters.  Newman’s  observations  suggested  a  HCO3-­‐-­‐dependent  mechanism  by  which  high  extracellular  K+  acidified  the  extracellular  environment  at  their  endfoot.  This  mechanism  could  be  important  for  H+  clearance  to  the  vitreal  surface  of  the  retina  as  well  as  in  regulating  neuronal  communication  during  times  of  increased  neuronal  activity.  Our  findings,  using  a  novel  ultrasensitive  H+-­‐selective  self-­‐referencing  system  in  combination  with  a  newly  develop  CO2  chamber,  corroborate  these  previous  studies.  The  self-­‐referencing  system  utilizes  a  H+-­‐selective  microelectrode  that  records  measurements  from  a  near  and  a  far  point  from  a  cell  in  order  to  obtain  a  differential  pH  value  1000  times  more  sensitive  than  a  stationary  pH-­‐selective  electrode.  Our  work  suggests  that  Müller  cells,  isolated  from  tiger  salamander  retina,  respond  to  increased  K+o  with  an  extracellular  acidification  at  the  endfoot.  This  acidification  can  be  abolished  when  extracellular  Na+  or  HCO3-­‐  is  removed  or  in  the  presence  of  the  HCO3-­‐  transport  antagonist,  DIDS.  This  DIDS-­‐sensitive  pH  regulatory  mechanism  could  also  evoke  10  large  extracellular  alkalinizations  and  acidifications  when  the  bathing  media  was  changed  between  a  low  Na+  and  normal  Na+  environment,  respectively.  These  findings  extend  previous  work  strongly  implicating  an  important  role  for  HCO3-­‐  in  shaping  extracellular  pH  by  Müller  cells  in  the  retina.  They  warrant  future  studies  to  characterize  whether  these  bicarbonate-­‐mediated  alterations  in  pH  contribution  in  a  significant  wayto  the  processing  of  visual  signals  in  the  retina.  Email:  david.swygart@myemail.indwes.edu   14    TRAVEL  AWARD  sponsored  by  FUN  Jessica  Phan  Kevin  Sinchak   Progesterone  receptor-­‐B  and  Src  kinase  complex  in  the  plasma  membrane  of  the  arcuate  nucleus  of  the  hypothalamus  of  female  rats  J.  PHAN,  M.  MAHAVONGTRAKUL,  K.  SINCHAK  California  State  University  Long  Beach   Ovariectomized  (OVX)  rats  treated  with  a  2μg  dose  of  estradiol  benzoate  (EB)  and  subsequently  given  500μg  of  progesterone  26  hours  later  are  maximally  sexually  receptive  four  hours  later.   EB  priming  upregulates  progesterone  receptor-­‐B  (PR-­‐B)  necessary  for  lordosis.   PR-­‐B  is  a  classical  nuclear  transcription  factor  found  in  both  the  nucleus  and  cytoplasm.   However,  PR-­‐B  has  been  localized  to  the  plasma  membrane  by  in  vitro  expression  studies  (Pedram  et  al.,  2007;  Welter  et  al.,  2003)  and  in  vivo  in  the  arcuate  nucleus  of  the  hypothalamus  (ARH;  Mahavongtrakul  et  al.,  SFN,  2013).   Progesterone  has  been  shown  to  facilitate  lordosis  within  30  minutes,  indicating  rapid  extranuclear  PR  signaling  mechanisms  are  involved.   This  rapid  progesterone  facilitation  of  lordosis  may  be  mediated  through  PR  interactions  with  Src  family  kinase  (Src).   We  have  shown  that  Src  activation  in  the  ARH  rapidly  facilitates  lordosis,  and  our  behavioral  data  indicate  that  progesterone  and  Src  signaling  converge  with  dopamine  receptor-­‐type  1  (D1)  signaling  to  inhibit  the  output  of  ARH  β-­‐endorphin  neurons  to  facilitate  lordosis.   Although  we  have  shown  that  PR  and  D1  do  not  complex,  it  is  unclear  whether  a  direct  PR-­‐Src  interaction  occurs  to  mediate  progesterone  facilitation  of  lordosis.   To  determine  whether  Src  complexes  with  PR-­‐B  on  the  plasma  membrane,  OVX  rats  were  treated  with  either  oil  or  2μg  EB  and  30  hours  later  plasma  membrane  fractions  were  extracted  from  ARH  block  dissections.   Western  blot  analysis  showed  that  PR-­‐B  and  Src  are  both  present  on  the  plasma  membrane  and  co-­‐immunoprecipitation  results  indicate  that  PR-­‐B,  but  not  PR-­‐A,  is  complexed  with  Src  on  the  plasma  membrane.   This  demonstrates  the  potential  for  direct  PR-­‐B  signaling  through  Src  that  is  initiated  at  the  plasma  membrane  level  in  the  ARH  to  facilitate  lordosis.   We  have  also  observed  that  Src  levels  do  not  change  in  ARH  whole  tissue  preparations  in  both  oil-­‐  and  EB-­‐treated  rats.   However,  it  is  unclear  whether  estradiol  or  progesterone  treatment  affects  levels  of  PR,  Src,  and  PR-­‐Src  complexes  on  the  plasma  membrane.   Thus,  our  results  indicate  that  the  rapid  effects  of  progesterone  may  be  mediated  directly  through  PR-­‐Src  signaling  initiated  at  that  the  level  of  the  plasma  membrane  to  facilitate  lordosis.     Grant  funding  -­‐  R01HD058638NICHD  NIH   15    TRAVEL  AWARD  sponsored  by  the  Grass  Foundation  Ariel  Lopez  Carolyn  Pytte   Mold  exposure  alters  adult  new  neuron  migration  in  the  mouse  hippocampus  A.  LOPEZ,  N.  ABREU,  K.  PAGE,  E.  NORMAND,  B.  SHAUKAT,  N.  ADAMS,  K.  LIN,  L.  BICKERTON,  C.F.  HARDING,  C.L.  PYTTE  CUNY  Queens  College   Exposure  to  environmental  mold  is  a  growing  concern  for  individuals  living  or  working  in  water-­‐damaged  buildings.  In  addition  to  a  suite  of  somatic  effects,  mold  exposure  is  also  associated  with  cognitive  impairments.  Alarmingly,  neurologists  cannot  differentiate  between  cognitive  deficits  in  patients  exposed  11  to  mold  and  those  with  mild  traumatic  brain  injury.  Prior  research  in  our  lab  has  found  that  mold  exposure  leads  to  a  decrease  in  hippocampal-­‐dependent  memory  in  a  contextual  fear  task.  We  have  also  demonstrated  that  mold  exposure  leads  to  a  significant  decrease  in  hippocampal  new  neuron  survival  assessed  in  mature  (~35-­‐day  old)  neurons.  Moreover,  numbers  of  mature  new  neurons  were  negatively  correlated  with  numbers  of  cells  expressing  the  inflammatory  interleukin-­‐1  beta  (IL-­‐1β).  Here  we  further  characterize  the  effects  of  mold  on  hippocampal  neurogenesis.  To  determine  whether  mold  inhalation  specifically  targets  the  survival  of  mature  neurons,  we  quantified  numbers  of  younger  hippocampal  neurons  (<30  days  old)  expressing  doublecortin  (DCX)  in  mice  treated  with  mold.  New  neurons  are  primarily  incorporated  into  the  granular  layer  of  the  dentate  gyrus;  however,  in  damaged  brains,  ectopic  neuron  incorporation  is  seen,  particularly  in  the  hilar  region.  Therefore,  we  also  assessed  the  relative  numbers  of  mature  new  neurons  seen  in  the  granular  layer  and  hilus.  C57BL/6  mice  were  given  intranasal  instillations  of  1)  intact  Stachybotrys  spores  (IN),  2)  extracted  Stachybotrys  spores  that  had  toxins  removed  and  proteins  denatured  leaving  skeletal  elements  (EX),  or  3)  saline  vehicle  (VEH).  Mice  were  treated  3x  per  week  for  6  weeks.  We  injected  mice  with  bromodeoxyuridine  (BrdU)  31-­‐37  days  and  3  hours  before  sacrifice.  Immunohistochemistry  was  used  to  visualize  cells  expressing  BrdU  and  the  neuronal  marker  Hu.  We  also  labeled  cells  expressing  doublecortin  and  the  inflammatory  marker,  IL-­‐1β.  We  found  that  numbers  of  mature  new  neurons  were  negatively  correlated  with  IL-­‐1β,  whereas  numbers  of  young  neurons  were  positively  correlated  with  IL-­‐1β.  This  suggests  that  inflammatory  effects  of  mold  exposure  decrease  new  neuron  survival  specifically  in  older  neurons  (by  age  31-­‐37).  Increased  numbers  of  young  DCX-­‐expressing  neurons  may  reflect  compensation  for  cell  death  of  older  cohorts.  In  addition,  mice  exposed  to  mold  spores  had  fewer  new  neurons  in  the  granular  layer  and  greater  numbers  of  new  neurons  in  the  hilus  than  vehicle  controls.  These  findings  suggest  that  impaired  hippocampal-­‐dependent  learning  may  also  be  associated  with  aberrant  new  neuron  migration  in  addition  to  decreased  new  neuron  numbers.  Email:  ariel.lopez07@gmail.com   16    TRAVEL  AWARD  sponsored  by  Noldus  Information  Technology  Bobbie  Stubbeman  Mark  E.  Bardgett   Early-­‐life  risperidone  administration  enhances  locomotor  responses  to  amphetamine  during  adulthood  B.L.  STUBBEMAN,  C.J.  BROWN,   M.E.  BARDGETT  Northern  Kentucky  University   Antipsychotic  drug  prescriptions  for  pediatric  populations  have  increased  tremendously  over  the  past  20  years,  particularly  the  use  of  atypical  antipsychotic  drugs  such  as  risperidone.  In  rats,  forebrain  dopamine  receptor  densities  are  elevated  upon  cessation  of  early-­‐life  risperidone  administration.  This  finding  suggests  that  adult  rats  administered  risperidone  early  in  life  should  display  enhanced  behavioral  sensitivity  to  drugs  that  elevate  dopamine  neurotransmission.  This  hypothesis  was  tested  by  measuring  locomotor  responses  to  amphetamine  -­‐  a  drug  that  releases  forebrain  dopamine  –  in  adult  rats  administered  risperidone  early  in  life.  Thirty-­‐five  Long-­‐Evans  rats  received  one  of  four  doses  of  risperidone  (vehicle,  0.3,  1.0,  or  3.0  mg/kg)  daily  from  postnatal  day  14  through  42.  Beginning  on  postnatal  day  75,  locomotor  activity  was  recorded  for  30  minutes  once  a  week  for  four  weeks.  After  30  minutes,  each  rat  received  a  subcutaneous  injection  of  one  of  four  doses  of  amphetamine  (saline,  0.3,  1.0,  or  3.0  mg/kg)  in  a  counter-­‐balanced  order  across  the  four  weeks.  Locomotor  activity  was  measured  for  27  hours  after  amphetamine  administration.  Activity  levels  did  not  differ  between  the  vehicle  and  risperidone  groups  for  six  hours  after  saline  injection.  Rats  administered  risperidone  early  in  life  displayed  significantly  greater  locomotor  activity  for  six  hours  after  amphetamine  injection.  This  effect  was  most  prominent  in  the  first  two  hours  after  injection  of  the  0.3  and  1.0  mg/kg  amphetamine  doses,  and  was  seen  in  all  groups  administered  risperidone  early  in  life,  but  was  most  marked  in  the  risperidone  3.0  mg/kg  group.  The  results  suggest  that  the  development  of  forebrain  dopamine  systems  is  permanently  altered  by  early-­‐life  antipsychotic  drug  administration.  The  data  raise  concerns  about  possible  increases  12  in  sensitivity  to  recreational  and  therapeutic  drugs  that  target  dopamine  in  adults  treated  with  antipsychotic  drugs  during  childhood.  Email:  stubbemanb1@nku.edu   17    TRAVEL  AWARD  sponsored  by  Med  Associates  Inc.  Kurt  Fraser  Shelly  B.  Flagel   Stimulation  of  dopamine  D3  receptors  attenuates  the  expression  of  pavlovian  conditioned  approach  responses  and  motivation  for  incentive  cue  presentation  K.M.  FRASER,  J.L.  HAIGHT,  S.B.  FLAGEL  University  of  Michigan-­‐Ann  Arbor   Cues  in  the  environment  can  guide  behavior  in  adaptive  ways,  bringing  one  in  close  proximity  to  valuable  resources  (e.g.  food,  water,  sex).   However,  some  cues,  specifically  those  that  attain  incentive  salience,  can  gain  inordinate  control  over  behavior  and  direct  actions  in  a  maladaptive  manner,  as  is  evident  in  addiction  and  other  disorders  of  impulse  control.  Reward  cues  acquire  incentive  salience  via  Pavlovian  learning  processes.  Although  a  role  for  dopamine  has  been  identified  in  these  processes,  it  is  still  unclear  as  to  which  receptors  are  involved.  Here  we  investigated  the  role  of  the  dopamine  D3  receptor  in  the  attribution  of  incentive  salience  to  discrete  reward  cues.  To  do  this,  we  utilized  an  animal  model  that  allows  us  to  parse  the  neurobiological  processes  underlying  the  attribution  of  incentive  vs.  predictive  value  to  a  discrete  cue  paired  with  food-­‐delivery.  Outbred  Sprague-­‐Dawley  rats  were  first  characterized  as  sign-­‐  or  goal-­‐trackers  based  on  7  days  of  Pavlovian  conditioning  wherein  brief  presentation  of  a  lever-­‐cue  was  paired  with  delivery  of  a  food  reward.  Sign-­‐trackers  attribute  incentive  salience  to  the  reward-­‐paired  cue,  as  measured  by  interaction  with  the  cue  upon  its  presentation.  In  contrast,  goal-­‐trackers  use  the  reward-­‐paired  cue  merely  as  a  predictor  of  reward  delivery  and  upon  its  presentation  orient  behavior  accordingly  towards  the  food  cup  (i.e.  the  goal).  Following  acquisition  of  these  respective  conditioned  responses,  we  used  a  within  subject  design  to  determine  the  role  of  the  D3  receptor  in  the  expression  of  sign-­‐  and  goal-­‐tracking  behaviors.  Increasing  doses  (0.01-­‐0.32  mg/kg)  of  7-­‐OH-­‐DPAT  were  administered  and  compared  to  the  effects  of  vehicle  injections  on  alternating  days.  We  found  that  stimulation  of  the  dopamine  D3  receptor  attenuates  the  expression  of  both  of  sign-­‐  and  goal-­‐tracking  behavior.  There  was  a  dose-­‐dependent  effect  on  sign-­‐tracking  behavior,  with  the  largest  effects  in  response  to  the  two  highest  doses  of  drug.  Interestingly,  goal-­‐tracking  was  attenuated  only  at  the  lowest  drug  doses.  To  further  examine  the  effects  of  D3  stimulation  on  the  attribution  of  incentive  salience  to  a  discrete  reward  cue,  we  examined  the  effects  of  7-­‐OH-­‐DPAT  on  the  conditioned  reinforcing  properties  of  the  lever-­‐cue.  Administration  of  the  D3  agonist  significantly  attenuated  the  motivation  to  work  for  presentation  of  the  lever-­‐cue  in  sign-­‐trackers,  but  not  goal-­‐trackers.  This  work  highlights  a  role  for  the  D3  receptor  in  the  expression  of  Pavlovian  conditioned  approach  responses  and  in  the  attribution  of  incentive  salience  to  discrete  reward  cues.  Email:  kmfras@umich.edu   18    TRAVEL  AWARD  sponsored  by  Lafayette  Instruments  and  Campden  Instruments  Kerri  Szolusha  Michael  Burman   FAAH  inhibitor  OL-­‐135  disrupts  contextual,  but  not  auditory,  fear  conditioning  in  rats  K.  SZOLUSHA,  R.  BIND,  K.  KERNEY,  D.  BOGER,  E.  BILSKY,  M.  BURMAN  University  of  New  England   Anxiety  disorders  are  the  most  common  psychological  disorder,  with  an  approximately  25%  lifetime  incidence.  The  endocannabinoid  system  has  increasingly  been  the  target  of  investigation  for  a  potential  role  in  fear  and  anxiety.  Research  on  compounds  such  as  CB1  agonists  and  antagonists  have  demonstrated  13  effects  on  fear  and  anxiety  using  both  innate  anxiety-­‐like  behaviors  and  conditioned  fear.  However,  direct  CB1  agonists  and  antagonists  often  have  undesirable  cognitive  side  effects.  Fatty  acid  amide  hydrolase  (FAAH)  is  a  degradation  enzyme  targeting  the  endocannabiniods.  Disrupting  FAAH  avoids  many  of  the  deleterious  effects  of  direct  CB1  manipulation.  Interestingly,  drugs  that  inhibit  FAAH  have  two  major  effects:  they  enhance  memory  formation  and  they  inhibit  innate  measures  of  anxiety.  They  don’t  appear  to  have  been  assessed  in  classical  fear  conditioning,  where  these  two  effects  would  appear  to  compete.   The  current  studies  utilize  classical  fear  conditioning,  a  particularly  successful  model  of  fear/anxiety,  in  which  a  previously  neutral  cue  is  associated  with  an  aversive  stimulus,  such  that  the  neutral  cue  comes  to  elicit  a  conditional  fear  response.  In  addition  to  fear  for  the  explicitly  conditioned  cue  (auditory  fear),  fear  also  develops  to  the  conditioning  apparatus  and  situation  (contextual  fear  conditioning).  These  two  tasks  also  require  different  neural  substrates,  in  that  fearing  an  auditory  cue  requires  the  amygdala  and  its  efferent  and  afferent  connections,  whereas  contextual  fear  conditioning  recruits  additional  hippocampal  and  cortical  circuitry.   To  examine  the  role  that  endocannabiniods  play  in  fear  conditioning,  we  injected  the  FAAH  inhibitor  OL-­‐135  at  5.6  mg/kg  and  10  mg/kg  both  before  and  after  fear  conditioning.  We  then  assessed  both  auditory  and  contextual  fear.  When  the  FAAH  inhibitor  was  injected  before  conditioning  there  was  a  specific  deficit  in  contextual  fear.  That  auditory  fear  expression  was  intact  and  there  was  no  difference  in  the  shock  reactivity  of  the  animals  suggests  that  these  results  are  not  due  to  analgesic  or  non-­‐
specific  effects  of  the  drug.  When  the  animals  were  injected  after  training  there  was  no  effect,  suggesting  the  endocannabinoid  system  is  only  required  during  acquisition  of  fear.  These  data  are  consistent  with  previous  research  showing  that  CB1  manipulation  causes  deficits  of  acquisition,  but  not  consolidation,  of  fearful  memories.  This  may  further  the  promise  of  these  compounds  for  the  treatment  of  fear  and  anxiety.  Email:  kszolusha@une.edu   19    TRAVEL  AWARD  sponsored  by  MBF  Bioscience  Johnny  Huang  Martin  Wojtowicz   Physical  exercise  prevents  suppression  of  hippocampal  neurogenesis  and  mitigates  cognitive  impairment  in  chemotherapy-­‐treated  rats  J.  HUANG,  G.  WINOCUR,  J.M.  WOJTOWICZ  University  of  Toronto   Increasing  evidence  shows  chemotherapy-­‐induced  cognitive  impairments  in  humans  and  rodents.  These  deficits  include  confusion,  memory  loss,  decreased  attention  span,  and  inability  to  focus  or  concentrate.  Physical  exercise  is  known  to  enhance  hippocampal  neurogenesis  and  improve  cognitive  function.  In  this  study  we  examined  the  effect  of  physical  exercise  on  rats  that  were  treated  with  chemotherapeutic  agents.  3-­‐month-­‐old  Long-­‐Evans  rats  (n=37),  housed  in  either  standard  cages  or  cages  that  allowed  unlimited  access  to  a  running  wheel,  received  intra-­‐peritoneal  injections  of  5-­‐fluorouracil  and  methotrexate,  or  equal  volumes  of  saline.  They  subsequently  underwent  a  series  of  cognitive  tasks  -­‐  including  spatial  memory  (SM),  non-­‐matching-­‐to-­‐sample  rule  learning  (NMTS),  and  delayed  NMTS  (DNMTS)  tests.  Expression  levels  of  Ki67,  doublecortin  (DCX)  were  examined  in  the  dentate  gyrus.  Analysis  of  variance  (ANOVA)  was  used  to  test  differences  between  groups  on  behavioral  measures  and  cell  counts.  First,  chemotherapy  significantly  reduced  the  number  of  DCX+  cells  in  the  dentate  gyrus  by  approximately  25%  (P=0.02),  while  running  markedly  increased  DCX+  cells  (P<0.01).  In  addition,  rats  exposed  to  running  showed  evident  increases  in  both  Ki67+  (P<0.05)  and  BrdU+/DCX  (P<0.05)  cells.  No  significant  difference  in  average  running  distance  was  observed  between  saline-­‐  and  chemotherapy-­‐treated  rats  (P>0.25).  Behaviorally,  ANOVAs  showed  significant  main  effects  of  chemotherapy  on  performance  in  SM,  NMTS  and  DNMTS.  Running  improved  the  performance  on  all  these  tasks.  In  summary,  we  report  promising  results  where  the  adverse  effects  of  chemotherapy  on  both  hippocampal  neurogenesis  and  behavioral  performance  were  rescued  by  running,  indicating  physical  exercise  as  a  highly  feasible  and  safe  therapeutic  intervention  against  chemotherapy-­‐induced  cognitive  deficits.  Email:  johnny.huang.webmail@gmail.com   14   20   TRAVEL  AWARD  sponsored  by  Data  Sciences  International  (DSI)  Molly  Barlow  David  C.  Jewett   Pramipexole  decreases  the  discriminative  stimulus  effects  produced  by  22  hours  food  deprivation  and  food  intake.  M.A.  BARLOW,  K.A.  TWAROSKI,  H.M.  BADZINSKI,  K.J.  OLSON,  M.A.  VANDEN  AVOND,  C.A.  TODDES,  B.  GOMER,  B.  BERTI,  A.R.  JOHNSON,  D.C.  JEWETT  University  of  Wisconsin  -­‐  Eau  Claire   We  have  developed  and  refined  a  food-­‐deprivation  discrimination  paradigm  that  may  serve  as  an  animal  model  of  �hunger’.  We  examined  the  ability  of  pramipexole,  a  D2/D3  agonist  used  clinically  to  treat  Parkinson’s  disease  and  restless  leg  syndrome,  to  reduce  the  effects  of  acute  food  deprivation  in  rats  trained  to  discriminate  between  2  and  22  hrs  food  deprivation  in  an  operant  choice  paradigm.  Generalization  testing  began  after  the  acute  food  deprivation  discrimination  was  acquired  (~90  daily  sessions).  Prior  to  cumulative  dose-­‐generalization  tests,  subjects  were  food  deprived  for  22  hrs.  Injections  of  vehicle  and  pramipexole  (0.001-­‐0.032  mg/kg,  s.c.)  occurred  every  35  minutes  (a  30  min  pretreatment  time  and  a  5  min  response  period)  until  a  complete  pramipexole  dose-­‐effect  function  was  generated.  Food  intake  was  measured  for  1  hr  after  the  generalization  tests.  Pramipexole  (0.01  mg/kg)  significantly  reduced  the  discriminative  stimulus  effects  of  22  hrs  deprivation.   Pramipexole  (0.01-­‐0.032  mg/kg)  also  significantly  reduced  response  rates  and  post-­‐session  food  consumption.  These  results  are  consistent  with  our  previous  research  demonstrating  amphetamine  decreases  the  discriminative  stimulus  effects  of  22  hrs  food  deprivation  and  support  the  hypothesis  that  dopamine  mediates  food  consumption  by  mechanisms  related  to  �hunger.’   University  of  Wisconsin  -­‐  Eau  Claire  Faculty/Student  Research  Collaboration  grant   21    TRAVEL  AWARD  sponsored  by  Nu  Rho  Psi  Veronica  Burnham  Jan  E.  Thornton   Blocking  luteinizing  hormone  but  not  gonadotropin-­‐releasing  hormone  in  the  dorsal  hippocampus  rescues  spatial  memory  deficits  in  ovariectomized  female  rats.  V.L.  BURNHAM,  A  GOLDBERG,  J.E.  THORNTON  Oberlin  College   Recent  work  has  implicated  the  activity  of  luteinizing  hormone  (LH)  in  post-­‐menopausal  memory  decline.  In  rodents,  increasing  physiological  levels  of  LH  has  been  shown  to  significantly  decrease  performance  on  spatial  memory  tasks.  Previous  research  has  also  indicated  that  blockage  of  gonadotropin  releasing  hormone  (GnRH)  activity,  which  decreases  LH  levels,  can  cause  amelioration  of  spatial  memory  deficits.   However,  it  is  unclear  whether  directly  reducing  activity  of  LH  in  the  brain  is  able  to  rescue  spatial  memory  deficits  in  individuals  with  high  LH.  To  further  investigate  the  role  of  hippocampal  LH  receptors  in  spatial  memory  deficits,  female  Sprague-­‐Dawley  rats  were  ovariectomized  (ovx)  and  implanted  with  either  an  estradiol  (E)  or  blank  (blk)  capsule.  Bilateral  cannulae  were  implanted  into  the  dorsal  hippocampus  (DH).  Animals  received  infusions  of  0.9%  saline  (vehicle),  the  LH  homologue  hCG  (human  chorionic  gonadotropin),  or  deglycosylated-­‐hCG  (dg-­‐hCG;  an  LH  receptor  antagonist),  3-­‐5  hours  prior  to  behavioral  testing  via  Object  Location  Test  (OLT).  Consistent  with  previous  results,  estradiol  enhanced  spatial  memory  (ovx  +  E  compared  to  ovx)   and  ovx  +  E  animals  receiving  hCG  infusions  into  the  dorsal  hippocampus  showed  a  significant  decrease  in  spatial  memory  compared  to  vehicle  infusions.  Importantly,  infusion  of  the  LH  receptor  antagonist  dg-­‐hCG  into  the  dorsal  hippocampus  of  ovx  +  blk  animals  caused  a  rescue  of  spatial  memory  deficits  induced  by  ovariectomy.  These  data  indicate  that  LH  acts  on  the  hippocampus  to  modulate  spatial  memory.   Whether  GnRH  antagonism  exerts  its  effects  on  spatial  memory  via  its  effects  on  LH  or  thru  some  more  direct  action  on  the  dorsal  hippocampus  was  also  15  assessed.   In  the  present  experiments  infusion  of  Antide  via  bilateral  cannulae  into  the  DH  of  ovx  +  E  and  ovx  +  blk  animals  4-­‐6  hours  prior  to  administration  of  behavioral  tests  did  not  result  in  any  significant  alteration  of  OLT  performance,  when  compared  to  vehicle  infusion.  These  results  support  the  hypothesis  that  the  GnRH  antagonist  Antide  affects  spatial  memory  via  regulation  of  LH  levels.  Together  these  data  provide  strong  evidence  that  LH  acts  at  the  hippocampus  as  a  key  modulator  of  hippocampal-­‐dependent  spatial  memory.  Email:  veronicaburnham@gmail.com   22    TRAVEL  AWARD  sponsored  by  ADInstruments  Eric  Jang  Carlos  Aizenman   A  computational  model  of  collision  detection  in  the  optic  tectum  in  Xenopus  tadpoles  E.V.  JANG,  A.S.  KHAKHALIN,  C.M.  CIARLEGLIO,  C.D.  AIZENMAN  Brown  University   Neural  circuits  in  the  optic  tectum  of  Xenopus  tadpoles  are  selectively  responsive  to  visual  stimuli  that  represent  objects  approaching  the  animal  at  a  collision  trajectory  (looming  stimuli).  This  stimulus  selectivity  is  known  to  underlie  an  adaptive  collision  avoidance  behavior  in  this  species.  While  we  recently  showed  that  the  balance  of  excitation  and  inhibition  has  a  crucial  role  in  enabling  stimulus  selectivity  in  the  tectum,  it  is  still  unclear  how  the  balance  between  the  recurrent  network  activity  and  the  newly  arriving  sensory  flow  is  achieved  in  this  structure.  More  generally,  it  is  still  unknown  how  the  looming  stimuli  are  encoded  and  detected  by  the  tectal  circuits,  and  also,  despite  the  clear  indication  for  the  presence  of  strong  recurrent  excitation  in  the  tectum,  the  exact  topology  of  these  recurrent  feedback  circuits  remains  elusive.   Recently  we  completed  a  comprehensive  census  of  tectal  cell  electrophysiological  properties,  by  measuring  and  analyzing  30+  synaptic  and  intrinsic  excitability  parameters  in  each  of  200+  cells  from  80+  experimental  animals  from  different  developmental  stages  and  during  homeostatic  plasticity.  When  combined  with  over  a  decade’s  worth  of  electrophysiological  analysis  from  our  and  other  laboratories,  we  have  an  incredibly  rich  data  set  describing  the  development  of  tectal  cell  physiology  during  key  developmental  time  periods.  In  this  work  we  use  this  data  set  to  build  a  high  fidelity  spiking  network  model  of  the  tectum  with  the  goal  of  generating  predictions  about  the  topology  of  recurrent  connections  within  the  tectum,  as  well  as  the  dynamics  of  this  system.  After  tuning  and  calibrating  this  model  on  experimental  data,  we  compare  different  patterns  of  recurrent  network  connectivity,  and  different  levels  of  balance  between  recurrent  activity  and  sensory  flow,  to  identify  the  range  of  parameters  in  which  the  network  exhibits  selectivity  for  looming  stimuli.  This  allows  us  to  make  predictions  about  the  topology  of  recurrent  connections  in  the  biological  optic  tectum  that  can  then  be  tested  experimentally.  We  also  show  how  intrinsic  excitability  of  individual  tectal  cells  affects  the  selectivity  of  the  network  as  a  whole,  and  describe  how  homeostatic  modulation  of  intrinsic  properties  can  change  selectivity  thresholds  in  this  model,  thus  affecting  the  behavior  of  the  animal.  Email:  eric_jang@brown.edu   23    TRAVEL  AWARD  sponsored  by  the  Grass  Foundation  Maura  Schlussel  Lisa  Gabel   The  need  to  be  me:  Influence  on  participant  specific  instructions  on  mu-­‐based  BCI  performance  M.  SCHLUSSEL,  A.  BATTISON,  T.  FULLER,  V.  CORBIT,  Y.-­‐C.  YU,  L.  GABEL  Lafayette  College   Brain-­‐computer  interface  (BCI)  technology  is  a  growing  field,  becoming  an  increasingly  viable  aid  for  individuals  who  have  lost  normal  neural  motor  output.  The  mu  rhythm,  a  sensorimotor  rhythm  that  is  16  suppressed  when  one  imagines  motor  activity,  has  been  particularly  utilized  in  BCIs  because  of  its  potential  for  diverse  applications.  While  many  novel  implementations  of  mu  BCIs  have  been  developed,  little  work  has  been  conducted  investigating  how  to  improve  the  neural  signal  coming  from  participants.  Previous  research  from  our  laboratory  suggest  that  specific  instructions  for  imagined  movement  and  relaxation  improves  overall  strength  of  mu  rhythms.   Improved  mu  power  is  hypothesized  to  improve  performance  on  a  mu-­‐based  BCI  device.   However  it  is  important  that  sustained  control  over  mu  power,  rather  than  maximum  strength  of  mu  rhythm  is  attained  in  order  to  successfully  operate  a  BCI  device.  The  current  study  aimed  to  improve  participants’  mu  BCI  performance  by  giving  them  participant  specific  instructions  for  imagine  motor  behavior  for  improved  control  over  sustained  mu  power.  Based  on  previous  research  from  our  lab  participants  were  able  to  successfully  produce  my  rhythms  in  reponse  to  imagined  motor  or  relaxing  behavior  in  a  single  trial.   Building  upon  these  methods  participants  were  provided  with  instructions  (non-­‐specific,  specific,  or  participant  specific  instructions  on  how  to  imagine  motor  behavior)  and  the  ability  to  control  the  strength  of  the  mu  rhythm  was  analyzed.  The  BCI  system  algorithm  calculated  a  bilateral  mu  power  value  from  two  electrodes  positioned  over  the  left  and  right  sensorimotor  cortices  and  compared  to  a  participant’s  baseline  value  to  determine  if  the  power  increased  or  decreased;  this  difference  corresponded  to  feedback  shown  on  a  computer  screen.  Preliminary  evidence  suggested  there  is  a  significant  difference  in  control  over  mu  power  based  on  the  type  of  instructions  provided  to  the  participant.   These  data  may  suggest  that  the  success  of  an  individual  using  a  mu-­‐based  BCI  device  may  depend  on  the  type  of  instructions  provided.   Decreasing  training  time,  increasing  BCI  literacy,  and  enhancing  control  over  mu-­‐based  BCI  devices  will  make  this  type  of  BCI  device  more  accessible  to  individuals  with  impaired  motor  behavior.  Email:  schlussm@lafayette.edu  24    Cassie  Lincoln  Michele  Lemons   Characterizing  the  role  of  integrins  in  axon  pathfinding  in  i  C.  elegans  C.A  LINCOLN,  D.O  OLIVER,  M.M  FRANCIS,  M.L  LEMONS  Assumption  College   The  ability  of  neurons  to  properly  extend  axons  during  development  through  a  complex  extracellular  milieu  and  ultimately  reach  their  appropriate  targets  is  remarkable.  The  molecular  mechanisms  that  drive  this  impressive  navigational  feat  are  not  yet  fully  understood.  Previous  studies  suggest  that  a  family  of  transmembrane  heterodimeric  proteins,  called  integrins,  play  an  important  role  in  neuronal  motility.   We  chose  to  more  fully  characterize  the  effects  of  integrins  on  axon  patterning  in  the  genetically-­‐powerful  model  organism,  Caenorhabditis  elegans.  This  model  organism  enables  us  to  study  axon  patterning  in  vivo.  C.  elegans  is  an  advantageous  model  to  use  for  these  studies  due  to  its  limited  number  of  integrin  subunits  (two  alpha  subunits  and  one  beta  subunit)  compared  to  vertebrates  (18  alpha  subunits  and  8  beta  subunits).   We  initially  examined  the  effects  of  the  alpha  subunit  ina-­‐1  upon  axon  guidance  in  a  hypomorphic  strain,  ina-­‐1(gm144).   This  allele  is  thought  to  contain  a  mutation  that  is  important  for  integrin  activation.   Integrin  activation  refers  to  a  conformational  change  that  induces  a  high  ligand  affinity  state.   Using  a  genetic  approach,  we  found  that  decreased  integrin  function  in  ina-­‐1(gm144)  animals  produce:  1)  strong  defects  in  the  patterning  of  commissural  axons  from  GABAergic  neurons,  2)  less  robust  effects  on  commissural  axons  from  cholinergic  neurons,  and  3)  no  obvious  effects  on  longitudinal  axons  projecting  from  the  tail  to  the  head  (e.g.  from  the  interneuron  DVA).   Interestingly,  errors  in  GABAergic  and  cholinergic  axon  patterning  were  most  pronounced  at  distinct  times  during  development.  This  evidence  suggests  that  the  role  of  ina-­‐1  is  not  equal  in  all  neurons,  nor  is  the  contribution  of  integrins  equal  over  time.   Confocal  analysis  reveals  that  INA-­‐1  is  expressed  in  GABAergic  neurons.   Future  studies  will  determine  if  ina-­‐1acts  cell  autonomously  by  driving  wildtype  ina-­‐1  expression  in  GABAergic  neurons  in  ina-­‐1(gm144)  animals.  We  will  also  expand  our  studies  to  include  an  examination  of  the  possible  influence  of  the  two  remaining  integrin  subunits  (pat-­‐2  and  pat-­‐3)  on   axon  guidance  in  C.  elegans.   These  studies  will  advance  our  understanding  of  the  role  of  integrins  in  axon  pathfinding  of  GABAergic  and  cholinergic  neurons.   This  work  will  help  unravel  the  molecular  mechanisms  of  axonal  navigation  during  development  and  the  findings  from  this  work  could  be  used  to  17  enhance  axonal  regeneration  of  injured  adult  neurons.  The  latter  could  be  beneficial  in  designing  improved  treatment  for  spinal  cord  injuries  or  stroke  in  vertebrates.  This  work  was  funded  by  a  AREA  R15  1R15NS070172-­‐01A1  awarded  to  M.L.  Lemons.  Email:  cassie.lincoln@assumption.edu    25.1  Ashley  Ealey  Emily  Hardy   Arl13b  deletions  effect  on  postnatal  cerebellar  development  A.  EALEY,  S.  BAY,  T.  CASPARY  Agnes  Scott  College   Our  lab  studies  Arl13b,  a  small  GTPase  that  is  found  in  the  primary  cilium  of  cells  and  regulates  Sonic  hedgehog  (Shh)  signaling.  Shh  signaling  is  dependent  on  primary  cilia.  The  primary  cilia  and  appropriate  Shh  signaling  are  important  for  development  of  the  cerebellum  because  they  direct  proliferation  of  granule  neuron  precursor  cells.  Mutations  in  Arl13b  are  linked  to  human  disorders  such  as  Joubert  Syndrome  as  well  as  medulloblastomas,  tumors  created  by  overactive  Shh  signaling  during  cerebellar  development.  At  prenatal  stages  of  development,  Arl13b  is  essential  for  normal  cerebellar  morphology.  Deletion  of  Arl13b  early  in  development  alters  Shh  signaling  compromising  cerebellar  morphogenesis,  resulting  in  a  small  or  absent  cerebellum.  We  hypothesized  that  Arl13b  could  also  play  a  role  in  postnatal  cerebellar  development.  We  deleted  Arl13b  in  four  day  old  mice  in  the  granule  neuron  precursor  cells.  We  compared  brain  tissue  from  control  and  experimental  animals  and  looked  for  expression  of  Arl13b  in  the  external  granular  layer  and  gross  morphology.  Our  findings  allow  us  to  conclude  that  deletion  of  Arl13b  at  P4  does  not  appear  to  have  a  gross  impact  on  postnatal  cerebellar  development.    25.2  Alanah  Grisham  Emily  Hardy   Mutagenesis  of  the  G-­‐Quadruplex  in  the  BDNF  3'  UTR  reduces  BDNF  reporter  expression  A.  GRISHAM,  M.  ALLEN,  Y.  FENG  Spelman  College   Brain  Derived  Neurotrophic  Factor  (BDNF)  is  a  secretory  protein  in  the  brain  that  plays  multiple  roles  in  normal  brain  function  as  well  as  in  multiple  neurological  diseases.  Alternative  polyadenylation  of  the  BDNF  transcripts  results  in  two  types  of  BDNF  mRNA:  containing  either  a  short  or  a  long  3’  untranslated  region  (UTR).  Sequence  analysis  identified  a  guanine  rich  element,  which  is  located  close  to  the  proximal  polyadenylation  site  in  the  BDNF  transcript  that  can  form  a  G-­‐Quadruplex  structure.  It  is  known  from  examples  in  cancer  research,  that  G-­‐Quadruplex  structures  in  DNA  can  affect  transcription.  We  hypothesize  that  the  G-­‐Quadruplex  in  the  BDNF  3’UTR  regulates  BDNF  expression.  In  this  summer  research  program,  we  explored  the  function  of  the  G-­‐Quadruplex  using  a  luciferase  reporter  that  contained  the  BDNF  long  3’  UTR.  We  discovered  the  first  evidence  that  the  G-­‐Quadruplex  plays  an  important  role  in  BDNF  expression.  26    Sharena  Rice  Kenneth  Owen  Long   Localization  of  the  ABCA4  flippase  in  developing  photoreceptors  S.P.  RICE,  K.O.  LONG  California  Lutheran  University   18  Introduction:  Flippases  are  proteins  that  transport  lipids  across  cell  membranes  and  serve  as  key  regulators  of  cell  polarity.   There  are  a  number  of  different  flippases  in  the  retina.    Flippases  can  be  degraded  with  time  by  over-­‐oxidation,  and  mutations  can  cause  flippases  to  be  absent.   A  defect  in  the  photoreceptor-­‐specific  flippase  ABCA4  is  linked  to  Stargardt  macular  degeneration  in  humans.   In  the  adult  fish  retina,  there  are  developing  photoreceptor  cells  at  the  periphery  of  the  eye  (close  to  the  iris)  along  with  fully  differentiated  photoreceptors  throughout  the  rest  of  the  retina.   Fish  were  the  model  organisms  because  1)  their  eye  anatomy  is  similar  to  that  of  humans  and  2)  they  have  indeterminate  growth  so  that  I  can  compare  an  individual’s  newer  photoreceptors  to  its  older  ones.   Using  goldfish  retinas  allow  the  visualization  of  the  developmental  appearance  of  ABCA4  and  related  proteins  in  photoreceptors.   Purpose:  The  purpose  of  this  study  was  to  determine  the  effectiveness  of  different  commercial  antibodies  in  labeling  flippases  (ABCA4  and  ATP8a2)  in  the  goldfish  retina.   These  antibodies  were  not  known  to  work  in  fish  retina  before.   The  ultimate  goal  is  to  analyze  the  developmental  appearance  of  flippases  in  photoreceptors  and  whether  they  appear  before  or  after  opsin,  the  light-­‐
capturing  protein  of  photoreceptors.    Materials  and  methods:  Commercial  goldfish  were  used.   SDS-­‐PAGE  and  Western  blotting  were  used  to  determine  the  molecular  weights  of  the  proteins  and  to  tell  which  antibodies  bound  proteins  of  the  goldfish  retina.   The  antibodies  tested  included  Abcam's  monoclonal  anti-­‐ABCA4,  GeneTex’s  polyclonal  anti-­‐ABCA4,  Santa  Cruz  Biotechnology's  anti-­‐ATP8a2  (a  related  flippase)  and  anti-­‐opsin.   Light  and  dark-­‐adapted  retinas  were  also  fixed  and  processed  for  immunocytochemistry.   Results:  This  study  demonstrated  that  GeneTex’s  polyclonal  anti-­‐ABCA4  is  effective  in  labeling  ABCA4  in  goldfish  retinas.   Santa  Cruz  Biotechnology’s  monoclonal  anti-­‐ABCA4  does  not  work  as  well,  as  it  requires  a  great  concentration  of  these  antibodies  to  work.   Further  studies  will  analyze  the  localization  of  the  ABCA4  in  the  developing  retinas.   Preliminary  immunocytochemical  results  demonstrated  ATP8a2  labeling  of  developing  photoreceptors.   The  anti-­‐opsin  also  worked  well  in  labeling.   Conclusion:  Since  the  polyclonal  anti-­‐ABCA4  from  GeneTex  and  the  anti-­‐ATP8a2  work  in  the  goldfish  retina,  they  can  be  used  in  further  studies  to  find  more  about  these  flippases  and  their  developmental  appearance  in  the  retina.  Email:  sharenar@callutheran.edu    27.1  Kayla  Roberge  Matthew  L  Beckman   Studies  of  the  role  of  hedgehog  signaling  in  daphnid  eye  development  K.  ROBERGE,  M.  GRAFELMAN,  C.  GIDDINGS,  M.L.  BECKMAN  Augsburg  College,  Minneapolis,  Minnesota  (MN)   Daphnia  magna  are  freshwater  invertebrates  that  are  used  to  study  effects  of  toxins  on  development  and  reproduction.  An  important  part  of  their  development  involves  the  apparent  fusion  of  two  separate  eyespots  into  a  single,  central  eye  that  occurs  in  early  embryonic  development.  .  The  mechanics  behind  this  fusion  are  not  entirely  understood  nor  are  the  genes  involved,  but  preliminary  data  I  suggests  that  the  hedgehog  signaling  pathway  is  involved.  In  humans  there  are  3  hedgehog  family  genes  including  sonic  hedgehog.   Mutations  in  sonic  hedgehog  is  associated  with  a  variety  of  midline  defects.  A  known  inhibitor  of  the  hedgehog  pathway,  U18666A,  has  been  used  in  rats  and  found  to  be  a  cholesterol  synthesis  and  hedgehog  signaling  inhibitor.  The  effects  of  U18666  on  the  development  of  Daphnia  magna  embryos  was  assessed.  Data  collected  in  this  study  of  embryos  growing  in  culture  demonstrated  that  there  were  developmental  delays  as  well  as  a  delay  in  eye  fusion  when  early  stage  embryos  were  treated  with  100  µM  drug.  There  were  no  significant  results  obtained  from  the  in  vivo  treatment  of  pregnant  females.  These  results  signify  a  need  to  further  evaluate  the  effect  of  Hedgehog  signaling  pathway  modulators  on  Daphnia  magna  embryonic  development.  http://beckmanlab.org  Email:  roberge@augsburg.edu      19  27.2  Bobby  McDonnell  Matthew  L  Beckman   The  role  of  dopamine  in  the  appendage  movements  associated  with  swimming  and  feeding  in  daphnids  B.  MCDONNELL,  R.  SNEED,  M.L.  BECKMAN  Augsburg  College,  Minneapolis,  Minnesota  (MN)   Daphnia  magna,  commonly  referred  to  as  the  water  flea,  and  D.  pulex  have  been  utilized  extensively  in  studying  toxicology.   Both  have  also  been  studied  with  respect  to  their  locomotor  activity  under  unconstrained  conditions,  but  limited  research  has  been  done  on  D.  magna  with  a  focus  on  the  effect  dopaminergic  drugs  have  on  force  production.  Animals  were  filmed  with  two  orthogonal  cameras  focused  on  the  displacement  of  a  plastic  fiber  on  which  the  specimen  was  mounted.  The  animal  was  filmed  over  a  period  of  three  hours  divided  into  three  segments,  in  which  the  animal’s  initial  force  production  abilities  were  observed,  then  a  dopaminergic  drug  (A-­‐68930)  was  added  to  assess  the  drug’s  effect  on  the  animal,  and  lastly  a  washout  period  ensued  to  observe  the  returned  force  production  potential  as  the  drug  is  washed  out  of  the  animal.  Force  production  was  observed  to  be  reduced  with  drug  exposure.  The  maximum  force  produced  after  1  hour  in  80μM  A-­‐68930  was  statistically  significantly  smaller  than  in  the  pre-­‐drug  state  (baseline).   A  trend  toward  drug  washout  was  observed  but  was  not  statistically  significant.   Future  studies  will  focus  on  increasing  the  sample  size  and  carrying  out  a  thorough  dose-­‐response  for  A68930  using  separate  groups  of  control  and  drug-­‐treated  animals.   These  experiments  demonstrate  a  role  for  dopamine  signaling  in  modulating  Daphnia  magna  swimming.  http://beckmanlab.org  Email:  mcdonnel@augsburg.edu  28    Joshua  Leonard  Nadja  Spitzer   Fructose  impairs  neuronal  differentiation  of  adult  neural  stem  cells  in  vitro  J.A.  LEONARD,  A.L.  RAMIREZ  GARCIA,  N.  SPITZER  Marshall  University   In  recent  decades  the  consumption  of  fructose,  as  high  fructose  corn  syrup  in  processed  foods,  has  increased  dramatically  and  has  now  been  recognized  as  a  significant  health  concern.  In  hepatocytes  and  adipocytes,  high  levels  of  fructose  generate  uric  acid,  leading  to  generation  of  reactive  oxygen  species  (ROS)  that  cause  cellular  damage.  Fructose  penetrates  the  blood  brain  barrier  through  the  Glut5  transporter,  but  its  effects  on  the  mechanisms  operating  in  neurons  is  not  well  understood.  In  animals  exposed  to  a  high-­‐fructose  diet,  cognitive  deficits  similar  to  those  associated  with  aging  are  observed.  Reduced  neurogenesis  is  thought  to  contribute  to  the  cognitive  decline  in  aging,  indeed,  a  high-­‐fructose  diet  also  reduces  adult  neurogenesis,  although  the  cellular  mechanisms  by  which  this  occurs  is  unclear.  In  mammals,  defined  populations  of  adult  neural  stem  cells  (NSCs)  are  located  in  the  hippocampus  and  the  subventricular  zone  (SVZ).  Here,  they  continue  to  proliferate,  giving  rise  to  progenitor  cells  that  migrate,  differentiate  and  integrate  into  existing  circuitry  where  they  are  involved  in  plasticity  with  roles  in  memory  formation,  learning,  behavioral  responses,  and  reward  systems.  In  addition,  NSCs  are  thought  to  migrate  to  damaged  brain  tissues  and  contribute  to  repair.  In  vivo  and  in  vitro,  NSCs  can  differentiate  into  oligodendrocyte,  astrocyte,  or  neuronal  phenotypes  in  response  to  appropriate  chemical  signals.  Adult  NSCs  from  the  SVZ  can  be  maintained  as  progenitors  in  culture  and  plated  in  conditions  that  encourage  differentiation,  allowing  investigation  of  the  cellular  mechanisms  underlying  this  process  at  the  level  of  individual  cells.  This  accessible  model  system  has  been  used  to  identify  many  of  the  exogenous  signals  that  drive  differentiation,  and  the  intracellular  mechanisms  involved.  We  tested  the  effects  of  fructose  exposure  on  the  mechanisms  underlying  differentiation  in  NSCs  cultured  from  the  SVZ  of  young  adult  rats.  Using  immunocytochemistry,  we  found  that  the  proportion  of  cells  expressing  β-­‐tubulin  III,  an  early  neuron  marker,  was  reduced  in  cells  cultured  in  media  containing  fructose.  This  indicates  that  fewer  NSCs  differentiate  towards  a  neuronal  lineage  after  fructose  exposure.  Time  lapse  microscopy  revealed  that  the  20  neurites  extended  by  NSCs  cultured  in  the  presence  of  fructose  are  less  complex,  with  fewer  branch  points  than  those  differentiating  in  control  conditions.  These  results  suggest  that  fructose  inhibits  the  maturation  of  NSCs  towards  a  neuronal  fate.  These  cellular  effects  on  differentiating  NSCs  could  contribute  to  the  cognitive  decline  observed  in  animals  subjected  to  a  high-­‐fructose  diet.  Email:  leonard37@live.marshall.edu  29    Mir  Shanaz  Hossain  Frances  Northington   Imaging  the  spatiotemporal  progression  of  white  matter  injury  after  neonatal  hypoxic-­‐
ischemia  M.S.  HOSSAIN,  J.  BURNSED,  R.  CHAVEZ-­‐VALDEZ,  J.  ZHANG,  F.  NORTHINGTON  Johns  Hopkins  School  of  Medicine   Background:  Hypoxic-­‐ischemic  encephalopathy  (HIE)  is  a  leading  cause  of  death  in  children  under  age  5.  Hypothermia  therapy  (HT)  is  the  only  treatment  specific  for  HIE,  however,  the  neuroprotection  provided  is  incomplete.  MRI  is  an  important  clinical  tool  in  injury  assessment  and  outcome  prediction  following  HIE.  Conventional  MRI  is  used  to  characterize  injury;  now,  white  matter  (WM)  injury  can  be  detected  with  diffusion  tensor  imaging  (DTI).  Using  a  newly  established  model  of  HT  in  the  neonatal  mouse  model  of  HIE,  the  extent  of  WM  injury  following  HI  and  HT  was  determined  with  MRI.  Methods:  HI  was  induced  in  postnatal  day  (P)10  mice  using  a  modified  Vannucci  Model  (unilateral  carotid  ligation  &  45  minutes  of  hypoxia  at  FiO2=  0.08).  Following  HI,  the  mice  recovered  at  31°C  (HT)  or  36°C  (Normothermia  Therapy,  NT)  for  4  hours.  T2-­‐weighted  and  DTI  MRIs  were  obtained  from  injured  and  control  mice  at  P30.  Amira  software  was  used  to  quantify  the  volume  of  major  gray  matter  structures.  The  gray  matter  volumes  were  compared  to  the  volume  and  mean  fractional  anisotropy  (FA)  values  of  related  white  matter  tracts,  obtained  using  ROIEditor.  Results:  NT  mice  had  reduced  ipsilateral  hippocampal  volumes  (5.845  vs.  12.07,  p  <  0.001)  and  lower  ipsilateral  fimbria  FA  values  (0.4402  vs.  0.5868,  p<  0.001).  NT  mice  had  smaller  ipsilateral  cerebral  cortices  (52.09  vs.  64.38,  p  <  0.01)  and  lower  corpus  callosum  FA  values  (0.534  vs.  0.5952,  p  <  0.01).  The  fimbria  volume/FA  values  and  the  hippocampal  volumes  were  significantly  correlated  (R2  =  0.54488  and  0.74047,  respectively;  p  <  0.01  for  both)  in  the  NT  mice,  however,  no  correlation  was  found  between  the  corpus  callosum  volume/FA  values  and  cortical  volumes.  Similarly,  HT  mice  had  reduced  ipsilateral  hippocampal  volumes  (7.128  vs.  12.07,  p  <  0.001)  and  lower  ipsilateral  fimbria  FA  values  (0.4677  vs.  0.5868,  p<  0.001).  Ipsilateral  cortex  volume  (54.63  vs.  64.38,  p  <  0.05)  and  corpus  callosum  FA  values  (0.5507  vs.  0.5952,  p  <  0.05)  were  lower  in  the  HT  mice.  The  fimbria  volume/FA  values  and  the  hippocampal  volumes  were  correlated  (R2  =  0.4482  and  0.77795,  respectively;  p  <  0.01  for  both),  and  a  correlation  between  the  corpus  callosum  and  cortical  volumes  was  found  (R2  =  0.23979)   in  the  HT  mice.   Stratifying  for  gender  revealed  that  significance  in  hippocampal  volumes  and  fimbria  FA  values  are  attributable  to  male  mice,  with  no  differences  in  female  mice  treated  with  NT  and  HT.  Discussion:  The  findings  from  this  study  show  that  important  differences  in  WM  volume  and  structure  are  detectable  following  neonatal  HI,  especially  in  male  mice.  The  results  from  this  study  can  be  used  to  improve  the  quantitative  evaluation  of  HI  injury  and  therapeutic  efficacy.     Research  Support:  Nu  Rho  Psi  Undergraduate  Research  Grant,  Johns  Hopkins  University  Second  Decade  Society  Internship  Grant  Email:  mhossai9@jhu.edu  30    Elizabeth  Hughes  Skyla  M.  Herod   Differential  effects  of  maternal  and  fetal  hyposerotonemia  on  placental  physiology,  biogenic  amine  function  and  the  co-­‐expression  of  5-­‐HT/NetrinG1  in  the  developing  fetal  brain.  E.  HUGHES,  J.  VALASQUEZ,  C.  CRONKITE,  K.  FISH,  E.  EMERY,  A.  BONNIN,  S.M.  HEROD  Azusa  Pacific  University  21   Serotonin  (5-­‐HT)  is  a  monoamine  neurotransmitter  that  is  fundamental  to  brain  development,  and  low  circulating  levels  of  5-­‐HT  are  associated  with  clinical  psychopathologies  including  anxiety  and  depression.  Interestingly,  the  placenta,  and  not  the  maternal  blood  or  fetal  brain  itself,  is  responsible  for  providing  5-­‐
HT  to  the  fetus  early  on  in  development.  It  remains  unclear  whether  hyposerotonemia  in  mothers  with  such  pathologies  might  affect  fetal  brain  development,  placental  levels  of  5-­‐HT,  and  other  biogenic  amine  signaling.  B6.129(Cg)-­‐Slc6a4tm1Kpl/J  serotonin  transporter  knockout  (SERT-­‐KO)  mice  were  bred  heterozygous  (HET)  by  HET  to  generate  wildtype  (WT),  HET,  and  knockout  (KO)  experimental  genotypes.  Females  of  each  genotype  were  bred  with  HET  males,  and  fetal  and  placental  tissue  was  harvested  at  four  different  timepoints  during  embryonic  development  (E12.5,  E14.5,  E16.5,  E18.5)  as  part  of  ongoing  studies.  High  performance  liquid  chromatography  (HPLC)  has  been  performed  for  analysis  of  concentrations  of  5-­‐HT  and  5-­‐HIAA,  the  main  metabolite  of  5-­‐HT,  present  in  E14.5  and  E18.5  fetal  forebrains,  hindbrains,  and  placentas  across  all  maternal  and  fetal  genotypic  combinations.  Significant  differences  appear  in  tissue  samples  from  the  same  maternal  genotype  regardless  of  fetal  genotype,  suggesting  that  the  mother  may  be  the  more  influential  factor  in  the  determination  of  fetal  serotonergic  system  functioning.  Fetal  brains  and  placentas  were  also  collected  for  immunohistochemical  analysis,  and  a  costain  was  developed  for  5-­‐HT  and  Netrin-­‐G1  (NetG1),  an  axon  guidance  cue  instrumental  in  the  directing  of  thalamocortical  axons  (TCAs)  during  fetal  brain  development.  Upon  fluorescent  imaging  to  determine  the  cellular  coexpression  of  these  two  essential  molecules,  initial  analysis  of  WT  and  KO  fetal  brains  at  E14.5  from  the  same  HET  mother  showed  no  differences  in  the  5-­‐HT  neuronal  expression,  consistent  with  the  HPLC  data.  However,  the  expression  of  the  NetG1  in  the  KO  was  attenuated  and  less  fasciculated  in  the  midbrain  region  as  compared  to  WT.  These  results  suggest  that  while  5-­‐HT  may  not  be  affected  by  fetal  genotype,  production  and/or  expression  of  NetG1  may  indeed  be  affected  by  fetal  hyposerotonemia,  possibly  under  the  influence  of  a  different  mechanism.    Sources  of  Support:  Beta  Beta  Beta  Foundation  Grant,  Azusa  Pacific  University  Faculty  Research  Grant,  University  of  Southern  California  Faculty  Research  Startup  Funds  Email:  ehughes10@apu.edu  31    Kyle  Fish  Skyla  M.  Herod   Interaction  of  SERT  deletion,  early  life  stress  and  maternal  presence  as  indicators  of  individual  differences  in  the  corticosterone,  biogenic  amine  signaling,  and  adulthood  behavioral  response  to  stress  in  B6.129(Cg)-­‐Slc6a4tm1Kpl/J  (SERT-­‐KO)  mice.  K.  FISH,  E.  EMERY,  E.  HUGHES,  J.  VELASQUEZ,  K.  LEWANDOWSKI,  A.  BARAJAS,  A.  BONNIN,  S.M.  HEROD  Azusa  Pacific  University   Circulating  serotonin  levels  and  exposure  to  stress  during  critical  periods  of  development  may  play  a  role  in  determining  an  individual’s  sensitivity  to  stress,  and  shaping  the  development  of  stress  related  disorders.  The  current  study  examined  the  interactive  effects  of  early  life  stress  exposure  and  chronic  serotonin  deficiency  on  stress-­‐sensitivity  in  mice.  Potential  protective  effects  of  maternal  presence  during  early  life  stress  were  also  investigated.  WT,  HET,  and  KO  genotypes  of  the  B6.129(Cg)-­‐Slc6a4tm1Kpl/J  (SERT-­‐KO)  mouse  strain  were  used  as  a  genetic  model  of  serotonin  depletion.  Mice  were  subject  to  a  stress  paradigm  consisting  of  moderate  restraint  stress  exposure  during  early  adolescence,  with  or  without  maternal  presence,  followed  by  a  stress  test  of  similar  nature  upon  maturity  to  adulthood.  Initial  analysis  has  shown  a  genotype  by  stress  condition  interaction  in  both  the  adolescent  and  adulthood  corticosterone  (CORT)  response.  In  WT  mice,  but  not  HET  or  KO,  stress  exposure  in  adolescence  led  to  an  elevated  CORT  response  compared  to  controls  (F=11.94,  p=0.00).  Interestingly,  mice  exposed  to  stress  during  adolescence  with  maternal  or  novel  female  presence  showed  a  heightened  CORT  response  compared  to  animals  stressed  alone.  In  adulthood,  a  genotypic  difference  was  observed  among  the  animals  originally  exposed  to  stress  with  maternal  presence,  with  WT  animals  showing  the  greatest  CORT  response  compared  to  other  genotypes  within  this  treatment  group  (F=3.57,  p=0.05),  indicating  that  the  effects  of  serotonin  deficiency  may  depend  on  the  specific  environmental  setting.  In  a  light/dark  box  test,  22  KO  mice  spent  less  time  in  the  light  (F=2.97,  p=0.05)  and  exhibited  fewer  line  crossings  (F=17.61,  p=0.00)  than  WT  or  HET  mice,  indicating  diminished  interest  in  exploratory  activity  and  increased  anxiety-­‐like  behavior,  across  all  stress  conditions.  In  additional  behavior  tests,  KO  mice  across  all  stress  conditions  made  fewer  social  approaches  (F=9.53,  p=0.00)  and  exhibited  increased  depressive-­‐like  behavior  (F=2.96,  p=0.05).   Group  differences  were  also  observed  in  multiple  measures  of  monoamine  (DA,  5-­‐HT,  NE,  E,  their  precursors  and  metabolites)  concentration  in  various  brain  regions.  The  high  level  of  individual  variability  in  the  CORT  response  in  each  of  the  12  treatment  groups  across  development,  coupled  with  the  lack  of  interactive  effects  in  behavioral  measures,  suggests  that  these  factors  alone  may  not  be  the  most  powerful  components  that  shape  stress-­‐sensitivity  in  adulthood.  Email:  kfish11@apu.edu  32    Joseph  Wetherell  Mark  Jareb   The  role  of  α6β4  integrin  receptor  in  laminin-­‐mediated  axon  outgrowth  J.  WETHERELL,  A.  BUONACCORSI,  N.  DOPPLER,  M.I.  JAREB  Sacred  Heart  University   Previous  data  suggest  that  a  laminin  receptor  is  localized  in  the  axons  of  chick  forebrain  neurons  mediating  the  axon-­‐growth  promoting  properties  of  laminin.   Many  heterodimers  from  the  integrin  family  of  proteins  have  previously  been  identified  as  laminin  receptors,  including  the  α6β4  heterodimer.  We  tested  the  role  of  β4,  β1,  and  α6  integrins  in  laminin-­‐induced  increases  in  axonal  growth  using  function  blocking  antibodies.   Axons  of  neurons  grown  on  laminin  treated  with  β4  integrin  function  blocking  antibodies  or  α6  integrin  function  blocking  antibodies  were  significantly  shorter  compared  to  untreated  cultures  or  cultures  treated  with  a  β1  integrin  function-­‐blocking  antibody.  These  data  are  consistent  with  the  hypothesis  that  the  α6β4  heterodimer  acts  as  the  axonal  laminin  receptor  in  embryonic  chick  forebrain  neurons  and  is  important  in  axonal  development  and  growth.  To  directly  test  whether  α6  or  β4  integrin  was  localized  specifically  to  axons,  we  transfected  cultured  forebrain  neurons  from  embryonic  chick  with  DNA  constructs  encoding  both  α6  and  β4  integrin  genes.  Preliminary  results  show  α6  and  β4  integrin  expression  in  axons.  Email:  wetherellj@sacredheart.edu  33    Spencer  Duncan  Jacob  Cain   SGEF-­‐mediated  Rho  GTPase  signaling  controls  neural  progenitor  proliferation  and  migration  in  the  developing  cortex.  S.  DUNCAN,  J.  CAIN,  S.  KOH,  D.  TIMMS,  J.  WEIMER  Sanford  Research   During  the  development  of  the  cerebral  cortex,  neural  progenitors  proliferate  and  then  migrate  away  from  the  ventricular  zone  (VZ)  to  take  up  residence  in  the  cortical  plate  (CP).  These  immature  cells  take  one  of  two  paths  upon  exiting  the  VZ:  1)  migrating  directly  to  the  CP,  or  2)  migrating  to  the  subventricular  zone  (SVZ),  becoming  intermediate  progenitors  (IPs),  dividing  several  more  times,  and  then  continuing  to  the  CP.  Although  disruptions  in  these  events  are  known  to  contribute  to  neurodevelopmental  disorders,  the  factors  regulating  progenitor  retention  in  the  SVZ  are  relatively  unknown.  Small  Rho  GTPases,  including  cdc42  and  RhoG,  are  known  to  regulate  progenitor  proliferation  and  fate  determination  within  the  developing  cortex.  However,  the  regulators  of  these  Rho  GTPases  are  not  well  understood.  GEFs  and  GAPs  are  proteins  that  regulate  Rho  GTPase  activity,  and  because  GEFs  act  as  activators  for  Rho  GTPases,  we  hypothesize  that  GEFs  are  critical  to  Rho  GTPase-­‐mediated  regulation  of  progenitor  proliferation  and  fate  determination  in  the  developing  cerebral  cortex.  To  explore  the  role  of  one  GEF  identified  as  a  regulator  of  cdc42  and  RhoG,  SGEF,  in  the  process  of  IP  migration  and  release,  IHC  was  performed  on  brains  from  an  23  SGEF  -­‐/-­‐  mouse  model  across  several  time  points  to  determine  differences  from  wild  type  brains  in  the  areas  of  proliferation,  migration,  and  layer  thickness.  In  addition,  to  explore  how  SGEF  is  genetically  regulated,  a  promoter  region  was  found  and  confirmed  and  potentially-­‐binding  transcription  factors  were  identified.  In  the  future,  these  transcription  factors  will  be  confirmed  through  site-­‐directed  mutagenesis  of  the  DNA  binding  sites  to  further  confirm  the  signaling  pathway  identified  in  these  experiments.  Email:  spencer.duncan@ymail.com    34.1  Benjamin  Foster  Katie  Wiens   Neural  innervation  of  zebrafish  heart.  B.P.FOSTER,  E.N.COSTANZI  Christopher  Newport  University   Zebrafish  have  the  ability  to  to  regenerate  various  parts  of  their  bodies  including  neural  and  cardiac  tissue.  This  study  seeks  to  understand  the  mechanism  of  zebrafish  cardiac  regeneration  by  determining  the  neural  pathways  that  innervate  the  zebrafish  heart.  Using  Tyrosine  Hydroxylase  (TH),  Acetylcholinesterase  (Ach),  Substance  P  (P),  neural  Nitric  oxide  Synthase  (nNOS),  and  Galanin  stains,  this  study  has  found  presence  of  various  neurotransmitters  in  the  adult  zebrafish  heart,  thus  indicating  the  presence  of  neural  input  within  zebrafish  hearts.  The  presence  of  the  aforementioned  neurotransmitters  were  verified  by  fluorescent  microscopy.   The  presence  of  Tyrosine  Hydroxylase  indicates  the  presence  of  dopaminergic  terminals,  acetylcholinesterase  of  acetylcholine  terminals,  Substance  P  of  Substance  P  receptors,  nNOS  of  NO  activity,  and  galanin  of  synaptic  regulation.  Email:  benjamin.foster.11@cnu.edu    34.2  Andrew  Moyer  Katie  Wiens   Zebrafish  model  to  test  the  effect  of  copper  on  amyloid  beta  precursor  protein.  A.  MOYER,  K.  DOAN,  B.  SOMERA,  D.  KNIGHT,  K.  WIENS  Christopher  Newport  University   The  buildup  of  amyloid-­‐beta  (Aβ)  plaques  is  a  hallmark  of  Alzheimer’s  disease.   Recent  studies  have  investigated  compounds  that  break  down  Aβ  plaques  and  reverse  the  cognitive  decline  associated  with  Alzheimer’s  disease.  However,  we  have  yet  to  discover  a  treatment  that  prevents  the  progression  of  this  devastating  disease.  Zebrafish  are  an  excellent  model  system  for  investigating  treatments  for  Alzheimer’s  disease;  zebrafish  are  inexpensive,  produce  hundreds  of  embryos  each  day,  and  have  homologous  genes  related  to  human  Alzheimer’s  disease.  The  research  presented  aims  to  develop  a  copper-­‐induced  model  of  alzheimer's  disease  in  the  zebrafish.   This  model  will  allow  us  to  study  the  effect  of  multiple  compounds  on  Aβ  plaque  formation  in  an  environmentally-­‐induced  zebrafish  model  of  Alzheimer’s  disease.  Email:  andrew.moyer@cnu.edu  35    Maribel  Santos  Adam  Hall   Isoflurane  impacts  the  actin  cytoskeletal  by  upregulating  cofilin  phosphorylation  in  neonatal  murine  cortical  neurons  M.O.  SANTOS,  J.  BARGER,  B.  NHUNDU,  A.  HALL  Smith  College   24  For  the  past  decade,  general  anesthetics  have  been  under  more  intensive  scrutiny  as  evidence  for  their  potential  detrimental  effects  in  the  brains  of  both  the  elderly  and  children  have  come  to  light.  Recent  work  in  animal  models  has  linked  commonly  used  anesthetics  to  inducing  neurotoxicity  and  subsequent  neuronal  cell  death.  Indeed,  we  identified  that  isoflurane  at  clinical  concentrations  induces  morphological  changes  in  murine  neurons  in  culture  that  could  impact  activity-­‐dependent  survival  of  developing  neurons.    The  aim  of  current  study  is  to  elucidate  the  cellular  mechanism  responsible  for  these  morphological  and  potentially  neurodegenerative  effects  of  isoflurane.  Using  mice  exposed  to  clinical  concentrations  of  isoflurane  (1.5%  v/v  for  0.5  hr),  we  hypothesized  that  the  anesthetic  would  induce  morphological  alterations  of  the  cytoskeleton  (and  subsequent  neurodegeneration)  through  an  up-­‐
regulation  of  RhoA  (GTPase)  activity  that  increased  LIM  Kinase-­‐1  activity  with  subsequent  phosphorylation  of  cofilin,  a  key  modulator  of  actin  dynamics.   To  date,  using  immunoblotting  techniques,  we  have  identified  a  significant  increase  in  phosphorylated  cofilin  and  in  phosphorylated  LIM  Kinase  in  treated  murine  brain  samples  relative  to  non-­‐treated.  To  confirm  that  the  impact  of  isoflurane  on  cell  morphology  is  via  changes  in  RhoA  activity,  in  future  experiments  we  plan  to  inhibit  the  activity  of  LIM  Kinase  in  cultured  neurons  and  observe  if  anesthetic-­‐induced  changes  in  cell  morphology  are  arrested.  This  study  will  help  expand  our  knowledge  of  anesthetic  toxicity  by  elucidating  a  mechanism  by  which  isoflurane  induces  cytoskeletal  rearrangements  that  may  lead  to  neurodegeneration,  with  the  ultimate  goal  of  minimizing  damage  to  at-­‐risk  populations  during  surgery.  Email:  mosantos@smith.edu  36    Heather  Huffman  Joseph  L.  Cheatwood   Rhox8  expression  in  rodent  brains  H.G.  HUFFMAN,  D.  E.  GRISLEY,  J.  A.  MACLEAN,   J.  L.  CHEATWOOD  Southern  Illinois  University   Homeobox  genes  encode  transcription  factors  that  govern  many  processes  during  development.  This  60-­‐
amino  acid  DNA-­‐binding  motif  associates  with  promoters  by  either  activating  or  suppressing  the  transcription  of  downstream  target  genes.  Recently,  the  Rhox,  -­‐(X-­‐linked  reproductive  Homeobox)-­‐,  genes  were  discovered.  The  Rhox  gene  set  is  expressed  during  embryonic  development  in  the  testis,  but  a  select  few  of  these  genes  continue  to  show  high  expression  after  birth  which  makes  them  candidates  for  controlling  postnatal  and  adult  developmental  events.  At  their  peak  expression  in  the  testis  (postnatal  day  12),  all  Sertoli  cells  express  Rhox5,  Rhox8,  and  Sox9,  but  Rhox5  expression  become  more  restrictive  after  postnatal  day  30.  RHOX8  protein  is  abundant  in  the  testis,  epididymis,  ovary,  and  it  is  weakly  detected  in  the  placenta.  Of  all  33  mouse  Rhox  genes,  Rhox8  is  the  only  one  to  show  expression  in  somatic  cells  in  the  embryonic  testis.  All  others  are  expressed  solely  in  germ  cells.  It  is  a  common  phenomenon  that  testis  expressed  genes  exhibit  brain-­‐specific  splicing  or  transcripts  from  alternative  promoters.   Given  Rhox8’s  potentially  unique  transcriptional  control  in  the  testes,  we  wanted  to  determine  if  Rhox8  was  similarly  uniquely  expressed  in  the  brain.   Thus,  we  examined  whether  the  somatic  transcription  factors  Rhox8,  Sox9,  and  Rhox5  mRNA  could  be  detected  in  rat  mouse  brain  tissue.   Rats  were  euthanized,  and  brains  were  removed  and  flash-­‐frozen.  To  study  the  basic  expression  of  the  Rhox8,  Sox9,  and  Rhox5  gene  in  brain  tissue,  we  extracted  RNA  from  the  rat  cerebellums,  and  then  converted  the  RNA  to  cDNA  in  order  to  run  qPCR,  quantitative  real-­‐time  polymerase  chain  reaction,  on.  Preliminarily  Rhox8,  Rhox5,  and  Sox9  were  all  found  to  be  highly  expressed  in  positive  control  adult  mouse  testis  tissue.  Of  these  only  Rhox8  had  moderate  expression  in  mouse  cortex.  While  RHOX8  stained  positive  in  mouse  neurons.  As  expected  we  found  Rhox8  to  have  moderate  expression  in  adult  rat  cerebellum,  Sox9  had  minimal  expression,  but  Rhox5  had  no  detectable  expression.  These  low  levels  may  be  due  to  the  use  of  whole  cerebellum  in  the  rat,  which  contains  many  cell  types  which  do  not  appear  to  express  Rhox8  in  addition  to  neurons,  which  stain  positive  for  RHOX8  via  fluorescent  immunohistochemistry  in  mice  or  mouse  cortex.  Email:  hghuffman@siu.edu    25  37.1  Biagio  Niro  Jacqueline  Morris   Inhibition  of  PAD  2  and  its  implications  in  neuronal  development  B.  NIRO,  G.  RANCHOFF  Baldwin  Wallace  University   Peptidylarginine  deiminase  2  (PAD  2)  converts  arginine  residues  in  myelin  basic  protein  (MBP)  into  citrulline.  An  increase  in  citrullinated  MBP  is  present  in  multiple  sclerosis  patient  nervous  tissue  and  may  have  a  role  in  the  disease.  In  addition  to  an  increase  in  disease,  PAD  2  is  a  protein  that  is  present  early  in  development  but  the  importance  of  this  enzyme  during  development  is  unknown.  Since  PAD  2  is  present  early  in  development  and  then  re-­‐emerges  during  disease  states,  the  role  of  PAD  2  during  this  critical  stage  might  provide  insight  into  this  increased  expression.  In  order  to  determine  the  role  of  PAD  2  in  early  development,  we  inhibited  PAD  2  in  zebrafish  embryos  (2-­‐24  hpf)  with  2-­‐chloroacetamidine  (0.5  mM,  1.0  mM,  1.5  mM).  The  embryos  (24  hpf)  were  fixed  and  stained  for  acetylated-­‐tubulin  to  mark  the  nervous  system.  It  was  determined  that  zebrafish  treated  with  2-­‐chloroacetamidine  had  fewer  Rohon  Beard  cells,  early  sensory  neurons,  compared  to  controls.   Rohon  Beard  (RB)  cells  are  a  transient  population  and  generally  undergo  apoptosis  at  5  days  post  fertilization  (dpf).  After  RB  cell  death,  dorsal  root  ganglia  develop,  therefore,  the  PAD  2  enzyme  or  citrullination  may  be  involved  in  neuronal  differentiation  of  sensory  neurons.  Email:  bniro12@mail.bw.edu    37.2  Ashley  Mahajan  Jacqueline  Morris   The  effects  of  ketamine  on  learning  and  spatial  memory  in  juvenile  rats  A.P.  MAHAJAN,  C.  SMITH,  J.M.  BROWN,  B.  NIRO,  J.  SMITH,   J.  MORRIS  Baldwin  Wallace  University   During  early  childhood,  the  brain  is  susceptible  to  environmental  changes  which  may  result  in  cell  death.  Ketamine  is  an  anesthetic  agent  used  in  children  (<  4  years),  which  has  shown  to  cause  increased  apoptotic  cell  death  in  the  hippocampus  in  neonatal  rats  (P7).  Previous  studies  indicate  that  the  Ketamine-­‐
induced  apoptosis  occurs  with  binding  of  Ketamine  to  N-­‐methyl-­‐D-­‐aspartate  (NMDA)  receptors  which  disrupts  the  neural  uptake  of  calcium.  The  aim  of  this  study  was  to  determine  if  ketamine  adversely  effects  spatial  memory  or  reasoning  in  neonatal  rats.  A  prospective  trial  was  conducted  utilizing  25  Sprague-­‐
Dawley  rats  divided  into  a  control  and  experimental  group.  On  P7  animals  were  administered  four  subcutaneous  doses  of  ketamine  (20  mg/kg)  or  an  equivalent  amount  of  sterile  saline.  At  P25,  both  groups  were  tested  using  the  Morris  Water  Maze  to  assess  their  spatial  learning  and  memory.  During  training  days,  each  rat  had  four  trials  to  locate  the  escape  platform  before  the  final  probe  trial  when  the  platform  was  removed  from  the  pool.  The  average  time  spent  in  the  platform-­‐containing  quadrant  once  the  platform  was  removed  was  30.74  seconds  for  the  control  and  28.30  seconds  for  the  experimental  rats  (P=  0.792).  Data  suggests  that  learning  for  both  groups  was  variable.  Early  exposure  to  ketamine  did  not  alter  ability  of  the  animals  to  learn  using  spatial  memory  in  the  Morris  Water  Maze.  Therefore  a  loss  of  neurons  early  on  may  be  compensated  by  new  neurogenesis.  Additionally  other  forms  of  learning  might  be  compromised  and  will  be  studied  with  other  learning  tasks.  Email:  amahajan12@mail.bw.edu      26  38  Melissa  Smallwood  Tyisha  Williams   Synaptic  troubleshooting:  Making  the  connection  between  autism  and  labor  &  delivery  drugs  M.  SMALLWOOD,  E.  BAKER,  A.  SAREEN,  R.  HANNUSCH,  T.  WILLIAMS  Trinity  University   Autism  Spectrum  Disorder  (ASD)  is  a  pervasive  neurodevelopmental  disorder  characterized  by  social  deficits,  difficulties  in  communication,  and  repetitive  behavior.  The  recent  increase  in  the  rate  of  autism  diagnosis  in  the  United  States  –  1  in  68  children  as  of  2014  –  has  sparked  interest  within  the  research  community  to  investigate  potential  causes  and  risk  factors  involved  in  the  development  of  autism.  Genetic  and  environmental  factors  –  and  interactions  between  them  –  have  been  implicated  in  the  development  of  the  autistic  phenotype.  It  is  believed  that  environmental  stressors  or  toxins  could  modify  the  expression  of  important  genes  and  proteins  in  brain  development.  Previous  research  assessing  environmental  factors  related  to  autism  indicates  that  a  relationship  may  exist  between  autism  and  the  labor-­‐inducing  drug,  Pitocin,  during  childbirth.  Therefore,  the  aim  of  this  study  was  to  determine  if  epidurals  and/or  labor-­‐
inducing  drugs  are  potential  risk  factors  for  autism.  Results  from  our  population  study  show  that  children  exposed  to  labor  and  delivery  drugs  during  childbirth  are  2.64  times  more  likely  to  develop  an  autistic  phenotype  (X2  =  3.88,  p  =  0.048).  The  data  also  show  a  relationship  between  duration  of  exposure  and  the  chance  of  developing  an  autistic  phenotype  (X2  =  4.88,  p  =  0.027,  OR  =  2.64).  In  order  to  assess  the  possible  molecular  effects  of  labor  and  delivery  drugs,  the  expression  patterns  of  six  autism  candidate  genes  -­‐  UBE3A,  NLGN3,  NLGN4,  SHANK,  CNTNAP2,  and  GABRB3,  were  assessed  at  various  mouse  developmental  stages  (Postnatal  day  0,  7,  14,  and  21).  Indeed,  altered  gene  expression  was  observed  for  all  six  target  genes,  with  the  most  drastic  changes  occurring  at  postnatal  day  0  and  7.  The  data  suggest  that  exposure  to  labor  and  delivery  drugs  during  childbirth  could  potentially  interfere  with  normal  expression  of  critical  neurodevelopmental  genes,  such  as  those  involved  in  synapse  formation.  Future  behavioral  studies  are  required  to  evaluate  the  long-­‐term  neurodevelopmental  consequences  of  these  drugs  that  could  increase  the  risk  for  the  development  of  autism.  39    Pompeyo  Quesada  Veronica  G.  Martinez  Acosta   Gene  transcript  analysis  of  potential  Lumbriculid  regenerative  proteins  through  the  development  of  a  QPCR  assay  P.R.  QUESADA,  R.A.  MIRANDA,  J.  ARJONA-­‐SOBERON,  V.G.  MARTINEZ-­‐ACOSTA  University  of  the  Incarnate  Word   The  aquatic  oligochaete  Lumbriculus  variegatus  is  an  exceptional  regenerating  model  system.  To  further  understand  the  regenerative  mechanisms  utilized  by  Lumbriculus,  we  are  investigating  genes  and  proteins  that  are  known  to  regulate  regeneration  in  other  species.  Our  lab  is  particularly  interested  in  regeneration  within  the  nervous  system.   Previous  data  demonstrates  an  up  regulation  of  the  protein  β-­‐
catenin  within  the  worm’s  central  nervous  system  during  regeneration.   β-­‐catenin  is  known  to  function  as  a  transcriptional  regulator  in  the  canonical  Wnt  signaling  pathway  and  also  functions  as  an  integral  part  of  cadherin-­‐mediated  cell  adhesion  at  the  plasma  membrane.  Thus,  we  would  like  to  determine  the  role  β-­‐
catenin  may  be  playing  during  regeneration  in  Lumbriculus  variegatus.   In  order  to  further  investigate  the  role  of  β-­‐catenin  and  other  genes  during  Lumbriculid  regeneration,  we  are  developing  a  QPCR  assay  to  evaluate  changes  in  transcript  levels  within  worm  tissue.   Conserved  regions  of  gene  sequences  encoding  putative  regenerative  proteins  in  other  closely  related  species  were  used  to  design  degenerative  PCR  primers,  which  were  then  used  to  amplify  Lumbriculid  genes.   Gel  electrophoresis  analysis  indicate  that  we  have  PCR  products  of  the  predicted  base  pair  size  for  reference  genes  including  alpha  tubulin,  β-­‐actin  and  ribosomal  protein  L8.  Primer  sets  for  the  genes  encoding  β-­‐catenin  and  other  important  regenerative  proteins  (eg.  ZicA,  FoxD,  and  Wnt  proteins)  will  be  developed  and  investigated.  Collectively  these  findings  will  help  us  better  understand  the  regenerative  mechanisms  in  Lumbriculus  and  potentially  in  higher  27  order  phyla.     Grant  Support:   This  work  is  supported  in  part  by  DoD  Grant  W911NF-­‐13-­‐1-­‐0164  (V.G.Acosta)  and  the  University  of  the  Incarnate  Word  Department  of  Biology  (Dr.  B.McCormick).  Email:  pquesada@student.uiwtx.edu    40.1  Bradley  Gehring  Sonsoles  de  Lacalle   Neuropeptide  distribution  in  the  human  parabrachial  nucleus.  B.  GEHRING,  S.  DE  LACALLE  Ohio  University   The  Parabrachial  Nucleus  (PB)  is  a  pontine  structure  composed  of  several  cell  groups  located  around  the  superior  cerebellar  peduncle,  with  a  crucial  role  in  autonomic  control.  In  the  human  brain,  the  PB  is  divided  into  a  medial  (MPB)  and  lateral  (LPB)  nuclei.  The  human  PB  is  cell  poor  and  does  not  seem  to  contain  the  many  subnuclei  described  in  the  rat.  Nonetheless,  there  are  a  number  of  chemically  distinct  subdivisions  that  as  well  as  contributing  to  establish  homologies,  may  be  of  value  in  pathological  investigations.  Following  our  earlier  work  using  CGRP  as  a  marker  for  ascending  visceral  pathways  in  the  human  brain  (de  Lacalle  &  Saper,  2000),  here  we  describe  the  distribution  of  galanin  (GAL-­‐),  substance  P  (SP-­‐)  and  neurotensin  (NT-­‐)  immunoreactive  elements.   Our  observations  were  made  on  horizontal  50μm  thick  sections  through  the  brainstem  from  3  neurologically  normal  individuals,  obtained  at  routine  autopsy.  Tissue  was  processed  for  immunocytochemistry  using  commercially  available  antibodies.  We  found  several  areas  of  dense  peptide  immunoreactivity  in  fibers,  as  well  as  scattered  stained  cell  bodies.  The  distribution  of  peptide-­‐stained  fibers  was  strikingly  conserved  compared  with  that  described  in  the  rat.  GAL-­‐  ir  fibers  were  present  in  both  subdivisions,  but  more  abundant  in  the  LPB  than  the  MPB,  with  their  distribution  somewhat  overlapping  that  of  CGRP-­‐ir  fibers.  By  contrast,  NT-­‐ir  fibers  were  more  prominent  in  the  MPB  than  in  the  LPB.  SP-­‐ir  fibers  were  found  in  both  MPB  and  LPB,  with  a  dense  cluster  of  fibers  in  the  rostral  region,  and  scattered  SP-­‐ir  neuronal  profiles  throughout  the  area  between  the  locus  coeruleus  and  the  MPB.   Compared  with  the  literature  on  the  functional  anatomy  of  the  PB  and  its  afferent  and  efferent  projections,  our  results  suggest  that  these  neuropeptides  found  in  distinct  areas  within  the  human  PB  may  also  provide  chemical  coding  for  the  relay  of  specific  visceral  information.  Email:  bg977111@ohio.edu    40.2  Nicholas  Lozier  Sonsoles  de  Lacalle   Interaction  between  myostatin  and  the  GH/IGF-­‐1  axis  in  muscle  N.R.  LOZIER,  E.O.  LIST,  D.E.  BERRYMAN,  J.J.  KOPCHICK,  S.  DE  LACALLE  Ohio  University   Myostatin  (mstn)  has  been  identified  as  a  negative  regulator  of  muscle  growth,  leading  to  research  into  its  potential  as  a  therapeutic  agent  in  individuals  suffering  from  muscle  wasting  disorders,  as  occur  in  old  age,  cancer  and  AIDS,  for  example.  Mstn  acts  locally  as  an  autocrine/paracrine  agent  to  inhibit  muscle  hypertrophy  and  hyperplasia,  and  it  is  widely  believed  that  this  pathway  can  be  silenced  by  the  endocrine  action  of  IGF-­‐1  on  skeletal  muscle.  Our  present  work  seeks  to  understand  the  mechanisms  by  which  mstn  and  the  GH/IGF-­‐1  axis  interact  in  muscle,  using  two  animal  models,  the  growth  hormone  receptor  knockout  (GHR-­‐/-­‐)  and  the  bovine  growth  hormone  transgenic  (bGH).  These  mice  have  contrasting  phenotypes.  IGF-­‐1  action  is  significantly  reduced  in  the  GHR-­‐/-­‐  because  of  the  lack  of  GH  signaling,  and  results  in  obese  and  dwarf  mice  that  are  extremely  insulin  sensitive  and  live  longer  than  their  littermate  controls.  By  contrast,  the  overexpression  of  GH  and  consequent  enhancement  of  IGF-­‐1  action  in  bGH  mice  results  in  larger  and  leaner  bodies,  extreme  insulin  resistance,  and  shorter  lifespan  than  littermate  controls.  We  applied  Western  blot  techniques  on  samples  of  gastrocnemius/soleus  complex  homogenate  from  each  genotype,  using  a  monoclonal  antibody  against  the  C-­‐terminus  of  human  mstn  protein,  and  a  purified  mstn  peptide  as  control.  We  found  no  statistically  significant  difference  in  the  levels  of  expression  28  of  mstn  in  either  the  GHR-­‐/-­‐  or  the  bGH,  compared  to  littermate  controls,  indicating  that  modifying  the  GH/IGF-­‐1  axis  does  not  impact  mstn  levels,  and  also  that  changes  in  body  composition  in  those  animal  models  are  not  due  directly  to  mstn.      Muscle  function  in  vivo  was  analyzed  in  the  bGH  mice  vs.  littermate  controls  with  grip  strength  meter  and  rotarod  behavioral  assays.  There  was  no  significant  difference  in  rotarod  performance,  indicating  that  the  phenotypic  changes  associated  with  these  genetic  mutants  does  not  affect  balance,  coordination,  or  endurance.  However,  grip  strength  assessment  of  rear  limb  pull  force  was  significantly  greater  in  littermate  controls  when  normalized  for  body  weight.  Although  changes  in  mstn  were  not  evident  in  these  models,  the  increased  grip  strength  in  controls  contributes  to  existing  knowledge  (including  models  of  mstn  inhibition)  that  higher  percentage  of  lean  mass  does  not  necessarily  contribute  to  an  increase  in  strength.  Perhaps  the  difference  can  be  attributed  to  the  fact  the  littermate  controls  are  only  ~1/4  of  their  lifespan,  while  bGH  mice  are  already  ~halfway  through  their  lifespan  and  have  already  begun  to  experience  the  effects  of  aging.  Email:  nl272609@ohio.edu  41    Marilyn  Day  Jennifer  Round   Slitrk1  is  expressed  in  Rohon-­‐Beard  sensory  neurons  of  the  developing  zebrafish  spinal  cord.  M.  DAY,  U.  BAQAI,  A.  KANE,  R.  ARAS,  J.  ROUND  Ursinus  College   Many  of  the  cellular  mechanisms  that  direct  nervous  system  development  are  still  unknown,  and  investigating  them  could  be  critical  to  treating  nervous  system  disorders.  The  Slitrk  protein  family  consists  of  six  transmembrane  proteins  that  are  highly  expressed  in  the  central  nervous  system.  This  protein  family  has  been  associated  with  specific  neuropsychiatric  disorders  such  as  OCD,  anxiety,  depression,  Tourette  syndrome,  and  schizophrenia.  At  the  cellular  level,  Slitrks  have  been  implicated  in  axon  fasciculation,  presynaptic  differentiation,  neuromuscular  development,  and  neurite  outgrowth.  Slitrk1  mRNA  is  abundant  in  the  developing  spinal  cord,  but  which  cell  types  express  Slitrk1  and  what  role  it  plays  in  spinal  cord  wiring  are  unknown.  In  this  study,  we  employed  immunohistochemistry  to  investigate  Slitrk1  protein  localization  in  the  zebrafish  spinal  cord.  We  found  that  Sltirk1  is  located  in  Rohon  Beard  neurons  in  early  zebrafish  development,  and  we  observed  Slitrk1  distribution  patterns  that  suggest  its  presence  in  glial  and/or  neural  crest  cells.  This  work  provides  a  foundation  for  future  loss-­‐of-­‐
function  studies  to  investigate  a  novel  role  for  Slitrk1  in  vertebrate  spinal  cord  wiring.  Our  research  will  improve  understanding  of  how  the  nervous  system  is  assembled,  and  this  information  could  potentially  be  used  to  help  treat  nervous  system  disorders.  Email:  maday@ursinus.edu  42    Michael  Shoats  Ron  Bayline   The  study  of  Notch-­‐Delta  signaling  pathway  in  Manduca  sexta  M.  P.  SHOATS,  K.  MCGOWEN,  R.  BAYLINE,  Y.  LAI  Washington  and  Jefferson  College   During  cell  specification,  cell-­‐cell  interactions  mediated  by  direct  contact  often  regulate  determination  of  cell  fates.   The  Notch-­‐Delta  signaling  pathway  involves  transmembrane  proteins  that  regulate  cell  fate  determination  in  many  cell  types.  For  example,  in  Drosophila  muscle  development  during  embryogenesis,  Notch-­‐Delta  interactions  regulate  the  determination  of  muscle  founder  cell  fates.   High  levels  of  Notch  expression  leads  to  epidermal  cell  growth  from  the  ectodermal  precursor  cells  while  low  levels  of  Notch,  and  thus  higher  levels  of  Delta,  result  in  differentiation  of  ectodermal  cells  into  neural  cells.   During  postembryonic  development  in  Drosophila,  myoblasts  approach  their  targets  and  are  maintained  in  a  29  semi-­‐differentiated  state  by  continuous  Notch  activation.   High  levels  of  Notch  during  this  time  in  development  results  in  a  lack  of  fused,  multinucleated  cells.   The  role  of  notch-­‐delta  interactions  during  muscle  developing  in  other  insects  has  not  been  elucidated.   In  the  moth  Manduca  sexta,  muscles  display  patterns  of  development  than  that  seen  in  Drosophila.  Both  nerve-­‐dependent  and  nerve-­‐independent  muscle  development  can  occur  during  adult  development.  Additionally,  due  to  the  size  of  the  Manduca  the  Notch  pathway  may  play  a  different  role  in  postembryonic  muscle  development.   This  research  investigates  the  role  of  Notch-­‐Delta  signaling  during  Manduca  sexta  embryonic  and  postembryonic  muscle  development.   In  this  project,  we  focus  on  the  development  of  flight  muscles  and  the  tergosternal  muscle,  which  display  nerve-­‐dependent  and  nerve-­‐independent  development,  respectively.   We  hypothesize  that  Notch-­‐Delta  interactions  may  exhibit  different  roles  in  specifying  myoblast  fates  between  these  two  types  of  muscles.   We  have  identified  a  putative  Notch  gene  from  the  Manduca  genome  database  based  on  sequence  homology  with  the  Drosophila  Notch  gene.  PCR  primers  sequences  for  the  putative  Notch  gene  were  developed,  and  a  PCR  fragment  was  isolated  from  a  Manduca  embryonic  cDNA  library.   The  fragment  was  ligated  into  a  plasmid  vector  and  bacteria  were  transformed.   The  plasmids  were  then  isolated,  and  the  amplified  fragment  was  sequenced  to  confirm  its  identity  as  a  putative  Notch  homolog.    Riboprobes  developed  from  the  PCR  fragment  were  used  for  in  situ  hybridization  to  characterize  expression  in  embryos.   We  predict  that  Notch-­‐Delta  signaling  will  be  detected  during  M.  sexta  muscle  development  in  the  embryo.   The  levels  of  expression  during  differing  stages  can  be  an  important  indicator  of  the  role  that  Notch  plays  during  different  types  of  muscle  development.   Understanding  the  role  of  Notch-­‐Delta  signaling  during  M.  sexta  muscle  development  will  help  elucidate  the  evolution  of  muscle  patterning  in  insects.  Email:  shoatsmp@jay.washjeff.edu    43.1  Ranran  Li  Elizabeth  Weaver   On  how  parameter  variations  influence  bursting  activity  R.  LI,  A.  DOLOC-­‐MIHU,   R.  CALABRESE  Agnes  Scott  College   Recent  experimental  and  computational  studies  suggest  that  linearly  correlated  sets  of  parameters  (intrinsic  and  synaptic  properties  of  neurons)  allow  central  pattern-­‐generating  (CPGs)  networks  to  produce  and  maintain  their  rhythmic  activity  regardless  of  changing  internal  and  external  conditions.  Within  an  existing  database  of  the  half-­‐center  oscillator  (HCO;  Hill  et  al,  2001)  model  instances  of  the  leech  heartbeat  CPG,  a  recent  computational  study  suggests  that  there  may  be  non-­‐linear  relationships  between  parameters  for  HCO  instances  (Doloc-­‐Mihu  et  al.,  2014).  In  order  to  further  understand  the  non-­‐linear  relationships  between  parameters  for  HCO  instances,  we  picked  specific  subgroups  of  data  from  the  HCOs.  The  first  set  is  a  subgroup  from  the  realistic  HCO  group,  and  includes  all  the  8  members  of  the  gBarh  families  of  the  realistic  HCO  group.  The  second  set  is  a  subgroup  from  the  unbalanced  HCO  group,  and  includes  those  instances,  which  become  tonically  spiking  isolated  neurons  when  there  is  no  synapse  present  between  the  two  neurons.  We  applied  the  Principal  Component  Analysis  (PCA)  method  to  both  sets.  PCA  did  not  identify  any  linear  correlation  between  parameters  in  these  two  subgroups.  However,  visualizations  of  these  two  subgroups  in  a  reduced  space  suggested  that  there  might  be  non-­‐linear  correlations  between  some  parameters.  In  light  of  the  sensitivity  of  period  to  the  changes  in  gBarh  current  revealed  by  recent  study,  we  visualized  the  relations  of  all  the  parameters  with  each  characteristic  (period,  spiking  frequency  and  duty  cycle)  in  both  subgroups.  We  found  that  for  the  first  set,  spiking  frequency  shows  sensitivity  to  the  changes  in  each  gBarEleak,  gBarP,  and  gBarCaS  currents.  Visualization  also  verified  the  sensitivity  of  period  to  the  changes  in  gBarh  current.       30  43.2  Arille  Lewis  Elizabeth  Weaver   Upregulation  of  Ataxin-­‐2  in  BLOC-­‐1  deficient  cells  A.  LEWIS,  A.  BURCH,  S.  ZLATIC,  V.  FAUNDEZ  Emory  University   Biogenesis  of  Lysosome-­‐related  Organelles  Complex  -­‐1  (BLOC-­‐1)  is  composed  eight  protein  subunits  involved  in  endocytosis.   BLOC-­‐1  is  required  for  targeting  specific  proteins  to  synaptic  vesicles  and  lysosome-­‐related  organelles  from  endosomes.   One  subunit,  Dysbindin  (dystrobrevin-­‐binding-­‐1),  is  encoded  by  the  DTNBP1  gene,  which  is  a  gene  associated  with  susceptibility  to  schizophrenia.  The  function  of  dysbindin  and  BLOC-­‐1  remains  to  be  elucidated.  The  precise  molecular  pathways  at  the  synapse  downstream  of  BLOC-­‐1  and  dysbindin  responsible  for  these  changes  are  the  focus  of  my  studies.  I  determined  the  cellular  levels  of  these  proteins  in  BLOC-­‐1  deficient  Pallidin  knockdown  SH-­‐SY5Y  cells.   ATXN2,  which  causes  Spinocerebellar  Ataxia-­‐2  (SCA2)  in  humans,  plays  a  role  in  mRNA  translation  and  synaptic  plasticity.  My  data  show  that  VAMP7  abundance  decreases  and  reciprocally  ATXN2  abundance  increases  in  BLOC-­‐1  deficient  SH-­‐SY5Y  cells.   Data  here  suggest  the  possibility  that  ATXN2  functionally  interact  with  BLOC-­‐1  subunit  proteins  and  may  affect  RNA  metabolism  associated  with  endosomes,  and  synaptic  vesicle  function.  44    Caleb  Glassman  Nancy  Kleckner   AMPA-­‐like  receptor  subunits  localized  to  glutamate-­‐responsive  feeding  motor  neurons  in  the  pond  snail,  Helisoma  trivolvis  C.  GLASSMAN,  J.  QIN,  N.W.  KLECKNER  Bates  College   Glutamate  is  a  common  neurotransmitter  in  both  vertebrate  and  invertebrate  nervous  systems.  In  the  pond  snails  Helisoma  trivolvis  and  Lymnaea  stagnalis,  glutamate  released  onto  buccal  ganglion  neurons  patterns  motor  output  to  the  buccal  mass  to  promote  the  standard  pattern  of  feeding.  Glutamate  excites  motor  neurons  activating  phase  2  of  feeding  and  inhibits  motor  neurons  in  phases  1  and  3  of  the  tripartite  feeding  pattern,  but  the  receptors  mediating  these  effects  have  not  been  well  characterized.  Two  receptors  have  been  cloned  from  Helisoma  central  nervous  system:  one  (Hel-­‐GluR1)  has  a  high  degree  of  sequence  similarity  with  an  AMPA-­‐like  receptor  from  Lymnaea,  Lym-­‐eGluR1;  a  second,  partial  receptor  (Hel-­‐GluR7)  has  a  high  degree  of  sequence  similarity  with  a  KA-­‐like  receptor  from  Aplysia  californica,  Apl-­‐GluR7.  The  purpose  of  this  study  was  to  determine  the  specific  neural  location  of  these  excitatory  glutamate  receptors  within  the  known  Helisoma  feeding  circuitry.  It  was  hypothesized  that  phase  2  motorneurons  would  contain  the  AMPA-­‐like  receptor  Hel-­‐GluR1,  as  those  neurons  are  responsive  to  KA  in  a  CNQX-­‐dependent  manner,  and  that  phase  3  motorneurons  would  not,  as  they  respond  to  glutamate  with  hyperpolarization.  To  test  this  hypothesis,  an  antibody  that  recognizes  rat  GluR2  and  3  subunits  was  used  to  localize  AMPA-­‐
like  receptor  subunits  to  neurons  within  the  Helisoma  buccal  ganglia,  and  primers  were  designed  to  amplify  portions  of  Hel-­‐GluR1  with  single-­‐cell  PCR.  Sequences  were  amplified  from  cDNA  reversed  transcribed  from  mRNA  isolates  of  individual  motor  neurons  B27  and  B19,  corresponding  to  phases  2  and  3,  respectively,  of  the  Helisoma  feeding  central  pattern  generator.  Surprisingly,  with  both  techniques,  AMPA-­‐like  receptors  were  localized  to  both  B27  and  B19  neurons.  Hel-­‐GluR1  was  not  identified  in  neuron  B5,  which  innervates  the  esophagus.  Additional  experiments  are  underway  to  determine  which  buccal  neurons  contain  the  Hel-­‐GluR7  receptor  subunit.  It  is  anticipated  that,  since  buccal  A  cluster  neurons  that  modulate  the  feeding  CPG  are  immunoreactive  to  an  antibody  made  against  a  rat  GluR5  sequence,  these  neurons  might  contain  this  KA  receptor-­‐like  subunit.  Understanding  the  number  and  localization  of  glutamate  receptor  subunits  in  buccal  neurons  will  improve  our  understanding  of  how  glutamate  patterns  the  feeding  motor  output.   This  project  was  supported  by  grants  from  the  National  Center  for  Research  Resources  (5P20RR016463-­‐12)  and  the  National  Institute  of  General  Medical  Sciences  (8  P20  GM103423-­‐
12)  from  the  National  Institutes  of  Health.  31  Email:  caleb.glassman@gmail.com  45    Thomas  Voigt  R.J.  Howard   Modularity  of  alcohol  binding  sites  in  pentameric  ligand-­‐gated  ion  channels  T.B.  VOIGT,  H.A.  BRAUN,  D.E.  MANSON,  K.R.  ELLIS,  S.  HORANI,  G.E.  JOYCE,  J.-­‐A.  M.  FACEY,  A.E.  PLANTE,  E.P.  STATER,  J.R.  TRUDELL,  R.A.  HARRIS,  R.J.  HOWARD  Skidmore  College   Alcohol’s  effects  on  the  brain  and  body  are  known  to  be  associated  with  a  specific  subset  of  pentameric  ligand-­‐gated  ion  channels.  For  example,  GABA(A)  and  glycine  receptors  are  potentiated  by  alcohols  as  well  as  general  anesthetics.  Although  the  structures  of  GABA(A)  and  glycine  receptors  have  yet  to  be  determined  at  atomic  resolution,  model  proteins  may  facilitate  their  structural  analysis.  The  bacterial  homolog  GLIC  is  largely  insensitive  to  ethanol;  however,  we  previously  showed  that  mutating  the  14’  position  in  GLIC  from  phenylalanine  to  alanine  resulted  in  potentiation  by  pharmacologically  relevant  concentrations  of  alcohol.  Here,  we  quantified  the  effects  of  modulators  on  GLIC  chimeras  containing  substitutions  of  various  lengths  from  homologous  domains  of  GABA(A)  and  glycine  receptors.  For  example,  a  chimera  containing  the  glycine  receptor  transmembrane  domain  recapitulated  glycine  receptor  potentiation  by  ethanol  under  equivalent  experimental  conditions.  We  used  more  localized  substitutions  at  alcohol-­‐binding  residues  identified  in  a  recent  co-­‐crystal  structure  of  GLIC  to  identify  necessary  determinants  of  alcohol  modulation.  In  particular,  a  single  substitution  at  the  14’  position  to  the  equivalent  residue  in  either  alpha  or  beta  GABA(A)  receptor  subunits  conferred  GABA(A)  receptor-­‐like  alcohol  effects.  Our  results  support  the  existence  of  a  conserved  binding  site  for  allosteric  modulators,  such  as  alcohols,  across  ligand-­‐gated  ion  channels  from  multiple  species.  This  work  was  supported  by  the  National  Institutes  of  Health  National  Institute  on  Alcohol  Abuse  and  Alcoholism  and  by  the  Skidmore  College  Summer  Faculty/Student  Research  Program.  Email:  tvoigt@skidmore.edu    46.1  Asia  Ayabe  Jonathan  King   Impact  of  short-­‐term  voluntary  and  forced  exercise  on  long-­‐term  potentiation  in  the  rat  hippocampus.  A.  AYABE,  K.  GUAN,  J.  KING  Pomona  College   Forced  and  voluntary  exercise  regimens  have  been  well  established  as  separate  means  of  promoting  cognitive  function.  Prior  studies  that  directly  compare  the  effects  of  forced  and  voluntary  exercise  have  shown  that  both  forms  of  exercise  increase  levels  of  brain-­‐derived  neurotrophic  factor,  but  effects  on  spatial  memory  tasks  and  synaptic  plasticity  have  been  variable.  The  current  investigation  compares  the  effects  of  forced  and  voluntary  exercise  on  hippocampal  synaptic  plasticity  as  determined  by  long-­‐term  potentiation  (LTP).  Our  exercise  paradigm  was  designed  to  minimize  the  impact  of  stress  and  pain,  and  standardized  equipment  and  housing  environments.  The  voluntary  exercise  group  had  free  access  to  freely  rotating  running  wheels  and  the  forced  exercise  group  used  a  motorized  running  wheel.  Additionally,  the  voluntary  exercise  group  ran  quickly,  and  for  shorter  periods  of  time,  when  compared  to  forced  exercisers.  Our  results  show  a  significant  increase  in  hippocampal  LTP  for  the  forced,  but  not  voluntary,  rats  in  comparison  to  the  control.  These  findings  suggest  that  periods  of  low  intensity,  longer  duration  exercise  may  be  more  beneficial  to  synaptic  plasticity  than  high  intensity,  short  duration  regimens.  Overall,  voluntary  and  forced  running  are  two  distinct  models  that  produce  different  effects  on  LTP,  and  should  be  treated  as  such.  Email:  ara02010@mymail.pomona.edu  32    46.2  Yuni  Kay  Jonathan  King   Ginsenoside  metabolite  Compound  K  enhances  hippocampal  LTP  but  does  not  protect  or  repair  Aβ-­‐induced  deficits  on  LTP  Y.  KAY,  A.  TRIBBY,  J.  KING  Pomona  College   Amyloid  beta  peptides  are  implicated  in  cognitive  deficits  associated  with  Alzheimer's  disease.  Buildup  of  Aβ  deposits  in  the  hippocampus  is  thought  to  contribute  to  cognitive  decline.  Research  suggests  that  the  active  components  of  ginseng  roots  called  ginsenosides,  such  as  Rb1,  may  ameliorate  the  effects  of  some  forms  of  neurodegeneration.  Additionally,  Rb1  is  metabolized  in  the  body  and  Compound  K  (ComK),  its  final  metabolite,  is  present  at  the  highest  concentrations  in  the  blood.  Preliminary  data  in  the  lab  has  indicated  ComK's  potential  ability  to  counteract  the  detriments  caused  by  Aβ25-­‐35.  This  experiment  further  investigated  ComK's  role  in  LTP  modulation  and  studied  its  potential  mechanism  by  investigating  variable  temporal  application.  Our  results  show  that  compared  to  the  control,  ComK  facilitates  LTP  and  Aβ  attenuates  LTP.  However,  ComK  does  not  protect  against  attenuation  caused  by  Aβ.  Furthermore,  ComK  attenuates  LTP  if  applied  after  Aβ  perfusion.  Thus,  while  5nM  ComK  increases  LTP  compared  to  the  control,  it  is  not  an  effective  treatment  against  Aβ-­‐induced  impairments  in  hippocampal  synaptic  plasticity.  Email:  yk072011@pomona.edu  47    Scott  Newton  Jeff  Edwards   Ventral  tegmental  area  dopamine  and  GABA  neurons:  physiological  properties  and  expression  of  mRNA  for  endocannabinoid  biosynthetic  enzymes  and  type  I  mGluRs  C.B.  MERRILL,  L.N.  FRIEND,  S.T.  NEWTON,  Z.H.  HOPKINS,  J.G.  EDWARDS  Brigham  Young  University   The  ventral  tegmental  area  (VTA)  is  known  to  control  the  processing  of  rewarding  and  addictive  behaviors.  The  VTA  contains  dopamine  (DA)  cells,  which  release  DA  to  downstream  targets  in  response  to  rewarding  stimuli,  and  GABA  cells,  which  modulate  DA  cell  activity.   Therefore,  both  cell  types  are  involved  in  associative  reward  learning.  Synaptic  plasticity  plays  an  important  role  in  adaptive  reward  signaling  within  the  VTA.  Endocannabinoids  can  mediate  or  modulate  synaptic  plasticity  at  several  synapses  within  the  reward  circuit.  However,  the  source  of  endocannabinoids  within  the  VTA  is  not  well  understood.  Therefore,  our  goal  was  to  describe  the  distribution  of  endocannabinoid  biosynthetic  enzyme  mRNA  within  VTA  neurons.   We  extracted  single  VTA  neurons  via  whole  cell  patch  clamp  and  used  single-­‐
cell  real-­‐time  quantitative  PCR  to  identify  DA  and  GABA  neurons  based  on  mRNA  expression  of  cell-­‐type  specific  targets.   DA  neurons  were  identified  by  the  presence  of  tyrosine  hydroxylase  and  DA  transporter  mRNA,  while  GABA  neurons  expressed  GAD65  and  GAD67  mRNA.  Additionally,  electrophysiological  properties  such  as  action  potential  frequency  and  sag  potential  amplitude  were  examined  between  the  two  cell  types.  Concurrent  with  established  observations,  slower  firing  frequencies  and  larger  Ih  potentials  were  observed  in  DAergic  neurons,  however  overlap  was  identified  between  these  two  cell  types.   VTA  neurons  were  then  probed  for  endocannabinoid/eicosanoid  biosynthetic  enzyme  mRNA,  such  as  N-­‐acyl-­‐phosphatidylethanolamine-­‐specific  phospholipase  D  (NAPE-­‐PLD),  diacylglycerol  lipase  α  (DAGLα),  and  12-­‐lipoxygenase.   We  also  probed  for  type  I  metabotropic  glutamate  receptor  (mGluR)  mRNA,  as  endocannabinoid  synthesis  requires  mGluR  activation  in  many  cases.  Our  data  demonstrate  that  endocannabinoid  biosynthetic  enzyme  mRNA  is  expressed  in  both  DAergic  and  GABAergic  cells  with  concurrent  expression  of  type  I  mGluRs.  Next,  to  ensure  mRNA  expression  was  representative  of  protein  content,  slices  were  stained  using  immunohistochemistry  for  GAD67,  DAGLα,  NAPE-­‐PLD  and  type  I  33  mGluRs.  Positive  labeling  for  these  targets  was  observed  in  VTA  neurons,  supporting  our  RT-­‐PCR  results.  Collectively,  these  data  suggest  DAergic  and  GABAergic  cells  of  the  VTA  have  the  capability  to  produce  endocannabinoids  and  potentially  alter  synaptic  plasticity  involved  in  reward  and  addiction.  Email:  Scottnewton12@gmail.com  48    Garrick  Salois  Charles  L.  Weaver   Do  enriched  environments  alter  neuroplasticity  in  the  rat  dentate  gyrus?  A  study  of  the  effects  of  environmental  complexity  on  the  anatomy  of  the  hippocampal  neurogenic  niche.  G.J.  SALOIS,   J.S.  SMITH  The  Brain  Research  Laboratory,  Saginaw  Valley  State  University,  University  Center,  MI   A  typical  laboratory  housing  environment  for  rats  used  in  neurological  studies  involves  no  social  interaction  and  limited  sensory  stimulation.  In  contrast,  an  enriched  environment  involves  housing  animals  in  groups,  providing  room  for  exercise  and  exploration,  and  the  regular  introduction  of  novel  stimuli  in  the  form  of  species-­‐appropriate  toys.  In  order  to  accommodate  the  more  complex  sensory  inputs  and  motor  behaviors  that  result  from  enriched  environments,  the  brains  of  research  animals  undergo  anatomical  changes  broadly  categorized  as  neuroplasticity.  One  of  the  effects  of  enriched  environments  on  the  physiology  of  the  brain  is  the  stimulation  of  neurogenesis  in  the  dentate  gyrus  of  the  hippocampus.  To  date,  limited  research  has  been  conducted  to  assess  morphological  changes  in  response  to  enriched  environments  amongst  cells  participating  in  the  neurogenic  niche.  This  study  utilized  a  technique  called  SeeDB,  which  renders  large  sections  of  neural  tissue  transparent,  obviating  the  need  for  serial  sectioning  when  imaging  large  anatomical  regions.  SeeDB  was  performed  on  brain  samples  of  animals  reared  in  either  enriched  environments  or  standard  laboratory  housing.  Another  technique,  immunohistochemistry,  allows  specific  cellular  structures  to  be  labeled  with  fluorescent  antibodies.  By  combining  these  techniques,  250  µm  sections  of  rat  dentate  gyrus  were  imaged  in  three  dimensions  using  a  confocal  microscope.  Anti-­‐doublecortin  was  used  to  label  the  complete  dendritic  arbor  and  cell  body  of  immature  neurons  in  the  dentate  gyrus.  Anti-­‐GFAP  was  used  to  assess  changes  in  astrocytes,  a  glial  cell  critical  in  the  maturation  and  support  of  newborn  neurons.  In  addition,  anti-­‐NeuN  was  used  to  assess  the  number  of  neurons  in  the  hippocampus.  It  is  hypothesized  that  animals  housed  in  enriched  environments  will  have  a  greater  number  of  doublecortin-­‐positive  neurons  in  the  dentate  gyrus  than  animals  housed  in  standard  environments.  Furthermore,  these  neurons  will  have  more  complex  dendrites  in  terms  of  length  and  number  of  branches.  Animals  housed  in  enriched  environments  are  also  predicted  to  have  a  greater  number  of  astrocytes  to  accommodate  the  increased  resource  demands  of  stimulated  neurogenesis.  These  environmentally-­‐mediated  anatomical  changes  may  represent  a  closer  approximation  of  normal  physiological  functioning  in  the  hippocampus  compared  to  animals  housed  in  standard  laboratory  housing,  which  may  have  implications  in  the  effective  use  of  rats  as  a  research  model.  Email:  gjsalois@svsu.edu  49    Kathleen  Luckett  Bruce  Johnson   Remodeling  of  the  guinea  pig  intrinsic  cardiac  nervous  system  with  chronic  heart  disease  K.A.  LUCKETT,  J.C.  HARDWICK  Cornell  University   Chronic  heart  disease,  such  as  myocardial  infarction  (MI),  produces  remodeling  of  the  autonomic  nervous  system  and  induces  an  increase  in  sympathetic  output,  as  well  as  remodeling  of  the  intrinsic  cardiac  nervous  (ICN)  system  located  within  the  heart.  Sympathetic  fibers  innervate  the  parasympathetic  34  intracardiac  neurons  of  the  ICN  and  thus,  increased  sympathetic  activity  could  lead  to  altered  function  within  the  cardiac  plexus.   To  examine  this  possibility,  we  looked  at  the  responses  of  parasympathetic  cardiac  neurons  to  the  application  of  sympathetic  neurotransmitters  (norepinephrine  (NE)  and  neuropeptide  Y  (NPY)).    MI  was  surgically-­‐induced  in  guinea  pigs  by  ligating  the  left  anterior  descending  coronary  artery  on  the  surface  of  the  left  ventricle.  After  a  four  week  recovery  period,  whole  mounts  of  the  intrinsic  cardiac  plexus  were  prepared  for  intracellular  voltage  recording.  NE  and  NPY  were  applied  by  local  pressure  ejection.   In  addition,  fiber  bundles  innervating  the  neurons  of  interest  were  stimulated  with  an  extracellular  focal  electrode  to  monitor  synaptic  transmission.   In  control  animals,  NPY  produced  a  small  increase  in  neuronal  excitability,  while  NE  had  no  significant  effects  on  excitability.  Simultaneous  application  of  both  substances  did  not  differ  from  NPY  alone.  In  animals  with  MI,  both  NE  and  NPY  produced  a  small  increase  in  neuronal  excitability,  while  simultaneous  application  significantly  increased  excitability.  This  combinatory  effect  of  simultaneous  NE  and  NPY  application  is  being  investigated  further  in  both  control  and  MI  animals.  In  addition,  we  found  that  the  combined  application  of  NE  and  NPY  in  the  MI  animals  also  significantly  increased  the  ability  of  presynaptic  inputs  to  produce  postsynaptic  action  potentials  at  high  frequencies  (20Hz).   Combined,  this  data  suggests  that  the  MI-­‐induced  remodeling  of  the  sympathetic  nervous  system  also  increases  the  parasympathetic  responses,  perhaps  as  a  mechanism  to  compensate  for  the  excessive  sympathetic  activity.  Email:  klucket2@ithaca.edu    50.1  Cristina  Risi  Darlene  Mitrano   Analysis  of  the  localization  of  the  µ-­‐opioid  receptor  in  relation  to  cocaine  and  morphine  withdrawal  C.  RISI,  M.  MABALOT,  E.  COMITA,  D.  MITRANO  Christopher  Newport  University   Drug  and  alcohol  addictions  are  a  continuing  societal  issue  due  to  addicts  attempting  to  avoid  withdrawal  symptoms  and  concurrent  relapse.   It  is  thought  that  relapse  may  be  caused  by  a  receptor’s  specific  response  to  a  drug,  which  in  turn  causes  a  change  in  neuronal  functioning.  The  µ-­‐opioid  receptor,  which  can  be  found  in  the  nucleus  accumbens,  plays  an  important  role  in  the  drug  reward  pathway.   Recent  studies  have  demonstrated  that  stimulants,  such  as  cocaine,  and  depressants,  such  as  morphine,  may  alter  the  endogenous  opioid  system.  Morphine  directly  acts  on  the  µ-­‐opioid  receptor  within  the  nucleus  accumbens  and  throughout  the  brain,  while  other  studies  have  shown  that  cocaine  acts  indirectly  on  the  opioid  system,  for  example,  by  altering  opioid  modulation  of  GABA.   Additionally  both  drugs  act  on  the  brain’s  reward  system  by  enhancing  dopamine  levels.  The  goal  of  this  study  is  to  investigate  not  only  the  location  of  the  µ-­‐opioid  receptor,  but  to  explore  the  role  and  alterations  of  this  receptor  after  the  withdrawal  process  in  rodents  has  occurred.  Fifteen  rats  were  treated  for  seven  days  with  morphine,  cocaine,  or  saline.  The  rats  were  left  untreated  for  seven  days  to  mimic  withdrawal.  After  the  withdrawal  period,  the  brain  tissue  was  obtained  by  transcardial  perfusion.  Ensuing  fixation,  the  brains  were  sliced  into  60  µm  sections  using  a  vibrating  microtome.  Using  immunocytochemistry  the  tissue  containing  the  nucleus  accumbens  was  stained  for  the  µ-­‐opioid  receptor  and  processed  for  both  light  and  electron  microscopy  (EM).  For  observation  at  the  EM,  immunoperoxidase  is  used  to  ascertain  which  neural  elements  contain  the  receptor,  while  the  immunogold  technique  is  used  to  determine  the  relative  location  within  the  neuronal  element  that  the  receptor  is  found.   We  hypothesize  that  the  µ-­‐opioid  receptor  will  change  localization  in  the  morphine  and  cocaine  treated  rats  and  not  in  the  saline  treated  rats,  especially  after  examination  using  the  immunogold  technique.  Currently  immunoperoxidase  data  is  under  analysis.  Overall,  it  is  the  hope  that  this  study  will  provide  a  basis  for  understanding  the  µ-­‐opioid  receptor’s  role  in  cocaine  and  morphine  addiction  and  for  the  development  of  new  treatment  options  for  withdrawal  periods  to  avoid  relapse.  Email:  cristina.risi.11@cnu.edu    35  50.2  Kelsey  Jackson  Darlene  Mitrano   Colocalization  of  D1-­‐dopamine  receptors  and  α1b-­‐adrenergic  receptors  in  the  rat  nucleus  accumbens  K.  JACKSON,  A.  SEELEY,  D.  MITRANO  Christopher  Newport  Unversity   Areas  of  the  brain  collectively  known  as  the  reward  system  consist  of  the  prefrontal  cortex  (PFC)  and  the  nucleus  accumbens  (NAc).  They  are  important  for  various  processes,  including  attention,  impulse  control  and  feelings  associated  with  pleasure  and  reward.  Normal  functioning  of  these  brain  areas  is  impaired  in  disorders  like  drug  addiction  and  attention  deficit/hyperactivity  disorder  (ADHD).  Neurotransmitters  such  as  dopamine  and  norepinephrine,  and  their  receptors  have  shown  to  play  a  role  in  regulating  these  processes.  The  goal  of  this  study  is  to  further  explore  the  location,  role  and  interactions  of  norepinephrine  and  dopamine  receptors  in  the  NAc.  Previous  studies  have  shown  a  high  degree  of  colocalization  of  these  receptors  within  areas  of  the  rodent  PFC.  In  this  study,  tissue  containingthe  shell  and  core  of  the  NAc  was  stained  using  immunocytochemical  techniques  and  examined  using  electron  microscopy  (EM).  Specifically,  tissue  was  labeled  with  antibodies  for  the  D1-­‐dopamine  receptor  (D1R),  the  alpha1b-­‐
adrenergic  receptor  (α1bAR)  or  both,  using  immunoperoxidase  or  immunogold  to  reveal  receptor  localization.   Preliminary  data  of  immunoperoxidase  staining  has  shown  a  high  density  of  D1Rs  localized  primarily  in  post-­‐synaptic  elements,  such  as  dendrites  and  spines.  Tissue  labeled  for  the  α1bAR  is  still  be  analyzed,  as  well  as  single  labeled  tissue  using  the  immunogold  technique.  Preliminary  observations  of  double  labeled  tissue  shows  that  about  10-­‐20%  of  D1R  containing  elements  also  have  labeling  for  the  α1bAR,  which  varies  significantly  from  results  in  the  PFC.   Future  studies  also  include  looking  at  these  receptors  in  the  PFC  and  NAc  following  acute  and  chronic  cocaine  treatment.  It  is  the  hope  that  understanding  receptor  localization  and  dynamics  after  drug  exposure  will  lay  the  foundation  for  understanding  why  these  drugs  are  so  addictive  and  to  develop  better  treatments  for  ADHD  and  psychostimulant  addiction.  Email:  kelsey.jackson.11@cnu.edu  51    Tae-­‐Hyun  Sakong  James  L  Roberts   Analyzing  the  effect  of  Estradiol  on  astrocytic  Apo  E  production  T.H.  SAKONG,  J.  ATONE,  A.  LEEK,  J.L.  ROBERTS  Trinity  University   Apolipoprotein  E  (apoE)  is  a  lipid  transport  protein  that  mediates  cholesterol  transport  and  clearance  within  the  central  nervous  system  (CNS).  The  dynamic  exchange  of  apoE  between  neuronal  and  non-­‐
neuronal  cells  indicates  the  fundamental  importance  of  apoE  mediated  cholesterol  transport.  Although  the  e4  allele  of  apoE  is  a  major  genetic  risk  factor  for  Alzhemier’s  Disease  (AD),  the  mechanism  of  apoE  mediated  cholesterol  synthesis,  transport,  and/or  secretion  remains  to  be  elucidated.  Using  primary  cultures  of  midbrain  astrocytes  from  4,  12,  17,  and  28  month  old  mice,  prelimnary  studies  using  indicate  that  in  astrocytes,  apoE  expression  changes  as  a  function  of  age.  RT-­‐qPCR  analyses  show  that  ApoE  expression  is  low  at  younger  (4M)  and  older  ages  (28M),  but  the  highest  at  the  middle  ages  (17M).  Interestingly,  the  inductive  effects  of  estrogen  treatment  on  apoE  expression  were  the  greatest  at  older  ages.  To  couple  the  gene  expression  analyses,  cytoplasmic  apoE  production  and  secretion  was  quantified  using  an  ELISA  assay.      Furthermore,  our  lab  also  investigated  the  effect  of  2-­‐MeSADP  to  investigate  the  role  of  purinergic  signaling  in  apoE  production  in  astrocytes.  In  the  CNS,  2-­‐MeSADP  is  known  to  bind  to  purinergic  receptors   and  induce  cell  proliferation  through  the  mitogen-­‐activated  protein  kinase  (MAPK)  pathway.  Because  estradiol  mediates  signaling  cascades  through  the  MAPK  pathway,  this  study  aims  to  see  if  2-­‐MeSADP  induces  the  similary  effects  on  apoE  expression,  production,  and  or  secretion.  Furthermore,  neurons  grown  in  combinatorial  conditions  including  with  astrocytes,  estradiol  treatment,  36  and  oxidative  stress  (H2O2)  were  stained  for  apoE  and  were  imaged  using  Nikon  confocal  microscopy.  Though  the  results  are  not  yet  conclusive,  2-­‐MeSADP  has  so  far  resulted  in  a  slight  increase  in  apoE.  Email:  tsakong@trinity.edu  52    Jennifer  Rojas  Kathryn  Reissner   The  effects  of  riluzole  on  cue-­‐  and  cocaine-­‐primed  reinstatement  of  cocaine  seeking  J.  ROJAS,  A.  AURIEMMA,  K.L.  HEALEY,  K.  REISSNER  University  of  North  Carolina-­‐Chapel  Hill   Chronic  drug  use  has  been  shown  to  suppress  the  expression  and  activity  of  glutamate  transporters  and  thereby  disrupt  glutamate  homeostasis.   Disruption  of  glutamate  homeostasis  in  the  nucleus  accumbens  has  been  established  as  an  important  cellular  mechanism  regulating  drug-­‐seeking  behavior;  hence,  interventions  that  restore  the  expression  of  glutamate  transporters  and  glutamate  homeostasis  in  this  region  have  recently  become  considerations  for  therapeutic  targets  of  addiction.  Riluzole,  an  FDA-­‐
approved  treatment  for  amyotrophic  lateral  sclerosis,  has  been  previously  demonstrated  to  be  a  positive  regulator  of  glutamate  transporter  GLT-­‐1.  Hence,  we  hypothesize  that  Riluzole,  when  administered  chronically  after  cocaine  self-­‐administration,  will  decrease  cocaine-­‐seeking  behavior  in  rats.  To  test  this  hypothesis,  rats  were  trained  to  self-­‐administer  cocaine  for  ten  days  via  an  intravenous  catheter.  During  each  cocaine  infusion,  a  light-­‐tone  compound  stimulus  was  presented.  Rats  were  then  given  nineteen  days  of  either  daily  Riluzole  or  vehicle  treatment  i.p.,  thirty  minutes  prior  to  daily  extinction  sessions  in  which  both  drug  and  light-­‐tone  cues  were  absent.  Subsequently,  all  rats  underwent  two  reinstatement  tests.  The  first  was  a  cue-­‐primed  reinstatement  test  during  which  they  were  presented  with  the  contingent  light-­‐
tone  stimulus.  After  3  additional  days  of  extinction  and  treatment,  rats  received  a  cocaine-­‐primed  reinstatement  test,  before  which  they  received  Riluzole  treatment  followed  by  administration  of  cocaine  (10  mg/kg,  i.p.).  Results  showed  that  Riluzole  (4  mg/kg)  had  a  trend  toward  an  effect  on  cue-­‐primed  reinstatement,  but  was  without  effect  on  cocaine-­‐primed  reinstatement  at  any  dosage.   In  addition,  Riluzole  had  no  effect  at  any  dose  on  cue-­‐primed  reinstatement  of  sucrose  seeking.   Subsequent  experiments  are  ongoing  to  determine  whether  the  effect  on  cue-­‐primed  reinstatement  will  prove  significant  with  greater  statistical  power.  Email:  jrojas2592@gmail.com  53    Paul  Austin  Thomas  Heinbockel   Interaction  of  two  neurotransmitter  systems  in  olfactory  neuronal  circuits.  P.T.  AUSTIN,  B.T.  OLIVER,  T.  HEINBOCKEL  University  of  the  District  of  Columbia  (PTA),  Howard  University  College  of  Medicine  (BTO,  TH)   PURPOSE:   Protecting  neurons  in  the  brain  against  excitotoxicity  and  neuronal  death  is  critical  during  traumatic  experiences  such  as  stroke.   Brain-­‐produced  endogenous  cannabinoids  (eCBs)  are  prime  candidates  for  a  self-­‐defense  mechanism  because  of  the  known  neuroprotective  effects  of  exogenously  applied  cannabinoids.   Δ9-­‐tetrahydrocannabinol  (THC),  the  bioactive  ingredient  of  marijuana,  activates  cannabinoid  receptors  (CB1R)  in  the  brain  in  the  same  manner  as  eCBs.   Main  olfactory  bulb  (MOB)  neurons  express  high  levels  of  CB1R.   Glutamate  acts  on  ionotropic  as  well  as  metabotropic  glutamate  receptors  (mGluRs)  in  the  brain.   In  the  MOB,  mGluRs  (mGluR1)  are  expressed  at  high  levels  by  mitral  cells.   We  study  how  these  two  neuromodulator  systems  interact  to  regulate  activity  of  mitral  cells  by  potentially  exerting  neuroprotective  or  neurotoxic  effects.   METHODS:   In  mouse  brain  slices,  we  used  whole-­‐cell  patch-­‐clamp  recordings  to  study  how  CB1R  and  mGluRs  regulate  mitral  cell  activity.   RESULTS:   Mitral  cells  respond  with  potent  membrane  potential  depolarization  and  increased  action  potential  firing  in  response  to  activation  by  group  I  mGluR  agonists.  mGluR1  antagonists  block  this  effect  and  reduce  the  firing  activity.  CB1R  agonists  evoke  increased  action  potential  firing,  while  a  CB1R  antagonist  reduces  37  firing.   Novel  effects  are  observed  when  receptor  blockers  for  both  CB1  and  mGlu1  are  combined.   Rather  than  reducing  mitral  cell  activity  as  observed  individually,  the  combination  of  both  antagonists  results  in  excessive  action  potential  firing  leading  to  cell  death.   CONCLUSION:   CB1Rs  and  mGluRs  regulate  mitral  cell  activity.   Inhibition  of  both  receptor  systems  leads  to  neuronal  overstimulation  of  mitral  cells,  but  could  have  neuroprotective  effects  when  both  systems  are  activated.     SUPPORT:    PTA  is  supported  through  The  Advanced  Research  Training  Corps:  A  Novel  Initiative  for  URM  Students,  NIH-­‐NIGMS  [GM101997].  BTO  is  supported  through  the  Howard  University  College  of  Medicine  Medical  Student  Summer  Research  Program,  2014.  TH  is  supported  by  NIH  [MD007597]  and  NSF  [IOS-­‐1355034].  Email:  paul.austin@udc.edu    54.1  McKenna  Redwine  William  Blaker   Nerve  growth  factor  expression  in  the  septum  and  the  dentate  gyrus  during  lesion-­‐
induced  septodentate  axonal  sprouting  M.R.  REDWINE,  W.  BLAKER  Furman  University   In  this  study,  changes  that  occurred  during  septodentate  axonal  sprouting  were  examined  in  adult  rat  brains.  To  initiate  this  sprouting,  a  stereotaxic  instrument  was  used  to  electrically  lesion  the  entorhinal  cortex  on  one  side  of  each  brain,  leaving  the  other  as  a  control  side.  The  rat’s  brains  were  dissected  15  days  post-­‐lesion  and  hippocampal  tissue  sections  were  stained  for  acetylcholinesterase  (AChE)  to  confirm  if  sprouting  had  indeed  occurred.  RNA  was  also  isolated  and  preserved  from  both  the  septum  and  the  dentate  gyrus  so  that  real-­‐time  reverse  transcriptase  PCR  could  be  used  to  determine  the  amount  of  nerve  growth  factor  (NGF)  expression  in  each  brain  region,  respective  to  one  another  as  well  as  to  each  corresponding  control.  At  the  conclusion  of  this  study,  axonal  sprouting  was  confirmed  in  the  hippocampus,  while  NGF  expression  was  up-­‐regulated  in  the  septum  and  unchanged  in  the  dentate  gyrus.  Further  studies  should  focus  on  why  NGF  is  up  regulated  in  the  cell  body  region  of  the  sprouting  pathway,  rather  than  in  the  terminal  region  where  the  sprouting  actually  occurs.  Email:  mckenna.redwine@furman.edu    54.2  Manuel  Hazim  William  Blaker   CSF  and  neuropsychological  correlates  of  visual  hallucination  in  dementia  with  lewy  bodies  M.G.  HAZIM,  W.T.  HU,  C.M.  HALES,  J.J.  LAH,  A.I.  LEVEY  Furman  University   Objective:  To  identify  clinical  features  of  dementia  with  Lewy  bodies  (DLB)  least  likely  associated  with  Alzheimer's  disease  pathology,  and  to  determine  whether  it  is  associated  with  a  unique  neuropsychological  profile.   Methods:  Clinical  records  of  98  patients  given  the  diagnosis  of  DLB  at  a  specialty  cognitive  and  behavioral  neurology  clinic  in  a  tertiary  referral  center  were  retrospectively  reviewed  for  core,  suggestive,  and  supportive  features  of  DLB  as  well  as  demographic  variables,  cerebrospinal  fluid  (CSF)  Alzheimer's  biomarkers,  and  longitudinal  neuropsychological  analyses.    Results:  Core,  suggestive,  and  supportive  features  were  common  in  this  cohort,  with  69%  and  39%  of  patients  assigned  the  diagnosis  of  probable  DLB  and  possible  DLB  fulfilling  consensus  criteria  for  probable  DLB.  26  of  98  clinically  diagnosed  DLB  patients  had  CSF  Alzheimer's  biomarker  analysis,  and  visual  hallucination  was  the  only  feature  not  associated  with  CSF  suggestive  of  Alzheimer's  disease.  42  of  98  patients  had  longitudinal  neuropsychological  analyses,  and  patients  with  visual  hallucinations  had  worse  baseline  executive  functions  but  slower  longitudinal  decline  in  executive  functions  than  patients  without  visual  hallucinations.   Conclusion:  Visual  hallucination  in  clinically  diagnosed  DLB  is  associated  with  CSF  38  biomarkers  consistent  with  a  non-­‐AD  disorder  and  a  unique  longitudinal  neuropsychological  profile.  DLB  patients  with  visual  hallucinations  can  be  considered  a  unique  DLB  endophenotype  for  future  biomarker  discovery  and  validation.  Email:  manuel.hazim@furman.edu  55    Dana  Sautter  Timothy  E.  Koeltzow   Repeated  pairing  of  cocaine  with  an  anxiogenic  environment  impairs  the  acquisition  of  conditioned  place  preference,  but  promotes  behavioral  sensitization  in  chronically  food-­‐
restricted  rats.  D.M.  SAUTTER,  G.J.  BAKER,  J.M.  SMITH,  L.A.  THOMPSON,  T.E.  KOELTZOW  Bradley  University   Stress  is  known  to  increase  the  response  to  cocaine  in  preclinical  models  of  addiction,  including  behavioral  sensitization,  conditioned  place  preference  (CPP),  and  operant  cocaine  self-­‐administration  (Miczek  et  al.,  2011;  Piazza  &  LeMoal,  1998).  In  addition,  stress  is  sufficient  to  reinstate  extinguished  cocaine-­‐seeking  behavior,  suggesting  that  stressors  represent  a  significant  risk  factor  for  cocaine  abuse  and  relapse  (Back  et  al.,  2010;  Erb,  2009).  In  rodents,  food-­‐restriction  (FR)  represents  a  chronic  mild  stressor  that  has  been  shown  to  enhance  a  rodent’s  response  to  a  subsequent  cocaine  challenge.  The  purpose  of  the  present  experiment  was  to  assess  the  impact  of  repeatedly  pairing  cocaine  (7.5  mg/kg/day)  with  an  anxiogenic  environment  among  rats  undergoing  chronic  FR  compared  to  free-­‐feeding  (FF)  rats.  Our  results  indicate  that  FR  promotes  hyperactivity  at  baseline  in  a  Light/Dark  (Lt/Dk)  activity  chamber  sufficient  to  counter  the  behaviorally-­‐inhibiting  effects  of  the  anxiogenic  light  side  of  the  compartment  (F  (1,34)  =  22.18,  p  <  0.001).  Consequently,  FR  rats  spent  statistically  significantly  more  time  exploring  the  Lt  side  of  the  chamber  (F  (1,34)  =  12.63,  p  <  0.001),  perhaps  an  artifact  of  food  foraging  behavior  or  an  enhanced  dopamine  response  to  the  novel  test  environment.  Following  8  days  of  conditioned  place  preference  training,  whereby  all  rats  were  administered  cocaine  on  either  the  Lt  or  Dk  compartment  on  alternating  days  (FF/Dk:  n=9:  FF/Lt:  n=9;  FR/Dr:  n=9:  FR/Lt:  n=9),  the  aversive  influence  of  the  light  side  of  the  chamber  remained  the  most  powerful  determinant  of  behavior,  countering  the  ability  of  cocaine  to  establish  robust  CPP.  Nevertheless,  cocaine  pairing  clearly  had  a  behavioral  effect  as  it  was  found  that,  among  rats  in  which  cocaine  was  paired  with  the  anxiogenic  Lt  side  of  the  chamber,  statistically  significantly  less  locomotor  activity  was  observed  when  rats  were  placed  in  an  anxiogenic  open  field  apparatus,  an  effect  that  was  observed  among  both  FF  and  FR  rats  (t  (34)  =  1.99,  p<0.05).  These  findings  suggest  conditioning  mechanisms  can  be  sufficiently  powerful  so  as  to  counter  the  conditioned  locomotor-­‐activating  effects  of  cocaine.  Lastly,  consistent  with  previous  reports,  it  was  found  that  FR  resulted  in  a  sensitized  locomotor  response  to  cocaine  (15  mg/kg)  when  rats  were  challenged  in  a  novel  test  environment  (F  (1,34)  =  6.21,  p  <  0.05).  Control  group  data  collection  remains  in  progress.  Email:  dsautter@mail.bradley.edu  56    Kathryn-­‐Mary  Wakim  DJ  Brasier   Effect  of  adversity  on  addiction  related  circuitry  K.M.  WAKIM,  J.  FEDORKO,  V.  PARIYADATH,  E.A.  STEIN  Carnegie  Mellon  University  &  National  Institute  on  Drug  Abuse   Childhood  exposure  to  adverse  life  events  is  a  significant  risk  factor  for  the  later  development  of  substance  abuse  (Oswald  et  al,  2013).  Previous  studies  disagree  as  to  how  precisely  IC  activation  is  affected  by  adversity,  with  some  arguing  that  adversity  increases  IC  activation  by  over  stimulating  prefrontal-­‐limbic-­‐striatal  circuits  (Seo  et  al,  2014)  and  others  arguing  that  IC  activation  decreases  during  reward  processing  tasks  as  a  function  of  the  higher  rates  of  depression  often  reported  by  maltreated  39  individuals.   No  previous  studies  have  investigated  the  relationship  between  adversity  and  connectivity  within  addiction-­‐related  circuits.   The  present  study  uses  diffusor  tensor  imaging  (DTI)  to  elucidate  the  effect  of  adversity  on  local  connectivity  within  the  internal  capsule,  a  white  matter  tract  implicated  in  addiction  circuitry  (Buckholtz  et  al,  2010).   We  found  a  significant  effect  of  childhood  trauma  (as  measured  by  the  Childhood  Trauma  Questionnaire)  on  local  internal  internal  capsule  as  well  as  midbrain  regions  near  the  SNR  and  VTA,  both  of  which  contain  a  high  volume  of  afferent  projections  to  the  striatum.   Our  results  agree  with  recent  studies  suggesting  that  the  elevated  rates  of  depression  in  maltreated  individuals  often  co-­‐occur  with  decreased  striatal  activation  during  reward  processing  tasks  (Dillon  et  al,  2009)  and  suggest  that  connectivity  decreases  as  a  function  of  adversity.     Support:  Summer  Internship  Program  in  Biomedical  Research  at  NIH  Email:  kwakim@andrew.cmu.edu  57    Megan  Menosky  Julien  Rossignol   Use  of  induced-­‐pluripotent  stem  cells  as  a  potential  therapy  for  Parkinson’s  disease.  M.  MENOSKY,  S.  DECKER,  G.  SHALL,  R.  WELCHKO,  X.  LEVEQUE,  J.  ROSSIGNOL,  G.  DUNBAR  Central  Michigan  University   Parkinson’s  disease  is  a  late,  continuous  and  progressive  neurodegenerative  disorder  caused  by  the  loss  of  dopaminergic  neurons  in  the  substantia  nigra.  Currently,  the  treatments  available  are  only  palliative  and  cannot  cure  the  disease.  Induced  pluripotent  stem  cells  (iPSCs)  have  considerable  potential  as  a  treatment  for  PD  because  they  can  be  derived  from  adult  tissue  and  are  able  to  differentiate  into  all  cells,  including  DA  neurons,  which  are  depleted  in  PD.  In  this  study,  we  utilized  sonic  hedgehog  (Shh),  fibroblast  growth  factor  8  (FGF8)  and  glial  derived  neurotrophic  factor  (GDNF),  and  compared  the  ability  of  these  factors  with  that  of  purmorphamine  (Pur),  a  cost  effective  Shh  agonist,  to  induce  the  differentiation  of  iPSCs  into  DA  neurons.  We  found  that  treatment  with  both  Shh  and  Pur  successfully  generated  DA  neurons  from  iPSCs.  These  cells  were  then  transplanted  into  rats  given  injections  of  the  6-­‐hydroxydopamine  rat  (6-­‐
OHDA)  to  test  the  efficacy  of  these  differentiated  iPSCs  to  counteract  motor  deficits  in  this  model  of  PD.  In  the  future  we  will  investigate  if  the  transplanted  cells  that  were  cultured  with  Shh  or  Pur  are  able  to  integrate  in  the  host  brain  and  help  to  counteract  the  motor  deficits  caused  by  the  6-­‐OHDA  injections.  These  results  support  other  studies  which  indicate  that  iPSCs  hold  the  potential  to  be  a  cellular  therapy  for  the  treatment  of  PD.  Email:  menos1ml@cmich.edu    58.1  Karen  Monuszko  Julio  J.  Ramirez   The  influence  of  septodentate  stimulation  on  long-­‐term  potentiation  in  the  crossed  temporodentate  pathway  12  days  after  entorhinal  cortex  lesion  K.A.  MONUSZKO,  J.S.  ISAAC,  N.  UPRIGHT,  M.  MOSES-­‐HAMPTON,  J.J.  RAMIREZ  Davidson  College   The  hippocampus  receives  strong  innervation  from  the  entorhinal  cortex,  a  structure  that  experiences  severe  neuronal  loss  during  Alzheimer’s  disease.   A  unilateral  entorhinal  cortex  lesion  damages  the  main  projection  from  the  entorhinal  cortex  to  the  hippocampus.   To  compensate,  two  other  pathways,  the  crossed  temporodentate  (CTD)  and  septodentate  (SD),  sprout  to  elicit  a  response  from  the  granule  cells  in  the  dentate  gyrus  of  the  hippocampus.   The  strength  of  the  neuronal  response  can  be  measured  in  the  form  of  extracellular  field  potentials  (EPSPs)  in  the  dentate  gyrus.   Paired-­‐pulse  stimulation  of  the  SD  and  CTD  may  affect  EPSP  amplitude  or  slope  in  comparison  with  unpaired  stimulation  of  the  CTD.   Long-­‐term  potentiation  (LTP),  a  potential  mechanism  of  learning  and  memory,  can  be  induced  into  the  CTD  to  observe  any  changes  in  the  characteristics  of  the  EPSPs.   We  sought  to  determine  how  LTP  induction  40  affected  the  paired-­‐pulse  interaction  12  days  after  a  unilateral  entorhinal  cortex  lesion.   Rats  received  either  a  unilateral  lesion  of  the  right  entorhinal  cortex  or  a  sham  operation.   Twelve  days  later,  EPSPs  in  the  dentate  gyrus  were  recorded  in  response  to  both  paired-­‐pulse  and  unpaired  stimulation  at  varied  intensities  both  before  and  after  LTP  induction.   Histology  assessed  the  extent  of  the  lesion  and  the  accuracy  of  electrode  placement.   The  slope,  representing  the  speed  of  the  neuronal  response,  and  amplitude,  representative  of  the  approximate  number  of  neurons  firing,  of  EPSP  waveforms  were  measured.   These  variables  were  compared  between  pre-­‐  and  post-­‐tetany,  sham  and  lesion  cases,  and  paired  and  unpaired  responses.   This  work  is  still  in  progress,  but  preliminary  results  suggest  that  amplitude  is  unaffected  by  paired-­‐pulse  stimulation  or  by  LTP  induction.  However,  the  lesion  of  the  entorhinal  cortex,  in  comparison  to  the  sham  operation,  did  lead  to  increased  amplitude  of  the  EPSP  waveform  after  both  paired  and  unpaired  stimulation.  Email:  kamonuszko@davidson.edu    58.2  Sarah  Hamitlon  Julio  J.  Ramirez   Septal  facilitation  of  long-­‐term  potentiation  in  the  perforant  path  in  rats  S.E.  HAMILTON,  M.  MOSES-­‐HAMPTON,  J.J.  RAMIREZ  Davidson  College   Within  the  hippocampus,  experiences  are  consolidated  into  memories  with  the  help  of  the  numerous  afferents  and  efferents  of  the  hippocampal  region.  Two  pathways  that  contribute  to  this  memory  formation  are  the  perforant  pathway,  a  glutamatergic  pathway  arising  from  the  entorhinal  cortex  and  projecting  to  the  ipsilateral  hippocampus,  and  the  septodentate  pathway  (SD),  a  primarily  cholinergic  pathway  projecting  bilaterally  to  the  hippocampus.  Long-­‐term  potentiation  (LTP)  is  a  major  mechanism  that  helps  in  memory  formation  and  is  seen  as  the  neurobiological  correlate  of  learning.  LTP  is  an  enduring  increase  in  synaptic  efficacy  following  tetany,  a  series  of  high  frequency  stimulations.  This  mechanism  has  been  exhibited  greatly  within  the  perforant  pathway,  one  of  the  largest  afferents  to  the  hippocampus.  The  role  of  the  septum  and  SD  within  the  workings  of  the  hippocampus  has  not  been  fully  determined,  especially  in  regards  to  perforant  pathway  LTP.  This  study  sought  to  expound  upon  the  role  of  the  SD  within  the  hippocampus  through  the  electrophysiological  examination  of  its  influence  in  the  LTP  abilities  of  the  perforant  pathway.  The  functioning  of  the  septal  and  perforant  pathway  interaction  was  determined  using  a  paired-­‐pulse  paradigm  with  conditioning  SD  stimulation  and  pre-­‐  and  post-­‐tetany  (induction  of  LTP)  comparisons.  With  conditioning  SD  stimulation,  the  response  of  the  perforant  pathway  within  the  hippocampus  was  significantly  augmented  both  pre-­‐  and  post-­‐tetany.  However,  the  effect  of  tetany  was  not  significant.  Despite  tetany’s  inability  to  significantly  augment  the  perforant  pathway  response,  the  pairing  of  the  septal  and  perforant  pathway  stimulations  did  result  in  a  facilitation  of  the  perforant  pathway.       This  project  is  funded  by  NSF  grant  No.  IOS-­‐1048556  and  a  grant  from  the  Davidson  College  Research  Initiative.  Email:  sehamilton@davidson.edu  59    Sophie  Claudel  Julio  J.  Ramirez   Analysis  of  spatial  working  memory  following  bilateral  hippocampal  lesion  in  rats  S.E.  CLAUDEL,   J.J.  RAMIREZ  Davidson  College   One  of  the  hallmark  symptoms  of  AD  is  debilitating  memory  loss,  which  presents  with  difficulty  recognizing  previously  familiar  surroundings  and  points  to  a  deficit  in  spatial  working  memory.  The  hippocampus  is  heavily  involved  in  learning  and  memory,  particularly  spatial  working  memory,  which  is  the  ability  to  retain  spatial  information  in  working  memory  and  apply  it  to  a  task  within  a  short  period  of  time.  Conflicting  evidence  of  dorsal  or  ventral  hippocampal  involvement  in  spatial  working  memory  41  suggests  the  need  to  investigate  the  effect  of  a  complete  hippocampal  lesion.  In  this  study,  an  eight-­‐arm  radial  maze  was  employed  to  assess  spatial  working  memory  for  6  weeks  following  bilateral  hippocampal  lesions.  Spatial  working  memory  was  impaired  for  the  first  4  weeks  of  post-­‐operative  testing  (p  <  0.05).  This  may  have  been  due  to  a  loss  of  hippocampal  place  cells  or  an  inability  to  synthesize  information  from  entorhinal  grid  cells,  which  facilitate  the  formation  of  a  cognitive  map.  The  lack  of  a  cognitive  map  may  contribute  to  poor  performance  in  the  maze,  although  lesion  cases  did  show  improvement  over  time,  indicating  possible  compensation  by  the  entorhinal  cortex  or  other  extra-­‐hippocampal  areas.      This  project  was  funded  by  the  Davidson  Research  Initiative,  the  National  Institutes  of  Health  (Grant  #MH  060608)  and  the  National  Science  Foundation  (Grant  #IOS-­‐1048556).  Email:  soclaudel@davidson.edu  60    J.  Anna  Juras  Robert  L.  Rosenberg   Decreased  sodium  channel  expression  during  spinal  cord  regeneration  in  lamprey  J.A.  JURAS,  A.A.  KURUP,  R.Y.  LEWIS,  R.C.  PALMARINI,  E.S.  RICHARDS,  Y.J.  RODRIGUEZ,  R.L.  ROSENBERG  Earlham  College   Around  200,000  people  live  with  spinal  cord  injury  (SCI)  in  the  US,  with  ~12,000  new  cases  per  year.  Decreased  quality  of  life  and  huge  health  care  costs  make  SCI  a  devastating  condition.   Lampreys  are  a  well-­‐characterized  vertebrate  model  for  SCI.  Unlike  higher  vertebrates,  lampreys  exhibit  spinal  cord  regeneration;  10-­‐12  weeks  after  complete  spinal  transection  they  can  swim  almost  normally.  New  knowledge  on  lamprey  spinal  cord  regeneration  could  help  identify  mechanisms  for  improved  recovery  from  SCI  in  humans.   Voltage-­‐gated  sodium  channels  (NaV)  allow  neurons  to  create  and  propagate  action  potentials  but  excessive  NaV  activity  after  injury  could  cause  hyper-­‐excitability   and  calcium  overload  that  can  kill  neurons.  Lampreys  recovering  from  SCI  are  resistant  to  NaV  blockers,  suggesting  that  their  expression  of  NaV  is  changed  during  SCI.  Preliminary  transcriptome  analysis  suggests  a  decreased  expression  of  NaV  during  recovery.  Thus,  decreased  NaV  expression  may  be  an  important  for  the  survival  and  regeneration  of  spinal  neurons  following  SCI.  This  study  assessed  NaV  expression  in  normal  and  transected  lamprey  spinal  cords.  We  used  immunofluorescence  microscopy  to  visualize  NaV  in  spinal  cord  sections  before  SCI  and  during  recovery  from  SCI.  We  optimized  conditions  to  improve  the  visualization  of  fine,  filamentous  structures  that  we  infer  are  nerve  axons.  To  quantify  expression,  we  asked  an  observer,  uninformed  about  the  experiment,  to  count  the  NaV-­‐labeled  axons  in  the  micrographs.  There  was  a  significant  decrease  in  NaV-­‐labelled  axons  after  injury  that  started  to  recover  after  11  weeks.  We  also  measured  the  time-­‐course  of  the  recovery  of  swimming  ability  and  the  effect  of  a  NaV  blocker  during  recovery.  The  NaV  blocker  allowed  slightly  faster  recovery.  Thus,  our  preliminary  data  provide  evidence  of  decreased  expression  of  voltage-­‐gated  sodium  channels  in  regenerating  lamprey  axons  and  a  functional  benefit  of  this  decreased  expression.     Grant  support:  Great  Lakes  Colleges  Association  New  Directions  Initiative,  Marine  Biological  Laboratory  (MBL)  Whitman  Center  awards,  Earlham  College  Ford/Knight  Endowment,  Stephenson  Fund,  and  Professional  Development  Fund  Email:  jjuras11@earlham.edu  61    Juyun  Kim  Yoland  Smith,  PhD   Stereological  analysis  of  GABAergic  interneurons  in  the  striatum  of  a  transgenic  Huntington’s  disease  monkey  model  J.  KIM,  R.M.  VILLALBA,  S.  JENKINS,  A.  CHAN,  Y.  SMITH  Emory  University-­‐  Yerkes  National  Primate  Research  Center,  Furman  University   42  Huntington’s  disease  (HD)  is  an  autosomal  dominant  trinucleotide  repeat  neurodegenerative  disorder  caused  by  the  expansion  of  CAG  repeats  in  the  HTT  gene.  Recent  research  has  been  devoted  to  the  development  of  a  transgenic  non-­‐human  primate  model  of  HD  (Yang  et  al.,  2008,  Nature  453:921).  It  is  not  certain  as  to  whether  or  not  striatal  degeneration  in  these  animals  is  similar  to  that  seen  in  HD  patients.  In  order  to  characterize  the  brain  pathology  in  these  monkeys,  and  compare  it  with  data  obtained  from  postmortem  studies  of  the  HD  human  brain,  we  undertook  a  stereological  analysis  of  neuronal  counts  in  the  striatum,  i.e.  the  main  site  of  brain  pathology  in  HD,  in  two  HD  transgenic  monkeys.  In  primates  (including  humans),  the  striatum  is  made  up  of  the  caudate  nucleus,  putamen,  and  nucleus  accumbens.  In  severe  HD  patients,  more  than  90%  of  striatal  projection  neurons  (also  called  Medium  Spiny  Neurons)  degenerate,  while  the  remaining  neurons  of  the  striatum,  called  interneurons,  are  selectively  spared.  To  determine  if  similar  changes  were  found  in  HD  monkeys,  we  assessed  the  extent  of  neuronal  degeneration  in  the  striatum  of  two  transgenic  HD  monkeys  that  expressed  exon  1  of  the  human  HTT  gene.      In  a  recent  study,  our  colleagues  demonstrated  a  significant  loss  of  striatal  projection  neurons  in  these  animals  (Chen  et  al.,  2013,  SFN  abstr  528.01).  To  complement  these  observations,  the  goal  of  this  study  was  to  determine  if  two  main  populations  of  striatal  GABAergic  interneurons  that  express  parvalbumin  (PV)  or  calretinin  (CR)  immunoreactivity  were  also  affected  in  these  monkeys.  To  do  so,  we  used  antibodies  raised  against  PV  or  CR  to  label  these  neurons  throughout  the  full  extent  of  the  striatum  in  the  two  HD  monkeys  and  age-­‐
matched  controls.  We,  then,  determined  the  total  number  of  labeled  interneurons  for  each  marker  in  the  caudate  nucleus  and  putamen  of  each  animal  using  the  optical  fractional  method  based  on  unbiased  stereological  principles.  When  compared  with  control  monkeys,  our  preliminary  data  suggest  that  there  is  an  overall  increase  in  the  total  number  of  both  CR-­‐  and  PV-­‐positive  interneurons  in  both  the  caudate  nucleus  and  the  putamen  of  HD  transgenic  monkeys.  Studies  are  in  progress  to  further  characterize  these  findings  and  compare  those  with  other  populations  of  striatal  interneurons.      In  conclusion,  our  data  suggest  that  some  of  the  neuropathological  features  of  transgenic  HD  monkeys  are  comparable  to  those  described  in  the  striatum  of  HD  patients.  Therefore,  transgenic  HD  monkeys  may  become  a  unique  “gold  standard”  model  to  study  HD  pathophysiology  and  therapeutic  development.  Email:  juyun.kim2856@gmail.com    62.1  Paul  Dixon  Onarae  Rice   Will  blocking  the  dopamine  D3  receptor  decrease  the  expression  of  PTSD  in  rats?  C.  DIXON,  W.  LORENZO,  J.  HAYDEN,  O.  RICE  Furman  University   Previous  studies  provide  evidence  that  dopamine  D3  receptor  antagonists  and  dopamine  D3  receptor  partial  agonists  attenuate  the  expression  of  fear  conditioning  in  rats.  These  findings  suggest  that  a  dopamine  D3  receptor  antagonist  may  be  used  to  reduce  the  expression  anxiety  disorders  such  as  posttraumatic  stress  disorder  (PTSD).   The  present  study  observed  the  effect  of  the  novel  dopamine  D3  receptor  antagonist  YQA14  on  the  expression  of  PTSD.   Using  a  modified  single  prolonged  stress  model  (SPS),  rats  (N=40)  were  exposed  to  3  conditioned  stimulus-­‐stressor  pairings  successively  (forced  swim,  restraint,  and  inescapable  shock).  Consistent  with  time  dependent  sensitization  studies,  rats  were  left  in  their  home  cages  for  7  days  following  SPS  to  allow  for  the  development  of  PTSD-­‐like  manifestations.  Rats  were  then  placed  in  a  novel  environment  and  exposed  to  the  conditioned  stimulus.  Freeze  time  and  mass  of  fecal  pellets  were  used  as  a  behavioral  measure  of  PTSD-­‐like  anxiety  in  the  novel  environment.  Rats  that  received  YQA14  (6.25,  12.5  mg/kg  i.p.)  prior  to  exposure  to  the  conditioned  stimulus  in  the  novel  environment  showed  significantly  lower  freeze  times  as  compared  to  rats  that  received  the  vehicle  or  a  higher  dose  of  the  drug  (25  mg/kg).   These  findings  suggest  that  YQA14  reduces  the  expression  of  PTSD  in  rats.  Email:  clark.dixon@furman.edu      43  62.2  Will  Laurenzo  Onarae  Rice   An  investigation  of  the  effects  of  single  prolonged  stress  (SPS)  on  male  Sprague  Dawley  rats'  propensity  to  self-­‐administer  cocaine  W.  W.  LAURENZO,  C.  DIXON,  J.  ZHANG,  J.  HAYDEN,  O.  V.  RICE  Furman  University   Rationale  Exposure  to  acute  physical  and  psychological  stressors  induces  long-­‐lasting  changes  within  the  brain  that  may  increase  the  risk  of  psychomotor  stimulant  abuse  and  addiction.   Literature  suggests  a  high  rate  of  comorbidity  between  PTSD  victims  and  psychostimulant  dependence.   Objective  The  present  experiment  is  designed  to  determine  whether  pre-­‐exposure  to  PTSD-­‐like  stressors  predisposes  rats  to  cocaine  seeking  and  addiction.   Materials  and  Methods  Male  Sprague  Dawley  rats  (450-­‐550g)  will  be  randomly  assigned  to  two  groups:  one  control  group  that  receives  no  stressor,  and  an  experimental  group  that  is  subjected  to  a  modified  version  of  the  single  prolonged  stress  (SPS)  procedure.   This  paradigm  is  created  to  mimic  PTSD-­‐inducing  stressors,  and  consists  of  a  20  minute  forced  swim  test,  followed  by  a  two-­‐hour  full  body  restraint  period,  followed  by  a  20  minute  period  of  intermittent  foot  shocks  (.5  mA).   Four  to  six  weeks  after  exposure  to  SPS,  both  the  control  and  experimental  groups  will  be  implanted  with  chronic  indwelling  jugular  catheters  and  allowed  free  access  to  self-­‐administer  cocaine  (.75  mg/kg/inf)  on  a  FR1  schedule  of  reinforcement.   Once  rats  have  received  30  infusions  per  three-­‐hour  session  for  three  consecutive  days,  they  are  moved  to  a  FR5  schedule  of  reinforcement,  and  the  cocaine  dosage  is  lowered  to  .25  mg/kg/inf.   After  rats  display  steady  bar  pressing  behavior  for  three  consecutive  days  under  the  FR5  schedule,  they  are  moved  to  a  progressive  ratio  (PR)  schedule  of  reinforcement.   Infusions,  active  lever  presses,  and  inactive  lever  presses  are  recorded  for  five  days  of  three-­‐hour  PR  sessions.   PR  breakpoints  will  be  analyzed  and  compared  between  groups.  Email:  will.laurenzo@furman.edu  63    Megan  Willner  Renee  Chosed   Elucidating  the  role  of  deubiquitinating  enzymes  in  a  yeast  model  for  Parkinson’s  disease  M.A.H.  WILLNER,  R.J.  CHOSED  Furman  University   Parkinson’s  disease  (PD)  is  a  neurological  disorder  that  affects  the  motor  neurons  within  the  brain,  causing  tremors,  muscle  spasms,  and  loss  of  coordination.  A  key  feature  of  this  disorder  is  an  accumulation  of  the  protein  alpha-­‐synuclein  in  the  neurons,  which  eventually  causes  the  neurons  to  be  non-­‐functional  due  to  alpha-­‐synuclein  aggregation  in  the  cytoplasm.  Yeast  share  approximately  60%  sequencing  similarity  with  human  DNA,  making  them  an  ideal  model  organism  to  study  neurological  disorders.  Alpha-­‐synuclein,  tagged  with  green-­‐fluorescent  protein  for  visualization,  was  previously  integrated  into  the  genome  of  a  strain  of  Saccharomyces  cerevisiae.  Previous  studies  have  shown  that  ubiquitin  attaches  to  excess  alpha-­‐synuclein  protein  which  targets  alpha-­‐synuclein  for  proteasomal  degradation.  In  PD,  we  hypothesize  that  the  ubiquitination  of  alpha-­‐synuclein  may  be  regulated  by  deubiquitinating  enzymes  present  in  the  cell.  The  deubiquitinating  activity  of  these  enzymes  would  allow  an  excess  of  alpha-­‐synuclein  to  accumulate  in  the  cell,  which  may  yield  large  protein  aggregates.   Initial  biochemical  studies  with  the  PD  model  yeast  treated  with  a  global  deubiquitinating  enzyme  inhibitor  support  our  hypothesis.   To  determine  which  specific  deubiquitinating  enzymes  are  responsible  for  the  deubiquitination  of  alpha-­‐synuclein,  the  genes  UBP1,  UBP5,  UBP6  and  YUH1,  which  encode  deubiquitinating  enzymes,  were  individually  deleted  from  the  yeast  genome.  These  yeast  deletion  strains  were  then  examined  under  a  fluorescent  microscope  to  assess  aggregation  of  alpha-­‐synuclein.   If  protein  aggregates  are  not  present,  this  could  be  due  to  the  deletion  of  the  deubiquitinating  enzymes,  which  allows  the  excess  alpha-­‐synuclein  to  be  degraded.   After  the  deletion  of  UBP1,  UBP5  ,  UBP6  and  YUH1,  alpha-­‐synuclein  inclusions  were  minimal  or  only  localized  at  the  membrane.   Further  studies  with  44  expression  of  catalytically  dead  versions  of  these  enzymes  have  yielded  similar  yeast  phenotypes.  These  results  reveal  that  regulation  of  deubiquitinating  enzymes  may  play  a  role  in  the  development  of  PD,  which  could  potentially  aid  in  characterizing  the  biological  changes  that  occurs  in  neurons  in  patients  with  PD.     Support  provided  by:  SCICU,  HHMI,  SC-­‐NIH  INBRE  Email:  megan.willner@gmail.com  64    Michelle  Dominguez  Abigail  Kerr   Aerobic  exercise  is  as  effective  as  skilled  reach  training  in  improving  functional  recovery  following  ischemic  insult  in  C57BL/6  mice.  M.  DOMINGUEZ,  T.  MUELLER,  R.  HOLDEN,  M.  CURTIS,  B.  WALL,  A.L.  KERR  Illinois  Wesleyan  University   Stroke  is  a  leading  cause  of  serious,  long-­‐term  disability  with  upper  limb  impairment  among  the  most  common,  chronic  deficits  reported  in  survivors.  Current  rehabilitative  strategies  employed  in  humans  are  often  ineffective  in  restoring  pre-­‐stroke  behavioral  performance.  It  has  been  found  that  focused  rehabilitative  training  of  the  impaired  limb  effectively  improves  functional  outcome  in  rodent  models  of  ischemic  stroke.  However,  the  benefits  reported  with  this  training  require  intensive  therapy  with  relatively  long  sessions  implemented  daily.  Additional  rehabilitative  strategies  that  may  be  easier  to  implement  in  other  populations  (including  humans)  need  to  be  established  to  promote  better  behavioral  recovery  following  injury.  Aerobic  exercise  has  been  found  to  have  beneficial  effects  for  both  the  brain  and  behavior  in  humans  and  rodents,  with  exercise  improving  learning  and  memory  in  aged  populations.  The  current  study  investigates  the  role  of  aerobic  exercise  in  functional  recovery  following  focal  ischemic  insult  in  C57BL/6  mice.  A  total  of  40  mice  were  trained  to  criterion  on  a  skilled  reaching  task,  the  Pasta  Matrix  Reaching  Task  (PMRT),  prior  to  receiving  a  unilateral  ischemic  stroke.  Following  four  days  of  recovery,  mice  were  divided  evenly  into  one  of  four  groups:  skilled  reach  training  of  the  impaired  limb  (on  the  PMRT),  aerobic  exercise,  skilled  reach  training  with  aerobic  exercise,  or  control  procedures.  Animals  in  aerobic  exercise  conditions  had  free  access  to  running  wheels,  while  control  animals  received  no  direct  training  of  any  limb.  All  mice  were  in  their  respective  conditions  for  a  total  of  two  weeks  and  received  weekly  probe  trials  of  their  impaired  limb.  Our  results  indicate  that  aerobic  exercise  is  as  effective  as  skilled  reach  training  in  improving  functional  recovery  of  the  impaired  limb.  The  combined  therapy  of  skilled  reach  training  and  exercise  was  no  more  beneficial  than  either  condition  alone.  These  findings  suggest  that  aerobic  exercise  may  be  a  feasible  rehabilitative  strategy  for  individuals  with  persistent  upper  extremity  impairment  following  stroke.  Email:  mdomingu@iwu.edu    65.1  Vinay  Srinivasan  Karen  Parfitt   Aβ25-­‐35  modestly  reduces  hippocampal  long  term  potentiation  in  vitro  V.  SRINIVASAN,  S.A.  CRAWFORD,  J.C.  NECARSULMER,  I.  SOLOMON,  L.R.  BLEICHNER  Pomona  College   Alzheimer's  disease  (AD),  characterized  by  severe  memory  loss  and  progressively  worsening  neurocognitive  deficits,  is  one  of  the  most  pressing  concerns  for  the  aging  population  of  the  21st  century.  At  a  molecular  level,  extracellular  oligomerization  of  beta-­‐amyloids  (A-­‐Beta),  ~40  amino  acid  peptides  produced  by  beta  and  gamma  secretase  cleavage  of  the  Alzheimer's  precursor  protein,  is  thought  to  be  responsible  for  the  pathology.  However,  much  is  still  unknown  about  the  specific  mechanisms   underlying  the  peptide's  neurotoxic  effects  within  the  brain.  Previous  work  has  examined  hippocampal  long-­‐term  potentiation  (LTP),  an  accepted  molecular  basis  of  learning  and  memory,  to  investigate  the  role  of  A-­‐Beta  in  mediating  AD  symptoms.  The  results  of  these  studies  have  suggested  a  selective,  post-­‐synaptic  45  receptor-­‐mediated  mechanism  of  interaction  between  A-­‐Beta  and  the  modulators  of  LTP.  As  the  basis  for  future  work  demonstrating  the  efficacy  of  neuroprotective  compounds,  our  project  sought  to  demonstrate  the  purportedly  clear  inhibitory  effect  of  A-­‐Beta  (25-­‐35)  on  theta  burst-­‐induced  hippocampal  LTP  by  recording  excitatory  post-­‐synaptic  potentials  in  the  CA1  region.   We  observed  only  marginal  inhibition  of  LTP  in  treated  slices  compared  to  control,  which  differs  from  the  more  stark  differences  found  in  previous  LTP  work.   However,  low  [Mg2+]  in  our  baths  and/or  an  overly-­‐strong  theta  burst  protocol  might  account  for  the  absence  of  significant  inhibition  of  LTP.   Supported  by  the  Pomona  College  Summer  Undergraduate  Research  Program  (SURP)  fund  and  the  Pomona  College  Department  of  Neuroscience.  Email:  vs012012@mymail.pomona.edu    65.2  Julie  Necarsulmer  Karen  Parfitt   Morris  Water  Maze,  Radial  Arm  Water  Maze,  and  Novel  Object  Recognition  Tasks  detect  spatial  learning  and  memory  deficits  in  mice  J.C.  NECARSULMER,  L.R.  BLEICHNER,  I.  SOLOMON,  V.  SRINIVASAN,  S.  CRAWFORD  Pomona  College   Alzheimer's  Disease  (AD)  is  characterized  by  a  progressive  loss  of  cognitive  function,  notably  the  impairment  of  spatial  learning  and  memory.  The  present  study  examined  three  tasks  commonly  used  to  test  hippocampal-­‐dependent  spatial  learning  and  memory—the  Morris  Water  Maze  (MWM),  Radial  Arm  Water  Maze  (RAWM)  and  the  Novel  Object  Recognition   (NOR)  tasks,  as  potentially  viable  assays  for  future  experiments  that  will  utilize  an  AD  transgenic  mouse  model.   Spatial  learning  and  memory  requires  the  glutamate  NMDA  receptor.   We  used  the  NMDA  antagonist  MK-­‐801  to  examine  whether  performance  on  these  tasks  is  impaired,  as  has  been  shown  by  previous  groups  in  this  and  other  rodent  strains.  For  each  task,  MK-­‐801  (0.05  mg/kg;  5mL/kg  in  0.9%  saline  vehicle)  or  vehicle  alone  was  administered  to  C57B/6N  mice  30  minutes  prior  to  testing.  Deficits  in  spatial  learning  and  memory  were  demonstrated  by  all  three  tasks  when  comparing  MK-­‐801-­‐treated  mice  to  vehicle-­‐treated  controls,  indicating  that  the  MWM,  RAWM,  and  NOR  task  are  all  viable  assays  for  use  in  future  studies.  Email:  julie.necarsulmer@gmail.com    66.1  Samuel  Crawford  Karen  Parfitt   Higher  concentrations  of  Mg++  inhibit  the  formation  of   long  term  potentiation  in  mouse  hippocampal  area  CA1.  S.  A.  CRAWFORD,  V.  SRINIVASAN,  I.  SOLOMON,  J.  C.  NECARSULMER,  L.R.  BLEICHNER  Pomona  College   An  important  excitatory  neurotransmitter  in  the  brain  is  the  simple  amino  acid,  l-­‐glutamate.   Some  receptors  for  glutamate,  e.g  the  N-­‐methyl-­‐D-­‐aspartate  (NMDA)  receptors,  are  ion  channels  that  are  blocked  by  magnesium  ions  (Mg++)  at  normal  resting  membrane  potentials.   We  used  low  (0.85  mM)  and  high  (2.8  mM)  concentrations  of  Mg++   to  determine  the  influence  of  Mg++  on  paired  pulse  facilitation  (PPF)  and  induction  of  long-­‐term  potentiation  (LTP)  via  the  NMDA  receptor-­‐-­‐mediated  pathway.   LTP  and  PPF  were  measured  in  the  CA1  area  of  hippocampal  slices  prepared  from  C57  Bl  6N  mice.   The  magnitude  of  LTP  was  significantly  greater  in  the  low  Mg++  concentration.  PPF  was  not  affected  by  the  Mg++  concentration,  suggesting  that  Mg++  influences  LTP  via  a  postsynaptic  role.     Future  studies  will  involve  a  concentration  of  Mg++  similar  to  that  which  occurs  naturally  in  cerebrospinal  fluid,  in  an  effort  to  establish  appropriate  controls  when  altering  concentrations  of  other  LTP–affecting  molecules  (e.g.  Aβ,  the  oligomer  responsible  for  forming  plaques  in  the  brain,  which  lead  to  Alzheimer’s  related  symptoms.)  Email:  sac02012@mymail.pomona.edu   46   66.2  Lauren  Kershberg  Karl  Johnson   The  characterization  of  chondroitin  sulfate  proteoglycans  in  Drosophila  melanogaster  using  loss  of  function  mutants  and  RNA  interference  to  remove  CS  biosynthetic  enzymes.  L.H.  KERSHBERG  Pomona  College   Chondroitin  sulfate  proteoglycans  (CSPGs)  are  extracellular  matrix  molecules  involved  in  several  neural  processes.   CSPGs,  protein  cores  with   specific  glycosaminoglycan  (GAG)  sugar  side  chains  attached,  serve  as  repulsive  guidance  cues  during  neuronal  cell  migration  in  early  development.  Furthermore,  CSPGs  have  been  implicated  in  a  loss  of  brain  plasticity  forming  critical  periods  and  in  the  permanence  of  spinal  cord  injury.   CSPGs  have  never  been  identified  in  Drosophila  despite  evidence  of  their  existence.  Drosophila  possess  genes,  that  are  conserved  across  species,  for  the  enzymes  that  synthesize  CSPGs.  I  have  removed  the  enzymes  required  to  synthesize  CSPGs  using  both  loss  of  function  mutations  as  well  as  through  RNA  interference  and  have  found  axon  guidance  defects.  Quantification  and  further  analysis  of  the  phenotypic  defects  are  in  progress.  Fluorescein  conjugated  lectin  that  binds  to  GalNAc  residues  have  been  used  to  visualize  CSPG  localization  in  dissected  Drosophila  embryos.   Preliminary  results  suggest  that  CSPGs  exist  in  Drosophila  and  play  a  role  in  axon  guidance  at  the  midline.  Email:  lhk12011@mymail.pomona.edu    67.1  Nirav  Mathur  Andy  Kazama   Paradoxical  functional  facilitation  of  stimulus-­‐reward  association  learning  in  macaques  with  neonatal  perirhinal  lesions  N.  MATHUR,  A.M.  KAZAMA,  M.C.  ALVARADO,  J.  BACHEVALIER  Furman  University   Behavioral  studies  of  monkeys,  specifically  rhesus  macaques  (Macaca  Mulatta),  have  illustrated  that  the  rhinal  cortex  (formed  from  the  perirhinal  and  entorhinal  cortices)  is  involved  with  numerous  cognitive  processes  such  as  object  identification  and  object  memory.  However,  research  has  shown  that  damage  to  this  area  in  adult  monkeys  spares  stimulus-­‐reward  learning  as  well  as  the  ability  to  shift  choice  selection  when  the  rewarding  value  of  objects  has  been  modified  by  satiation  (Baxter  &  Murray,  2001;  Thornton  et  al.,  1998).   These  findings  suggested  that  the  rhinal  cortex  is  not  a  critical  part  of  the  neural  circuitry  mediating  stimulus-­‐reward  association  learning  and  of  flexible  choice  selection  in  adult  monkeys.  However  it  is  not  known  whether  the  perirhinal  cortex  (PRh)  may  be  more  critical  for  the  development  of  stimulus-­‐reward  association  learning  and  reinforcer  devaluation.  Thus,  we  tested  adult  animals  that  had  received  neonatal  lesions  of  the  PRh  in  a  reinforcer  devaluation  task  (Kazama  &  Bachevalier  2013),  measuring  stimulus-­‐reward  association  learning  and  flexible  choice  selection.  We  found  unexpectedly,  that  neonatal  PRh  damage  improved  stimulus-­‐reward  learning  as  compared  to  controls,  but  their  ability  to  flexibly  alter  choice  did  not  differ  from  controls.  Thus,  PRh  does  not  seem  to  be  involved  in  flexible  decision-­‐making  at  4  years  of  age.  This  study  demonstrates  for  the  first  time  that  early  damage  to  the  PRh  results  in  paradoxical  facilitation  of  the  ability  to  learn  object-­‐reward  associations.  Given  that  this  facilitation  was  not  observed  in  animals  with  adult-­‐onset  rhinal  lesions,  our  data  suggest  that,  due  to  greater  brain  plasticity  in  infancy,  the  neonatal  lesions  may  have  promoted  greater  brain  reorganization.   Email:  nirav.mathur@furman.edu      47  67.2  Alyssa  Althoff  David  Hollis   Effects  of  Notch,  Wnt,  and  IL-­‐4  modulation  on  muscle  progenitor  cell  Pax7  expression  and  tube  formation  A.  ALTHOFF,  Z.  WANG,  S.  SOKER  Furman  University  &  Wake  Forest  Institute  for  Regenerative  Medicine   Stem  cell  therapies  have  shown  to  be  viable  options  for  restoring  muscle  function  in  areas  of  large  muscle  loss,  as  experienced  in  muscle  degenerative  diseases  such  as  compartment  syndrome.  Muscle  progenitor  cells  (MPCs)  are  potential  candidates  for  cell  therapies,  as  they  can  be  isolated  from  the  donor,  expanded  in  culture,  and  form  muscle  fibers  at  the  site  of  muscle  damage.  During  regeneration,  MPCs  proliferate  and  differentiate,  before  fusing  with  one  another,  as  de  novo  myotubes,  or  into  existing  nascent  muscle  fibers.   Our  former  work  showed  first,  that  MPCs  express  the  muscle  stem  cell  marker  Pax7,  and,  second,  that  MPCs  are  able  to  form  myofibers,  or  to  engraft,  in  vivo.  However,  the  in  vivo  engraftment  was  not  as  efficient  as  engraftment  from  freshly  isolated  muscle  stem  cells,  which  yields  the  most  potent  engraftment  after  cell  implantation.   Thus,  one  challenge  of  using  MPCs  is  finding  a  method  to  greatly  increase  the  in  vivo  engraftment  efficiency.  Through  microenvironment  modulation,  it  is  possible  to  control  the  MPCs  fate,  thus  increasing  their  in  vivo  engraftment  efficiency.  We  hypothesized  that  modulating  Notch,  Wnt  and  IL4,  the  most  important  signaling  pathways  governing  muscle  stem  cell  fate  from  cell  expansion  to  myotube  fusion,  will  increase  MPC  engraftment  efficiency.  As  such,  we  introduced  signaling  pathway  modulating  drugs  targeting  the  Notch,  Wnt  and  IL4  pathways  to  MPCs  during  cell  proliferation  and  myotube  formation.  We  examined  Pax7  frequency,  myotube  formation,  and  cell  fusion  to  evaluate  the  efficacy  of  signaling  pathway  modulating  on  MPC  engraftment  ability.   To  test  Pax7  expression,  drugs  targeting  Wnt,  Notch,  and  IL4  signaling  pathways  were  added  to  cultured  MPCs  for  4  days,  then  Pax7  immunofluorecent  staining  was  performed.  To  test  myotube  formation,  MPCs  were  allowed  to  grow  to  high  density  to  initiate  nascent  myotube  formation.  Drugs  were  then  added  for  4  days,  and  images  of  formed  myotubes  were  obtained  and  analyzed.  To  evaluate  cell  fusion,  drugs  were  added  to  GFP+  MPCs  for  4  days  during  cell  proliferation,  then  the  GFP  MPCs  were  added  to  Tomato  Red+  nascent  myotubes.  Green-­‐red  mixed  fluorescent  myotubes,  resembling  the  donor-­‐host  myofibers  formed  in  vivo,  were  then  quantified.  Our  data  showed  that  blocking  the  Wnt  pathway  (drug  XAV939,  3.3  uM)  demonstrated  trends  towards  increased  Pax  7+  expression  in  MPCs,  and  a  significant  increase  in  cell  fusion  ability  of  MPCs  with  nascent  myotubes,  compared  to  a  control  (without  drug).  Conversely,  activating  the  Wnt  pathway  (Bio,  5  uM)  or  blocking  the  Notch  pathway  (DAPT,  5  uM)  decreased  Pax7  expression,  and  had  no  effect  on  cell  fusion  or  tube  formation.  Altering  the  IL4  pathway  (IL4,  10  ng/ml)  had  no  effect  on  Pax  7+  expression,  tube  formation  or  cell  fusion.  These  studies  on  Pax7  expression  and  cell  fusion  can  serves  as  predictors  of  in  vivo  cell  engraftment  efficiency.  Out  data  suggested  blockade  of  Wnt  during  MPC  expansion  will  potentially  increase  cell  engraftment  in  vivo.  Email:  alyssa.althoff@furman.edu   68   Elyse  Barnard  Mark  R.  Stefani   The  neurosteroid  pregnenolone  sulfate  interacts  with  the  NMDA  receptor  antagonist  MK-­‐801  to  impair  cognitive  flexibility  and  spatial  working  memory  in  a  rat  model  of  schizophrenia  E.D.H.  BARNARD,  J.K.  GERHMANN,  D.M.  PRIOR,  M.R.  STEFANI  Middlebury  College   Schizophrenia  is  a  chronic  disorder  characterized  by  debilitating  cognitive  impairments.  Most  affected  are  the  “executive  functions”  crucial  for  the  temporal  organization  of  goal-­‐directed  behaviors.  These  cognitive  abilities,  which  include  including  working  memory  and  cognitive  flexibility,  require  brain  networks  sharing  a  common  node  in  the  prefrontal  cortex  (PFC).  Recent  research  has  linked  these  cognitive  deficits  to  reduced  PFC  inhibitory  signaling  by  the  neurotransmitter  GABA,  leading  to  the  hypothesis  that  reduced  48  inhibitory  regulation  of  glutamatergic  principle  neurons  results  in  disorganized  information  processing  and  cognitive  impairments.   We  used  male  Sprague-­‐Dawley  rats  to  examine  the  cognitive  effects  of  pregnenolone  sulfate,  a  neurosteroid  that  modulates  GABAA  receptors  to  reduce  GABA-­‐mediated  inhibition,  and  MK-­‐801,  an  NMDA  glutamate  receptor  antagonist  commonly  used  to  induce  schizophrenia-­‐
like  cognitive  deficits  in  rodents.  MK-­‐801  is  believed  to  act,  in  part,  through  inhibitory  actions  on  GABA  neurons.  Rats  were  tested  for  extradimensional  (ED)  set-­‐shifting  ability,  a  measure  of  cognitive  flexibility,  or  spontaneous  alternation  behavior  (SAB),  a  measure  of  spatial  working  memory.  Rats  received  bilateral  intra-­‐medial  PFC  injections  (0.5  uL/hemisphere)  20  min  prior  to  the  ED  shift  phase  of  the  set-­‐shift  task  or  the  single  SAB  session.  Injections  consisted  of  a  vehicle  solution,  MK-­‐801  (0.3  or  3  µg/hemisphere),  or  pregnenolone  sulfate  (0.10,  1.0  or  10  ng/hemisphere),  alone  or  in  select  combinations.   We  observed  that  MK-­‐801  alone  at  a  dose  of  3.0  ug  but  not  0.3  ug  impaired  cognitive  performance  relative  to  vehicle-­‐
injected  controls,  in  the  set-­‐shift  task  by  increasing  the  trials  required  to  reach  a  learning  criterion  and  increasing  the  amount  of  perseverative  responding  to  the  first  discrimination  rule  learned,  and  in  the  SAB  task  by  decreasing  the  percent  alternation  score.  Pregnenolone  sulfate  also  dose-­‐dependently  impaired  task  performance.  In  the  set-­‐shift  task,  the  highest  dose  of  pregnenolone  sulfate  produced  significant  impairments;  in  the  SAB  task,  the  intermediate  dose  significantly  impaired.  Co-­‐administration  of  individually  ineffective  doses  of  MK-­‐801  and  pregnenolone  sulfate  impaired  task  performance  relative  to  vehicle-­‐injected  controls  in  the  set-­‐shift  task.  This  pattern  of  results,  in  which  two  neuromodulatory  compounds  know  to  act  by  decreasing  GABA-­‐mediated  inhibitory  tone  interact  to  produce  deficits  in  behavior  task  dependent  on  prefrontal  function,  provide  further  support  for  the  hypothesis  that  aberrant  GABAergic  signaling  underlies  schizophrenia-­‐associated  cognitive  deficits.  Email:  ebarnard@middlebury.edu  69    Adam  Ghoweri  Cecilia  M.  Fox   The  neuroprotective  potential  of  intranasal  DNSP-­‐11  on  nigral  dopamine  neurons  against  intrastriatal  6-­‐hydroxydopamine  neurotoxicity  A.  GHOWERI,  C.M.  FOX  Moravian  College   Using  both  in  vitro  and  in  vivo  studies,  glial  cell  line-­‐derived  neurotrophic  factor  (GDNF)  became  known  as  one  of  the  more  promising  neurotrophic  factors  in  its  ability  to  protect  dopamine  neurons  against  neurotoxic  insult  in  animal  models  of  Parkinson’s  disease  (PD).   The  proprotein  version  of  GDNF  has  been  post-­‐translationally  processed  into  a  dopamine  neuron  stimulating  peptide,  known  as  DNSP-­‐11.   DNSP-­‐11  has  been  shown  to  be  neuroprotective  against  TaClo,  MPP+  and  an  intranigral  6-­‐hydroxydopamine  (6-­‐
OHDA)  lesion  in  rat  models  of  PD.   This  research  project  used  a  different  approach  to  introducing  DNSP-­‐11  into  the  animal  post-­‐lesion.   An  intranasal  DNSP-­‐11  technique  was  used  to  assess  the  protection  of  nigral  dopamine  neurons  against  the  more  progressive  intrastriatal  lesion  of  6-­‐OHDA.   Twenty  Fisher  344  rats  were  divided  into  the  following  groups:   citrate  +  6-­‐OHDA  and  DNSP-­‐11  +  6-­‐OHDA.   Citrate  or  DNSP-­‐
11was  delivered  intranasally  for  eight  weeks  post-­‐lesion.    The  foot  fault  and  cylinder  tests  were  performed  to  assess  behavior  improvements  following  treatment.   Brain  tissue  will  be  processed  for  tyrosine  hydroxylase  immunocytochemistry  and  dopamine  cell  survival  will  be  quantified  via  stereology.  Email:  staog01@moravian.edu  70    Alec  Hyde  Deborah  S  Kreiss   Neonatal  exposure  to  clomipramine  is  a  behavioral  rat  model  of  Obsessive  Compulsive  Disorder  offering  not  only  face  validity,  but  also  predictive  validity  for  the  GABA  agonist  diazepam,  the  norepinephrine  uptake  inhibitor  desipramine,  the  serotonin  uptake  inhibitor  fluoxetine,  and  the  serotonin  5HT2  antagonist  mianserin  49  A.L.  HYDE,  L.J.  KASPARSON,  L.S.  LAIKS,  K.M.  CRAIG,  S.E.  FRANK,  H.S.  MULDER,  D.S.  KREISS  Colgate  University,  Psychology  Dept,  Neuroscience  Program   Obsessive  Compulsive  Disorder  (OCD)  -­‐  a  psychiatric  disorder  affecting  2-­‐3%  of  the  population  -­‐  is  characterized  by  persistent  anxiety  accompanied  by  overwhelming  urges  to  perform  repetitive  behaviors.  Current  pharmacological  treatments  for  OCD  are  only  effective  in  40-­‐60%  of  patients  and  have  an  8-­‐10  week  delayed  onset.  Animal  models  with  both  face  and  predictive  validity  are  imperative  in  the  field  of  OCD  so  that  better  treatment  avenues  can  be  developed.  The  current  study  explores  a  novel  rodent  model  of  OCD.  Male  rats  were  either  administered  clomipramine  (15  mg/kg  x  2,  “neoClom”)  or  saline  (1  ml/kg  X  2,  “neoSaline”)  during  neonatal  Days  9-­‐16.  Head  poking  in  the  hole-­‐board  as  well  as  marble  burying  and  a  novel  checking  behavior  were  assessed  at  Day  80-­‐82  and  Day  208-­‐210,  respectively.  NeoCloms  (n=14)  buried  significantly  more  marbles  than  neoSalines,  but  did  not  differ  in  other  observed  behaviors.  In  our  2013  studies,  neoCloms  (n=26,  assessed  at  Day  70-­‐72)  significantly  buried  more  marbles,  checked  more  marbles,  and  exhibited  more  repetitive  head  pokes.  Our  results  suggest  that  younger  behavioral  testing  and  a  larger  group  size  facilitate  observation  of  more  robust  differences.  In  2013,  our  lab  demonstrated  that  14-­‐day  repeated  fluoxetine  (10  mg/kg)  normalized  hole-­‐board  and  marble  behaviors  of  neoCloms,  whereas  repeated  desipramine  (5  mg/kg)  or  saline  did  not,  mirroring  the  clinical  efficacy  of  these  agents  in  OCD.  In  the  current  study,  we  show  that  acute  injection  of  the  GABA  agonist  diazepam  (1,  8  mg/kg)  did  not  alter  behaviors  of  neoClom  rats.  However  in  the  neoSalines,  head  dipping  in  the  hole-­‐board  was  significantly  increased  by  1  mg/kg  diazepam  and  decreased  by  the  8  mg/kg  dose.  Our  results  parallel  the  ineffectiveness  of  diazepam  at  alleviating  symptoms  of  OCD  patients  and  the  typical  behavioral  alterations  induced  by  GABA  agonists  in  humans  w/o  OCD.  Additional  studies  showed  that  the  effect  of  the  serotonin  receptor  antagonist  mianserin  on  our  rats  is  analogous  to  the  drug’s  clinical  effectiveness.  In  the  neoCloms,  mianserin  significantly  decreased  the  number  of  head  pokes,  holes,  and  repetitive  head  pokes  –  whereas  in  the  neoSalines,  mianserin  had  no  effect.  Acute  injection  of  the  serotonin  agonist  mCPP  (0.4,  0.8  mg/kg)  significantly  decreased  marbles  checked  in  both  neonatal  groups,  but  did  not  alter  other  behaviors.  These  results  are  incongruent  with  the  ability  of  mCPP  to  exacerbate  symptoms  in  OCD  patients  and  warrant  further  exploration.  These  data  confirm  the  face  validity  of  the  neoClom  model  of  OCD  and  provide  further  demonstration  of  the  predictive  validity  of  this  unique  permanent,  multi-­‐
symptom  behavioral  model  of  OCD.      Source  of  Support:  Colgate  University:  Neuroscience  Program  and  Research  Council  www.colgate.edu/deb-­‐kreiss  Email:  ahyde@colgate.edu    71.1  Camille  Pham-­‐Lake  Jennifer  Larimore   Experimental  techniques  to  evaluate  the  neurotoxicity  of  environmental  chemicals  C.  PHAM-­‐LAKE,  J.  BRADNER,  W.  CAUDLE  Agnes  Scott  College   There  are  over  80,000  chemical  contaminants  in  the  environment,  most  in  the  form  of  pesticides  and  industrial  solvents.  Many  are  known  to  contribute  to  the  development  of  neurological  diseases.  Research  is  essential  for  understanding  their  relationship  to  disease  and  the  neural  functions  they  disrupt.  This  study  focused  on  polychlorinated  biphenyls  (PCBs).  Due  to  their  physiochemical  characteristics  they  persist  in  the  environment  and  are  significant  contributors  to  deficits  in  both  cognitive  and  motor  functions.  Exposure  to  PCBs  has  a  high  correlation  with  damage  to  the  dopamine  system  and  incidences  of  Parkinson’s  disease.  Given  the  conformational  diversity  of  the  PCB’s  this  investigation  was  structured  to  further  explore  their  differing  neurotoxicity’s  through  toxicity  assays  on  both  the  SK-­‐N-­‐SH  cell  line  and  primary  cultures,  immunohistochemistry,  and  immunofluorescenceto  investigate  the  neurotoxicity  of  PCB  52  and  Aroclor  1254  on  mice  tissue.  We  hypothesize  that  PCB  52  and  Aroclor  1254  will  show  differing  levels  of  toxicity  and  differing  levels  of  toxicity  on  specific  brain  regions.  Early  findings  suggest  a  divergence  in  both  the  toxicity  of  PCB  52  and  Aroclor  1254  and  neural  structural  differences  in  cortex  and  midbrain  tissues.  This  experimental  platform  can  be  used  to  further  assess  other  environmental  toxicants.  50    71.2  Khallyl  Oliver  Jennifer  Larimore   Temporal  pattern  of  GABAA  receptor  delta  and  gamma-­‐2  subunit  expression  in  the  suprachiasmatic  nucleus  of  male  Syrian  hamsters  K.  OLIVER,  J.  WALTON,  E.  ALBERS  Georgia  State  University   The  suprachiasmatic  nucleus  (SCN)  is  the  region  of  the  hypothalamus,  situated  just  above  the  optic  chiasm,  responsible  for  controlling  the  circadian  rhythms  of  the  body.  It  is  widely  known  that  gamma-­‐
amino  butyric  acid  (GABA)  modulates  SCN  activities,  while  the  SCN  mediates  circadian  rhythms  via  entrainment.  GABAA  delta  and  GABAA  gamma-­‐2  subunits  co-­‐regulate  each  other  in  the  SCN.  We  hypothesize  that  the  extrasynaptic  GABAA  delta  receptor  is  more  abundant  during  the  dark  phase  as  opposed  to  GABAA  gamma-­‐2,  which  should  be  active  in  light,  based  on  the  knowledge  that  GABAA  delta  is  more  sensitive  than  GABAA  gamma-­‐2  and  is  able  to  down  regulate  gamma-­‐2.  Adult  male  Syrian  hamsters  were  ordered  from  Charles  Rivers  Laboratories.  Hamsters  were  singly-­‐housed  and  entrained  to  a  14:10  light/dark  (L:  D)  cycle  over  a  course  of  2-­‐4  weeks.  For  constant  dark  (D:  D)  conditions,  hamsters  were  singly-­‐housed  and  held  in  a  14:10  light  cycle  for  two  weeks,  then  placed  in  a  constant  dark  setting  for  9-­‐14  days.  Hamsters  were  also  placed  in  constant  light  conditions  (L:  L)  for  9-­‐14  days  as  well.  Activity  was  measured  via  wheel  running.  Hamster  suprachiasmatic  nuclei  were  collected  via  micropunch.  RNA  was  extracted  with  Trizol,  reversed  transcribed  into  cDNA  library,  then  expression  of  GABAA  delta  and  gamma-­‐2  was  assessed  using  a  gene  specific  primer  for  RT-­‐PCR.  Relative  gene  expression  levels  for  each  gene  of  interest  were  normalized  to  18s  expression.  Relative  mRNA  results  showed  opposite  of  hypothesis,  with  GABAA  gamma-­‐2  being  more  readily  expressed  in  light  hours  and  GABAA  delta  being  more  expressed  in  dark  hours.  72    Gifty  Dominah  Gunnar  Kwakye   Acute  exposure  to  Chlorpyrifos  generates  oxidative  stress  and  mitochondrial  dysfunction  in  a  striatal  cell  model  of  Huntington’s  disease.  G.A.  DOMINAH,  G.F.  KWAKYE  Oberlin  College   In  spite  of  the  genetic  cause  of  Huntington’s  disease  (HD),  emerging  evidence  strongly  suggests  environmental  influence  on  the  age  of  onset,  progression,  and  severity  of  the  disease.  However,  the  identity  of  the  environmental  risk  factor  is  currently  unknown.  Recognizing  the  similarities  in  the  pathophysiological  mechanisms  between  HD  and  pesticide  neurotoxicity,  we  hypothesized  that  the  common  agricultural  pesticide  chlorpyrifos  (CPF)  would  exhibit  disease-­‐toxicant  interaction  and  reveal  the  influence  of  CPF  in  HD  neuropathophysiology.  We  investigated  the  effects  of  acute  CPF  toxicity  and  its  principal  metabolites  chlorpyrifos  oxon  (CPO)  and  3,5,6-­‐trichloropyridinol  (TCP)  in  an  established  murine  striatal  STHdh  cell  model  of  HD  by  assessing  cell  viability,  reactive  species  production,  mitochondrial  membrane  potential,  antioxidant  buffering  capacity,  and  energy  homeostasis,  as  well  as  antioxidant  mediated  neuroprotection.   Following  a  48  hours  exposure  to  the  metabolites  CPO  and  TCP,  we  observed  no  significant  dose  and  genotypic  differences  in  cell  survival.  Interestingly,  expression  of  mutant  HD  resulted  in  increased  dose-­‐dependent  susceptibility  to  CPF  exposure  and  production  of  reactive  species  compared  to  wild-­‐type  cells.   Furthermore,  we  report  that  the  mutant  HD  induced  vulnerability  to  CPF  exposure  is  mediated  through  diminished  antioxidant  buffering  capacity,  enhanced  production  of  free  radicals,  decrease  mitochondrial  function,  and  energy  production.  To  further  investigate  the  possible  neuroprotection  of  HD  cells  against  CPF  neurotoxicity,  we  treated  STHdh  cells  with  N-­‐acetylcysteine  (NAC)  and  observed  that  the  CPF  induced  toxicity  was  significantly  ameliorated  in  mutant  HD  cells.  These  51  results  strongly  suggest  that  mutant  HD  and  CPF  exhibit  a  disease-­‐toxicant  interaction  to  cause  enhanced  striatal  neurotoxicity  via  oxidative  stress  and  mitochondrial  dysfunction  that  could  exacerbate  the  neurodegenerative  processes  in  HD.  Email:  gdominah@oberlin.edu  73    Brandon  Schurter  Christian  Fink   Synchronization  properties  of  heterogeneous  neuronal  networks  B.  SCHURTER,  M.  ZOCHOWSKI,  V.  BOOTH,  C.G.  FINK  Ohio  Wesleyan  University   Highly  connected  neurons,  called  hub  cells,  are  thought  to  contribute  to  certain  forms  of  epilepsy  and  have  also  been  shown  to  orchestrate  synchrony  in  the  hippocampus  of  developing  rats.  How  hub  cells  are  capable  of  hijacking  networks  to  synchrony  is  not  well  understood.  We  hypothesize  that  the  excitability  type  of  hub  cells  may  be  an  important  factor.  In  general,  neuronal  excitability  (which  characterizes  how  neurons  respond  to  input)  falls  into  two  categories,  Type  I  and  Type  II,  with  networks  of  only  Type  II  neurons  synchronizing  very  well,  and  networks  of  only  Type  I  neurons  synchronizing  rather  poorly.  We  used  computer  simulations  to  investigate  the  synchronization  properties  of  networks  with  a  mixture  of  Type  I  and  Type  II  neurons.  We  were  particularly  interested  in  the  effect  of  placing  Type  II  neurons  as  hub  cells  in  the  network.  The  results  of  these  simulations  show  that  relatively  few  Type  II  neurons  are  capable  of  hijacking  the  network  to  synchrony  when  they  are  placed  as  hub  cells,  but  not  otherwise,  indicating  that  Type  II  cells  could  play  a  role  in  generating  epileptic  seizures.  Email:  schurterb@berea.edu    74.1  Jenny  Moncion  Mimi  L.  Phan   Cholesterol-­‐lowering  drugs  alter  neuronal  morphology  in  a  juvenile  songbird  system  J.  MONCION,  S.C.  TSOI,  A.  QURESHI,  C.L.  PYTTE,  D.S.  VICARIO,  M.L.  PHAN  Queens  College  CUNY;  Rutgers  University;  Graduate  Center  CUNY;  Hostos  Community  College  CUNY   Statins  are  widely-­‐prescribed  drugs  that  lower  cholesterol  by  inhibiting  the  rate-­‐limiting  enzyme  in  cholesterol  synthesis.  Recently,  there  has  been  an  increase  in  obesity  and  high  cholesterol  among  children  and  adolescents.  In  response,  the  FDA  has  approved  the  use  of  4  statin  drugs  (lovastatin,  simvastatin,  pravastatin,  and  atorvastatin)  for  children  as  young  as  8  years  old  who  have  a  genetic  risk  of  high  cholesterol.  Although  statins  block  cholesterol  synthesis  primarily  in  the  liver,  the  brain  also  produces  an  independent  source  of  cholesterol  and  statins  have  been  shown  to  cross  the  blood  brain  barrier,  and  alter  brain  cholesterol.  This  is  a  potential  concern  given  that  some  adult  statin  users  have  reported  problems  with  memory,  concentration,  and  learning.  While  most  studies  have  focused  on  neuroprotective  properties  of  statins  in  injured  or  diseased  brains,  effects  of  statins  in  healthy  brains  are  inconclusive.  Given  the  cognitive  complaints  of  some  adults,  we  speculated  that  statins  may  have  an  even  greater  effect  on  the  developing  brain  of  juveniles  and  developed  a  songbird  model  to  test  this  idea.  Earlier  work  from  our  laboratories  showed  that  juvenile  zebra  finches  treated  with  atorvastatin  (Lipitor®)  had  impaired  song  learning  and  memory.  Here,  we  are  investigating  whether  atorvastatin  affects  the  development  of  young  neurons  in  the  nucleus  HVC,  a  brain  region  necessary  for  song  learning,  which  continues  to  incorporate  new  neurons  throughout  life.  To  assess  effects  of  atorvastatin  on  new  neurons,  one  group  of  birds  (n=6)  was  given  a  daily  dosage  of  40  mg/kg  of  Lipitor®  in  water  while  age-­‐matched  control  birds  (n=7)  received  the  same  volume  of  water.  Birds  were  treated  for  65  days  during  the  critical  period  for  song  learning.  Brains  were  then  processed  using  immunohistochemistry  to  label  cells  that  expressed  doublecortin  (DCX),  a  microtubule  protein  present  in  young  neurons  for  20  days,  we  used  Neurolucida  software  (Microbrightfield)  to  trace  the  somas  of  DCX-­‐expressing  neurons  in  HVC.   We  found  that  DCX-­‐
expressing  neurons  in  statin-­‐treated  birds  were  flatter,  more  convoluted,  and  had  rough  or  pocked  cell  52  membrane.  These  findings  suggest  that  statins  may  alter  the  structure  of  newly  formed  neurons,  or  the  rate  of  development  of  young  neurons,  perhaps  by  interfering  with  cholesterol  availability  for  membrane  formation.   We  propose  that  altered  neuron  structure  may  be  one  factor  contributing  to  the  song  learning  and  memory  deficits  we  observed  during  juvenile  statin  treatment.  Email:  jennyd.moncion@gmail.com    74.2  Alicia  Barrientos  Mimi  L.  Phan   Cholesterol-­‐lowering  drugs  alter  neuron  migration  in  a  juvenile  songbird  model  system.  A.C.  BARRIENTOS,  S.C.  TSOI,  J.  MONCION,  A.  QURESHI,  S.  RIBEIRO,  C.L.  PYTTE,  D.S.  VICARIO,  M.L.  PHAN  Queens  College,  CUNY;  The  Graduate  Center,  CUNY,  Rutgers  University   Statins  are  a  class  of  drugs  that  inhibit  cholesterol  synthesis.  In  2007,  the  Food  and  Drug  Administration  approved  4  statins  for  pediatric  populations  at  risk  for  high  cholesterol.  Among  these  statins  is  atorvastatin  (Lipitor®),  which  crosses  the  blood  brain  barrier  in  moderate  levels,  potentially  impacting  brain  cholesterol.  Diminished  membrane  cholesterol  in  the  brain  has  been  found  to  affect  synaptic  vesicle  exocytosis,  neuronal  cytoarchitecture  and  synapse  formation.  However,  the  effects  of  long-­‐term  statin  use  on  cognition  and  neural  substrates  in  juveniles  have  not  been  thoroughly  evaluated.  In  vitro  studies  testing  the  effects  of  statins  on  brain  tissue  have  provided  conflicting  results,  including  decreasing  and  also  increasing  new  neuron  proliferation  and  survival.  Here  we  used  a  songbird  paradigm  to  study  the  effects  of  long-­‐term  statin  use  in  juveniles  on  learning  and  neurogenesis  in  vivo.  Zebra  finches  learn  their  vocalizations  by  imitating  a  tutor,  and  continually  produce  new  neurons  that  are  incorporated  throughout  the  telencephalon.  Earlier  work  from  our  labs  found  deficits  in  sensorimotor  learning  in  statin-­‐treated  juveniles.  To  determine  whether  altered  neurogenesis  may  be  a  mechanism  contributing  to  these  learning  impairments,  we  examined  new  neurons  in  the  song  motor  pathway,  focusing  on  new  neuron  morphology,  location,  and  distances  from  the  generative  region  of  the  lateral  ventricle.  Birds  were  given  oral  doses  of  40  mg/kg  of  Lipitor®  in  water  (n=6)  and  control  birds  given  the  same  volume  of  water  (n=7)  throughout  the  critical  period  for  song  learning  (daily,  for  65  days,  bird  ages  35-­‐100  days).  We  labeled  mitotically  active  cells  with  bromodeoxyuridine  (BrdU)  and  used  immunohistochemistry  to  visualize  BrdU,  the  neuron-­‐specific  protein  Hu,  and  also  doublecortin,  a  marker  of  young  neurons.  We  found  that  neuronal  phenotypes  differed  between  statin-­‐treated  and  control  birds  and  that  phenotypic  measures  were  associated  with  neuronal  location  relative  to  the  ventricle.  New  neurons  overall  were  also  significantly  further  from  the  lateral  ventricle  than  new  glia  (BrdU+Hu-­‐  cells)  in  controls,  but  not  in  statin-­‐treated  birds.  We  suggest  that  Lipitor®  may  be  affecting  neural  cytoarchitecture  as  well  as  the  migration  and  incorporation  sites  of  new  neurons,  perhaps  as  a  consequence  of  lowered  brain  cholesterol.  Email:  abarrientos100@qc.cuny.edu  75    Rachel  Laufmann  Jill  Weimer   Evaluating  the  therapeutic  benefits  of  CRMP2-­‐modulating  compounds  in  the  treatment  of  lysosomal  storage  disorders  R.N.LAUFMANN,  H.  MAGEE,  D.  TIMM,  S.  BAACK,  J.M.WEIMER  Sanford  Research   Neuronal  ceroid  lipofuscinosis  (NCLs)  are  a  family  of  lysosomal  storage  disorders  characterized  by  visual,  motor  and  cognitive  decline,  behavioral  problems  and  premature  death.  Pathologically,  NCLs  result  in  accumulation  of  autofluorescent  material  in  the  lysosome,  neurodegeneration,  disruptions  in  lysosomal  enzyme  function,  and  robust  glial  activation.  The  variant  late  infantile  form  of  NCL,  vLINCL,  results  from  mutations  in  the  gene  CLN6.  Our  lab  has  recently  demonstrated  that  the  CLN6  protein  functions  as  a  part  53  of  a  novel  complex  (called  the  CCK  complex)  which  also  contain  CRMP2  and  kinesin  light  chain  4  (KLC4).  CRMP2  functions  to  specify  axon/dendrite  fate  and  regulates  cargo  transport  through  an  array  of  additional  binding  proteins.  Disruption  in  CRMP2  function  has  been  implicated  in  a  host  of  neurological  disorders,  including  the  NCLs.   In  this  study,  we  utilize  a  naturally  occurring  mouse  model  of  vLINCL  (the  Cln6nclf  mouse)  to  screen  potential  therapies  that  act  by  modulation  CRMP2  stability  and  function.  The  lanthionine  ketimine  derivative  lanthionine  ketminine  ethyl  ester  (LKE)  is  a  cell  permeable,  brain  penetrating  metabolite  that  specifically  targets  CRMP2,  it  stabilizes  it’s  interactions  with  a  host  of  binding  partners.  We  will  present  evidence  that  indicates  LKE  treatment  starting  at  weaning  (21  days)  improves  visual  acuity,  motor  function  and  survival,  while  decreasing  glial  activation.  Additionally,  we  have  set  about  performing  a  comprehensive  pathological  examination  of  non-­‐CNS  tissues  to  determine  whether  there  are  organs  affected  by  this  rare  disease  aside  from  the  brain.  It  is  our  hope  that  these  preliminary  studies  will  provide  essential  data  to  guide  future  compound  selection  and  could  launch  a  new  drug  development  program  for  NCL.  76    Nate  Vinzant  Gina  Forster   Nanotechnology  to  deliver  neuropeptides  to  the  brain:  Distribution  and  effects  on  anxiety-­‐like  behaviors  N.  VINZANT,  J.  SCHOLL,  C-­‐M.  WU,  T.  KINDLE,  V.  KUMARASWAMI,  R.  KOODALI,  G.  FORSTER  Sanford  School  of  Medicine,  Division  of  Basic  Biomedical  Sciences   The  corticotropin-­‐releasing  factor  type  2  receptor  (CRF2)  represents  a  novel  target  for  treating  anxiety  states.  Direct  infusion  of  CRF2  receptor  antagonist  antisauvagine  (ASV)  into  the  brain  immediately  reduces  anxiety  states  in  rodent  models  of  early  life  stress  and  drug  withdrawal.  However,  like  many  neuropeptides,  ASV  cannot  cross  the  blood  brain  barrier  (BBB)  if  administered  systemically.  Nanoparticles  such  as  iron  oxide  can  cross  the  BBB  and  can  be  designed  to  carry  drug  cargo.   This  study  examined  whether  iron  oxide  nanoparticles  with  ASV  cargo  cross  the  BBB  by  determining  the  distribution  within  the  rat  brain  following  systemic  administration.   Iron  oxide  nanoparticles  (Fe2O3)  were  synthetized,  size  confirmed  by  transmission  electron  microscopy  (5.0  +/-­‐  1.1  nm),  and  were  functionalized  with  3-­‐aminopropyltriethoxysilane  (1:4  Fe2O3:APTES).   Next,  ASV  (10:1  Fe2O3:ASV)  was  attached  to  the  functionalized  iron  oxide  nanoparticles  and  monitored  hourly  for  five  hours  with  fourier  transform  infrared  (FTIR)  spectroscopy  to  ensure  stability  of  the  nanoparticle+ASV  complex  over  this  time  frame.   Nanoparticle  solution  (87.7  μg  /kg  Fe2O3)  with  FITC  tag,  with  or  without  ASV  (200  μg/kg)  was  injected  (ip.)  30  minutes  prior  to  transcardial  perfusion  and  brain  fixation.  Sections  throughout  the  brain  were  processed  using  immunohistochemistry  and  imaged  with  confocal  microscopy.   Sections  were  analyzed  for  nanoparticle  association  with  neurons  (NeuN),  with  CRF2  receptors,  and  with  iron-­‐related  proteins  such  as  ferritin  and  transferrin.   Results  suggest  systemically-­‐administered  nanoparticle  with  ASV  associates  with  neurons,  including  those  that  express  CRF2  receptors.   To  determine  the  anxiolytic  effect  of  ASV  delivered  as  nanoparticle  cargo,  rats  were  pretreated  with  either  amphetamine  (2.5  mg/kg)  or  saline  and  underwent  two  weeks  withdrawal,  which  has  been  shown  to  increase  anxiety-­‐like  behaviors.  Rats  were  either  treated  with  nanoparticle+ASV  (87.7  μg  /kg  Fe2O3;  200  μg/kg  ASV,  ip.)  or  nanoparticle+vehicle  30  mins  prior  to  testing  on  the  elevated  plus  maze  (EPM).  Results  thus  far  suggest  that  ASV  delivered  by  nanoparticles  reduces  anxiety-­‐like  behaviors.  Overall,  the  findings  demonstrate  a  novel  approach  to  drug  delivery  across  the  BBB  and  provide  insight  as  to  the  neural  distribution  and  efficacy  of  drug  treatments  delivered  via  nanotechnology.   Support:   USD  Nelson  Faculty  Research  Grant  to  GF  and  RK;  NIH  RO1  DA019921  to  GF;  USD  UDiscover  undergraduate  research  fellowship  to  NV.      54  77.1  Zahra  Melendez  Steven  Threlkeld   Effects  of  early  working  memory  experience  on  neuronal  morphology  within  the  prefrontal  cortex  of  rats  with  neonatal  hypoxia-­‐ischemia  Z.M.  MELENDEZ,  K.M.  MELENDEZ,  C.M.  GAUDET,  S.W.  THRELKELD  Rhode  Island  College   Hypoxia-­‐ischemia  (HI)  is  low  oxygenation  to  the  brain  paired  with  low  blood  supply  that  can  disrupt  normal  patterns  of  brain  development.  HI  injury  is  characterized  by  many  long-­‐term  cognitive  and  behavioral  deficits  including  working  memory.  Neuronal  plasticity  do  to  early  sensory  or  learning  experience  has  been  suggested  to  facilitate  recovery  of  function  after  neonatal  brain  injury.  Plasticity  is  the  ability  for  the  nerves  system,  more  specifically  neurons,  and  their  synapses  to  modify  their  function  and  morphology  due  to  experiences,  which  in  turn  correlate  with  changes  in  behavior.  The  objective  of  the  present  study  was  to  investigate  the  effects  of  neonatal  hypoxia-­‐ischemia  on  the  morphology  of  layer  five  pyramidal  neurons  within  the  prefrontal  cortex  (Cg3)  of  rats  with  or  without  early  life  working  memory  experience  (postnatal  day  36-­‐61).  We  hypothesized  that  both  HI  and  sham  subjects  exposed  to  20  days  of  working  memory  training,  using  an  8-­‐arm  radial  water  maze,  early  in  life  would  show  distinct  morphological  changes  in  Cg3  pyramidal  neurons.  Findings  suggest  that  early  life  working  memory  training  regulates  shifts  in  neuronal  morphology  following  neonatal  brain  injury.     This  work  was  funded  by  the  Eunice  Kennedy  Shriver  National  Institute  of  Child  Health  &  Human  Development  of  the  National  Institutes  of  Health  under  grant  #R15HD077544.    77.2  Keyshla  Melendez  Steven  Threlkeld   Assessment  of  neuronal  morphology  in  the  striatum  of  rats  following  neonatal  hypoxic-­‐
ischemic  injury  and  early  life  working  memory  experience  K.M.  MELENDEZ,  C.M.  GUADET,  Z.M.  MELENDEZ,  S.W.  THRELKELD  Rhode  Island  College   Low  blood  oxygenation  and  reduced  flow  (hypoxia-­‐ischemia  (HI)  respectively)  to  the  developing  brain  leads  to  long-­‐term  behavioral  deficits  including  impairments  in  working  memory.  Currently,  limited  treatment  options  are  available  for  infants  at  risk  for  HI  injury.  However,  research  suggests  that  early  life  experience  (e.g.,  complex  housing,  auditory  stimulation)  presented  during  critical  developmental  windows  can  lead  to  the  reorganization  of  some  systems  in  the  brain  improving  recovery  of  function  following  neonatal  brain  injury  in  rats.  The  current  study  sought  to  investigate  the  influence  of  early  life  (Postlatal  day  (P)  36-­‐61)  working  memory  experience  on  plasticity  of  medium  spiny  neurons  in  the  striatum.   Effects  of  HI  injury  on  medium  spiny  projection  neurons  of  the  striatum  have  not  been  studied  in  depth  and  little  information  in  known  regarding  the  effects  HI  injury  on  this  central  brain  structure.  Based  on  work  suggesting  the  involvement  of  a  cortical-­‐striatal-­‐hippocampal  circuit  in  working  memory,  we  hypothesized  that  early  life  working  memory  experience  would  result  in  morphological  changes  of  medium  spiny  neurons  in  rats  with  and  without  neonatal  brain  injury.  Medium  Spiny  neuron  morphology  was  assessed  and  dendritic  length  and  other  features  denoting  branch  complexity  were  analyzed.  Results  suggest  that  the  striatum  is  affected  by  neonatal  HI  injury  and  that  early  experience  may  lead  to  morphological  changes  in  medium  spiny  neurons.  This  research  was  supported  by  the  Eunice  Kennedy  Shriver  National  Institute  of  Child  Health  &  Human  Development  of  the  National  Institutes  of  Health  under  grant  #R15HD077544.      55  78  Sana  Sajjad  Bruce  Gray   Free  radicals  and  cell  survival  in  models  of  neurodegenerative  disease  S.  SAJJAD,  C.A.  COUGHLIN  Simmons  College   Beta-­‐amyloid  is  a  protein  associated  with  both  Alzheimer’s  disease  and  glaucoma  as  the  protein  forms  insoluble  oligomers  and  plaques  in  nervous  and  retinal  tissue,  leading  to  cell  death.  Previous  work  in  the  Gray  lab  has  supported  the  hypothesis  that  beta-­‐amyloid  also  has  a  non-­‐pathological  function  as  it  plays  a  role  in  modulating  cholinergic  transmission.  Beta-­‐amyloid  (Ab)  functions  as  a  neuromodulator  through  a  second  messenger  pathway  involving  nitric  oxide  (NO),  cGMP  and  the  activation  of  PKG.   To  investigate  the  connection  between  the  pathological  role  of  beta-­‐amyloid  leading  to  cell  death  and  this  pathway,  embryonic  avian  retinal  cultures  were  analyzed  for  survival  over  time  in  culture  using  a  neutral  red  assay.   Control  primary  cultures  of  14  day  chick  retinal  cells  did  not  significantly  differ  from  those  with  added  NO  (co-­‐incubation  with  a  nitric  oxide  donor)  unless  1uM  diethyl,dithiocarbamate  (DDC)  an  inhibitor  of  superoxide  dismutase  (SOD)  was  added.   SOD  is  an  enzyme  that  quenches  free  radicals.   This  implies  that  any  free  radical  formation  by  NO  or  Ab  is  normally  rendered  harmless  (over  this  time  period)  by  SOD  in  healthy  cells.   The  decreased  survival  of  DDC  and  NOD-­‐treated  retinal  cells  was  reversed  by  co-­‐incubation  with  5-­‐amino  salicylate  (5-­‐AS),  a  specific  inhibitor  of  peroxynitrite  formation.    Previous  work  has  shown  that  5-­‐AS  does  not  reverse  effects  of  Beta  Amyloid  or  NODs  on  transmitter  release.   This  implies  that  peroxynitrite  formation  may  factor  only  in  a  pathway  leading  to  pathology  and  cell  death.   Supported  by  Simmons  SURE  (Simmons  Undergraduate  Research  Experience)  program  to  CC,  SS  and  a  SURPASs  (Summer  Undergraduate  Research  Program  At  Simmons)  to  SS.  Email:  sajjad@simmons.edu  79    Subrina  Bisnauth  David  Ruskin   Ketogenic  diets  improve  behavior  in  the  EL  mouse  model  of  autism  S.  BISNAUTH,  S.L.  SLADE  Trinity  College   The  ketogenic  diet  (KD)  is  a  high  fat,  very  low  carbohydrate  metabolic  therapy  that  has  been  shown  to  significantly  reduce  seizures  in  persons  with  epilepsy  which  is  often  comorbid  with  autism.  We  previously  showed  that  a  strict  KD  improves  symptoms  in  the  BTBR  mouse  model  of  autism.  KD  feeding  has  been  showed  to  reduce  seizures  in  the  EL  mouse  model  of  epilepsy  co-­‐morbid  with  autism.  Here  we  examine  KD  feeding  effects  on  autistic  symptoms  in  EL  mice.  EL  mice  of  both  sexes  were  fed  moderate  or  strict  KDs  (or  control  chow)  ad  libitum  from  5  weeks  of  age.  At  8  weeks  of  age,  behavioral  testing  began.  EL  mice  on  control  chow  were  not  significantly  social  in  the  3-­‐chamber  test;  however,  female  mice  fed  either  KD  became  significantly  social.  Female  EL  mice  on  control  chow  had  abnormally  high  levels  of  self-­‐directed  repetitive  behavior  (grooming),  which  was  lowered  by  both  KDs.  No  behaviors  of  male  EL  mice  were  improved  by  KD  feeding.  The  strict  KD  reduced  growth  and  blood  glucose  and  elevated  blood  ketones  in  females,  while  only  elevating  blood  ketones  in  males.  The  mild  KD  increased  body  weight  and  blood  ketones,  but  did  not  change  blood  glucose  in  females.  KD-­‐related  behavioral  improvements  are  therefore  not  dependent  on  caloric  restriction  or  on  lowered  blood  glucose;  elevated  blood  ketones  might  be  necessary  but  not  sufficient.  These  data  add  to  the  growing  literature  that  KDs  could  be  a  valuable  treatment  for  humans  with  autism.  Email:  subrina.bisnauth@trincoll.edu      56  80.1  Nick  Toker  Sara  Lagalwar   Propagation  of  mutant  ataxin-­‐1  protein  in  an  SCA-­‐1  cell  culture  model  N.  TOKER,  M.  MOOG,  S.  LAGALWAR  Skidmore  College   Spinocerebellar  Ataxia  Type-­‐1  (SCA1)  is  a  neurodegenerative  disease  characterized  by  loss  of  Purkinje  neurons  of  the  cerebellum,  and  produces  a  variety  of  symptoms  including  the  adoption  of  an  ataxic  gait.  Affected  cells  accumulate  aggregates  of  the  protein  Ataxin-­‐1.  These  aggregates  remain  localized  intracellularly,  although  evidence  in  other  neurodegenerative  disease  fields  is  beginning  to  emerge  that  protein  aggregates  can  propagate  from  cell  to  cell.  Preliminary  experiments  using  a  cerebellar  cell  line  transfected  with  RFP-­‐tagged  mutant  Ataxin-­‐1  support  this  conclusion,  indicating  that  Ataxin-­‐1  aggregates  are  capable  of  leaving  the  nucleus  and  potentially  translocating  the  plasma  membrane.  Future  experiments  will  further  characterize  the  mechanism  behind  the  aggregate  propagation  and  determine  the  role  of  protein  aggregate  propagation  in  disease  pathogenesis.  Email:  ntoker@skidmore.edu    80.2  Austin  Ferro  Sara  Lagalwar   Mitochondrial  OXPHOS  dysfunction  and  treatment  in  spinocerebellar  Ataxia  Type  1  A.  FERRO,  J.  ZHANG,  E.  CARBONE,  S.  LAGALWAR  Skidmore  College   Spinocerebellar  Ataxia  Type  1  (SCA1)  is  a  debilitating  neurodegenerative  disease  caused  by  an  abnormally  expanded  polyglutamine  tract  (PolyQ)  within  the  ataxin-­‐1  gene.  While  extensive  work  over  the  last  two  decades  has  illuminated  many  of  the  mechanisms  involved  in  disease  progression,  treatment  remains  elusive.   We  posit  that  mitochondrial  deficits  may  exacerbate  disease  progression,  and  therefore  treatment  aimed  at  alleviating  these  deficits  may  have  potential  to  slow  disease  progress.   Multiple  neurodegenerative  disorders  including  Alzheimer's,  Parkinson's  and  Huntington's  disease  have  been  linked  to  compromised  oxidative  phosphorylation  (OXPHOS)  function  within  complex  I  of  the  mitochondrial  electron  transport  chain,  increasing  reactive  oxygen  species  (ROS)  which  has  long  been  associated  with  neurodegenerative  disorders.  Due  to  SCA1’s  selective  neurodegeneration  of  high  energy  demand  Purkinje  cells  and  the  correlation  of  neurodegeneration  with  complex  I  dysfunction,  the  mitochondria  represent  potential  therapeutic  targets.    Our  experiment  aims  to  bypass  complex  I  in  a  SCA1  transgenic  mouse  model  using  a  complex  II  (succinate  ubiquinone  oxidoreductase)  electron  donor,  succinic  acid  (SA).  Through  chronic  treatment  with  SA,  we  expect  to  see  improved  behavior  and  pathology  compared  to  non-­‐treated  mice.  This  expected  attenuation  of  disease  progression  will  be  assessed  through  motor  and  balance  behavioral  paradigms  such  as  the  rotarod  and  footprint  analysis,  and  immunofluorescent  analysis  of  Purkinje  dendritic  length  and  Purkinje  mitochondrial  distribution.  This  study  intends  to  exhibit  mitochondria  as  a  therapeutic  target  for  neurodegenerative  disease  as  means  of  slowing  disease  progression  and  therefore  improving  the  quality  of  life  for  persons  with  neurodegenerative  diseases.  Email:  aferro@skidmore.edu  81    Kelly  Hewes  Kimberley  A.  Phillips   Exploring  cognitive  dysfunction  in  the  marmoset  EAE  model  K.  HEWES,  K.A.  PHILLIPS  Trinity  University   57  We  conducted  a  pilot  study  to  investigate  the  effect  of  exercise  on  cognitive  dysfunction  in  an  animal  model  of  multiple  sclerosis  (MS).  Twelve  common  marmosets  (Callithrix  jacchus)  were  randomly  assigned  such  that  eight  were  injected  with  MOG34-­‐56  to  induce  EAE  and  four  were  injected  with  a  placebo.  Observational  health  assessments  were  taken  of  subjects  daily  to  monitor  for  symptom  progression  and  euthanasia  criteria.  Maximum  duration  of  experimentation  for  each  subject  was  10  weeks.  Of  the  subjects,  six  (two  control  and  four  MOG)  received  30  minutes  of  moderate  aerobic  exercise  three  times  weekly  via  a  monitored  treadmill.  To  assess  changes  in  working  memory,  subjects  were  also  tested  on  a  radial  arm  maze  once  weekly  during  the  duration  of  the  experiment.  Biological  changes  will  be  analyzed  to  assess  brain  derived  neurotropic  factor  and  glial  fibrillary  acidic  protein  using  blood  serum  samples  collected  at  several  timepoints  during  the  experiment.  Brain  tissue  will  be  harvested;  one  hemisphere  will  be  used  for  histological  analysis  and  the  other  hemisphere  frozen  at  -­‐80°  C  for  conducting  Western  Blots.   Additionally,  spleen  and  lymph  tissues  will  be  collected  for  immunological  analysis.  82    Natalie  Fettinger  James  R.  Moyer   Effect  of  intrahippocampal  infusion  of  Apoaequorin  on  cytokine  protein  expression  N.B.  FETTINGER,  S.C.  MICHELS,  E.  L.  ADAMS,  ,  V.L.  EHLERS,  J.R.  MOYER,  JR.  University  of  Wisconsin-­‐Milwaukee   Stroke  is  one  of  the  leading  causes  of  death  and  disability  in  the  United  States,  costing  the  country  $312.6  billion  each  year  (Go  et  al.,  2013).  During  an  ischemic  insult,  brain  cells  are  deprived  of  oxygen  and  glucose,  which  leads  to  excessive  depolarization  and  calcium  (Ca2+)  influx,  and  in  turn,  activation  of  cell  death  cascades  and  eventual  cell  death.  Endogenous  Ca2+-­‐binding  proteins  (CaBPs)  limit  ischemic  damage  by  buffering  excess  Ca2+.  Apoaequorin  (AQ)  is  a  Ca2+-­‐binding  photoprotein  found  in  the  jellyfish  Aequorea  victoria.  In  previous  experiments,  our  lab  has  shown  that  a  single  intrahippocampal  infusion  of  AQ  24  and  48  hours  prior  in  vitro  ischemic  insult  significantly  reduces  cell  death  (Detert  et  al.,  2013).  It  has  also  been  found  that  there  are  concurrent  changes  in  cytokine  mRNA  after  AQ  infusion,  including  interleukin-­‐10  (IL-­‐10)  and  tumor  necrosis  factor-­‐alpha  (TNF-­‐α;  Detert  et  al.,  2013).  These  data  indicate  that  AQ’s  neuroprotective  mechanism  may  involve  modulation  of  certain  anti-­‐  and  pro-­‐inflammatory  molecules,  possibly  involving  a  preconditioning-­‐like  effect.  The  current  study  was  designed  to  further  investigate  whether  cytokine  protein  expression  also  changes  in  a  time-­‐dependent  manner  after  an  intrahippocampal  infusion  of  AQ.  By  focusing  on  possible  changes  in  protein  levels,  we  hope  to  gain  a  better  understanding  of  the  extent  to  which  AQ  modulates  various  cytokines  and  ultimately  understand  the  mechanism  by  which  AQ  protects  neurons  from  oxygen-­‐glucose  deprivation.     Grant/Other  Support:  CalciGenix  83    Kyle  Minnick  Carlita  Favero   Effects  of  moderate  prenatal  alcohol  exposure  on  cells  of  the  ventral  telencephalon  K.  MINNICK,  T.  OLAFUNMILOYE,  S.  WHITE,  B.  HENSTENBURG,  C.  FAVERO  Ursinus  College   Individuals  affected  by  Fetal  Alcohol  Spectrum  Disorder  (F  ASD)experience  limited  development  of  the  central  nervous  system,  specifically  in  higher  brain  function.   Thalamocortical  axons  (TCAs)  connect  the  thalamus  and  the  cortex  of  the  brain  and  are  involved  in  our  ability  to  sense  and  perceive  and  respond  to  everything  that  is  going  on  around  us.  For  these  axons  to  form  correctly,  they  are  guided  through  the  ventral  telencephalon  by  corridor  cells.   Previous  studies  show  that  cells  similar  to  corridor  cells  are  affected  by  prenatal  ethanol  exposure  (Zhou  et  al.  2005),  so  we  are  interested  in  studying  these  potential  effects  and  how  they  may  later  influence  development  of  TCAs.   For  these  studies  mice  drank  either  20%  ethanol  or  tap  water  for  2  hours  a  day  from  embryonic  day  1  to  14.   We  euthanized  pregnant  females  and  removed  embryos  by  C-­‐section  on  day  14.     We  studied  these  brains  using  two  methods  of  staining,  Nissl  58  stain  and  Islet  1  and  Pax6  immunostaining.   Nissl  staining  allowed  us  to  determine  the  approximate  region  of  the  brain  section,  while  Islet  1  transcription  factor  showed  the  cells  making  up  the  corridor.  Pax6,  a  transcription  factor,  Constrains  development  of  the  corridor.     We  saw  fewer  islet1  cells  and  more  Pax6  cells  in  the  ethanol  exposed  brains.   Though  this  is  preliminary  data,  we  hypothesize  that  there  is  likely  a  problem  with  cell  specification  or  migration  caused  by  alcohol  exposure.  Email:  kyminnick@ursinus.edu  84    Alexander  Ordoobadi  Josef  G.  Trapani   Hair  cell  encoding  of  intensity  in  the  zebrafish  lateral  line  A.J.  ORDOOBADI,  R.  AZIZ-­‐BOSE,  J.G.  TRAPANI  Amherst  College   Hair  cells,  the  sensory  receptor  of  the  auditory  and  vestibular  systems,  quickly  and  precisely  encode  various  properties  of  mechanical  stimuli,  including  intensity  and  frequency,  into  trains  of  action  potentials  (spikes)  in  afferent  neurons.  While  much  is  known  about  the  mechanisms  of  hair  cell  encoding,  there  are  still  many  unanswered  questions  related  to  how  hair  cells  encode  stimulus  intensity.  Here,  we  used  an  in  vivo  larval  zebrafish  preparation  to  study  how  hair  cells  encode  the  intensity  of  mechanical  stimuli.  Briefly,  a  waterjet  was  used  to  mechanically  stimulate  the  lateral  line  hair  cells  of  a  larval  zebrafish,  and  the  resulting  trains  of  action  potentials  were  recorded  from  the  cell  body  of  an  innervated  afferent  neuron.  By  varying  waterjet  pressure,  we  found  that  the  latency  to  the  first  elicited  spike  (FSL)  decreased  as  stimulus  intensity  was  increased.  In  addition,  with  repeated  stimulation,  the  variability  in  the  time  to  the  first  spike  decreased  with  increasing  stimulus  intensity.  FSL  is  an  important  encoding  scheme  because  it  provides  a  rapid  means  of  conveying  information  about  a  stimulus,  but  it  can  only  be  accurately  interpreted  as  a  feature  of  encoding  if  there  is  high  fidelity  in  the  first  spike  times.   To  further  elucidate  how  hair  cells  encode  intensity,  we  used  a  transgenic  line  of  zebrafish  that  express  Channelrhodopsin-­‐2  (ChR2),  a  light-­‐gated  ion  channel,  in  hair  cells  of  the  ear  and  lateral  line.  Using  this  transgenic  line,  we  depolarized  hair  cells  with  light,  bypassing  the  hair  cell’s  mechanotransduction  (MET)  channel.  Interestingly,  hair  cells  stimulated  with  light  also  showed  a  decrease  in  FSL  with  increasing  light  intensity,  indicating  that  the  MET  channel  is  not  essential  for  the  encoding  of  intensity  by  FSL.  However,  preliminary  results  suggest  that  the  fidelity  of  FSL  during  repeated  stimulation  with  light  was  not  as  robust  as  with  mechanical  stimulation.  Together,  these  results  suggest  that  hair  cells  in  the  zebrafish  lateral  line  encode  stimulus  intensity  in  the  timing  of  the  first  action  potential  elicited  in  the  afferent  neuron.  Email:  aordoobadi15@amherst.edu  85    Sally  Curtiss  Sarah  Blythe   The  effects  of  diet-­‐induced  obesity  and  gender  on  the  morphology  of  hippocampal  neurons  S.  CURTISS,  C.  GLASS-­‐WALLEY,  N.GUNAWANSA,  M.  KNABE,  S.  MARWITZ,  K.  SARFERT,  L.WOODIE,  S.  BLYTHE  Washington  &  Lee  University   Throughout  the  United  States  more  than  one-­‐third  of  adults  are  obese.  Obesity  is  associated  with  a  number  of  serious  health  problems  including  heart  disease,  insulin  insensitivity,  hyperlipidemia,  and  certain  types  of  cancer.  Moreover,  recent  studies  have  shown  that  the  intake  of  diets  high  in  fat,  sucrose,  and  fructose,  can  lead  to  cognitive  impairments.  Researchers  have  also  found  that  estrogen  has  major  neuroprotective  benefits.  Estrogen  has  been  seen  as  a  beneficial  treatment  to  reduce  the  risk  of  Alzheimer’s  disease,  reducing  the  risk  of  about  29-­‐44%.  But,  estrogen  has  not  shown  any  difference  in  ameliorating  the  decline  of  cognitive  function  in  women  already  diagnosed  with  Alzheimer’s  disease.  To  59  study  the  effects  of  estrogen  protection  in  an  obese  rat  model,  male  (n=14)  and  female  (n=20)  Sprague-­‐
Dawley  rats  were  placed  on  either  a  western-­‐style  or  control  diet  for  10  weeks.  All  female  rats  were  ovariectomized  (OVX),  and  half  were  given  subcutaneous  17  β-­‐Estradiol  pellets  to  provide  a  low,  constant  level  of  estrogen.   The  Western-­‐style  diet  was  high  in  fat  and  processed  sugars  and  more  calorically  dense  than  a  typical  control  chow.   Rats  were  then  deeply  anesthetized  and  transcardially  perfused  with  saline.  Some  brains  (n=22)  were  removed  and  placed  into  Golgi-­‐Cox  solution  for  two  weeks.  The  tissue  was  then  section  and  stained  to  reveal  dark  black  cells.  Candidate  neurons  were  identified  in  the  CA1  region  and  the  dentate  gyrus,  and  then  imaged  using  confocal  microscopy.  The  cells  were  then  reconstructed  in  Neuromantic,  an  open  source  neuron  reconstruction  tool.  The  neurons  will  be  evaluated  for  branch  length,  number  of  dendritic  branches,  spine  density,  and  overall  dendritic  morphology.  The  remaining  brains  (n=12)  were  maintained  in  paraformaldehyde  and  were  later  sectioned  and  stained  for  GFAP  and  Doublecortin  in  order  to  assess  glial  proliferation  and  neuronal  precursor  cells.  Statistical  analysis  was  performed  between  dietary  and  hormonal  groups.  We  found  that  neurons  in  the  CA1  region  of  the  hippocampus  had  significantly  greater  branch  points  and  terminal  tips  in  male  rats  in  comparison  to  both  OVX  and  OVX+E  females.  Because  of  the  difference  observed  in  the  CA1  pyramidal  cells  but  not  in  the  Dentate  Gyrus  cells  we  believe  there  is  an  issue  of  access  of  memories  rather  than  an  issue  of  actually  making  memories.  Email:  curtisss16@mail.wlu.edu  86    Melina  Knabe  Sarah  Blythe   Cafeteria-­‐style  diet  impairs  memory  and  increases  risk  of  metabolic  syndrome  M.  KNABE,  K.  SARFERT,  S.  CURTISS,  C.  GLASS-­‐WALLEY,  S.  MARWITZ  Washington  &  Lee  University   Increasing  evidence  suggests  that  excess  energy  intake  and  obesity  are  associated  with  cognitive  dysfunction  (F.  Berrino,  2002;  Kanoski  and  Davidson,  2011).   Indeed,  prolonged  exposure  to  diets  high  in  saturated  fat  and  simple  sugars  contributes  to  the  development  of  neurological  disorders  such  as  Alzheimer’s  disease  and  ADHD  (Miller  et  al.,  2014;  Waring  and  Lapane,  2008).   In  order  to  study  the  effect  of  diet-­‐induced  obesity  on  physiology  and  behavior,  multiple  diet  models  exist.  Although  the  high  fat/high  carbohydrate  Western-­‐style  diet  is  often  used  to  study  diet-­‐induced  cognitive  impairment,  we  believe  the  cafeteria-­‐style  diet  (CSD)  more  accurately  represents  the  varied  and  energy-­‐dense  diet  that  contributes  to  hyperphagia  and  obesity  in  humans.  The  CSD  is  low  in  fiber  and  nutritive  value,  and  it  also  offers  a  range  of  flavors  and  textures,  which  increases  its  hedonic  appeal.  Therefore,  the  aim  of  this  study  was  to  investigate  the  physiological  and  behavioral  effects  of  the  consumption  of  a  CSD  on  juvenile  rats.   In  the  present  study,  22  male  Sprague-­‐Dawley  rats  were  divided  into  control  (n=11)  and  CSD  (n=11)  groups  at  weaning.  Diet  exposure  continued  for  10  weeks,  during  which  all  animals  were  given  ad  libitum  access  to  standard  rat  chow  and  water.  The  CSD  animals  were  simultaneously  offered  energy-­‐dense  foods  in  the  form  of  two  alternating  diets.   These  diets  included  various  cookies,  chips,  processed  meats,  and  sweetened  drinks.   During  weeks  eight  and  nine  of  diet  exposure,  the  rats  were  subjected  to  Novel  Object  Recognition,  Novel  Place,  Novel  Context,  and  Morris  Water  Maze  tasks  to  assess  various  forms  of  memory,  as  well  as  an  open  field  task  to  assess  locomotor  behavior.   Following  sacrifice,  fat  pads,  livers,  aortas,  and  brains  were  excised  for  post-­‐mortem  studies.   We  did  not  see  the  expected  bifurcation  in  weight  gain  between  control  and  CSD  groups;  however,  CSD  rats  had  significantly  higher  abdominal  and  gonadal  fat  pad  weight  than  the  control  rats  (Student’s  t-­‐test,  p<0.05).   There  were  no  signs  of  the  development  of  non-­‐alcoholic  fatty  liver  disease,  although  the  percentage  of  total  aorta  area  composed  of  lipids  was  slightly  elevated  in  CSD  rats.   Our  study  also  demonstrated  that  rats  fed  a  cafeteria-­‐style  diet  had  compromised  spatial  and  episodic  memory,  as  indicated  by  Morris  Water  Maze  and  Novel  Object  Recognition  tasks  (Student’s  t-­‐test,  p<0.05),  but  they  did  not  exhibit  hyperactive  behavior.   These  data  suggest  that  prolonged  exposure  to  an  energy-­‐dense  CSD  leads  to  memory  impairment  and  the  replacement  of  lean  muscle  with  abdominal  fat.   These  two  effects  may  contribute  to  the  development  of  metabolic  syndrome  and  neurological  disorders.     This  work  was  supported  by  the  following  sources:  60  Virginia  Academy  of  Sciences  Undergraduate  Research  Award,  Summer  Research  Scholar  Program,  Lenfest  Faculty  grant,  and  W&L  HHMI  Training  Program.  Email:  knabem17@mail.wlu.edu  87    Varun  Wadia  Richmond  Thompson   The  role  of  ultraviolet  reflectance  in  female  mate  choice  in  goldfish  V.  WADIA,  E.  KIM,  C.  ANDERSEN,  J.  GOMEZ,  D.  GONZALES,  R.  THOMPSON  Bowdoin  College   The  recent  discovery  that  steroid  hormones  have  rapid  effects  on  responses  to  visual  stimuli  in  goldfish,  Carassius  auratus,  has  led  to  a  number  of  studies  attempting  to  find  the  mechanism  of  these  rapid  effects.  It  is  thought  that  the  hormones  may  be  modifying  visual  processing  in  the  fish  to  enhance  behavioural  responses  to  these  cues.   The  focus  of  this  study  was  therefore  to  determine  which  visual  cues  are  important  to  the  fish  in  their  sexual  interactions.   Goldfish  do  not  have  sexually  dimorphic  reflectance  patterns  in  the  visible  range,  but  they  can  detect  ultraviolet  (UV)  wavelengths  with  a  cone  type  that  is  maximally  responsive  to  356  nm,  suggesting  sexually  dimorphic  UV  reflectance  could  be  used  during  sexual  interactions  in  this  species.  To  test  this,  we  performed  behavioural  approach  experiments  in  varying  intensities  of  full-­‐spectrum  light  in  which  females  were  given  a  choice  between  two  males,  one  from  which  the  reflected  UV  light  was  blocked  by  a  Plexiglas  barrier  and  one  from  which  UV  wavelengths  could  pass  through  a  special  UVT  Plexiglas  barrier.   Olfactory  cues  were  blocked  by  both  barriers.   Females  spent  significantly  more  time  near  males  behind  barriers  that  allowed  UV  transmission  than  near  males  behind  barriers  that  did  not,  but  only  in  tests  in  which  females  were  treated  with  a  hormone  that  induces  receptivity  and  only  if  a  male  pheromone  (androstenone)  was  also  added  to  the  water.   These  results  suggest  that  UV  reflectance  patterns  may  be  an  important  visual  cue  for  female  mate  choice  in  this  species.     Funding  sources:  National  Center  for  Research  Resources  (5P20RR016463-­‐12)  and  the  National  Institute  of  General  Medical  Sciences  (8  P20  GM103423-­‐12)  from  the  National  Institutes  of  Health,  NASA.  Email:  vwadia@bowdoin.edu  88    Emily  Sewell  David  M.  Hollis   Effect  of  CSPG  inhibitory  peptides  on  dorsal  root  ganglion  neurite  growth  E.C.  SEWELL,  Y.  OTAKE  Furman  University   Chondroitin  sulfate  proteoglycans  (CSPGs)  are  a  family  of  extracellular  matrix  molecules  that  play  a  key  role  in  neuronal  development  and  glial  scar  formation.  They  are  highly  upregulated  after  CNS  injuries  in  the  glial  scar  and  they  mediate  neuronal  growth  suppression.  In  previous  studies,  the  drug  Chondroitinase  ABC  has  been  found  to  inhibit  CSPG  function;  however,  it  cannot  cross  the  blood-­‐brain  barrier  and  has  a  short  period  of  enzymatic  activity.  In  this  study,  we  identified  inhibitory  peptides  (CDPs)  to  overcome  inhibition  by  CSPGs  to  facilitate  CNS  axon  regeneration  more  efficiently.  CDP  peptides  enhanced  DRG  neurite  outgrowth  on  aggrecan  spots  in  vitro.  Specifically,  CDP  peptides  2,3,4,6,7,8,  and  9  were  able  to  attenuate  CSPG  activity  and  promote  axonal  growth.  Identification  of  CDP  peptides  as  novel  CSPG  inhibitors  should  facilitate  the  development  of  an  applicable  drug  to  promote  axonal  regeneration.      Research  Support:    Furman  Advantage    Shriners  Pediatric  Neural  Rehabilitation  Center  Email:  emily.sewell@furman.edu      61  89  Madeleine  Searles  Jeffrey  S.  Smith   Does  acutely  placed  embryonic  neural  stem  cell  therapy  induce  restoration  of  function  following  cortical  contusion  impact  in  adult  rats  reared  in  an  enriched  environment?  M.A.  SEARLES,  I.J.  HIATT,  K.A.  MEERSCHAERT,  J.S.  SMITH  The  Brain  Research  Laboratory,  Saginaw  Valley  State  University   Traumatic  brain  injury  (TBI)  is  among  one  of  the  leading  causes  of  disability  and  mortality.  Each  year  approximately  1.7  million  individuals  sustain  a  TBI.  Currently,  no  effective  clinical  treatments  exist  to  combat  functional  and  cognitive  deficits  incurred  from  TBI.  Recent  research  has  shown  that  enriched  environments  (EE)  aid  in  functional  recovery  following  TBI.  Embryonic  neural  stem  cells  (eNSC)  express  neuronal  characteristics  and  have  been  shown  to  survive,  migrate  after  transplantation,  and  improve  recovery  after  functional  loss.  Furthermore,  recent  data  from  our  lab  has  shown  that  combining  EE  and  eNSC  therapy  improves  recovery  from  TBI  and  appears  to  increase  the  survival  rate  of  eNSCs.  The  purpose  of  the  current  study  was  to  examine  the  influence  that  acute  transplantation  of  eNSCs,  post-­‐
injury,  may  have  on  eNSC  survival,  neuroplasticity,  and  overall  functional  recovery  following  a  MFC  contusion  in  rats  reared  in  an  EE.   Thirty,  twenty-­‐five  day-­‐old  male  Long-­‐Evans  rat  pups  were  reared  in  EE  housing.  After  ninety  days  in  the  EE,  twenty  animals  received  a  contusion  injury  to  the  MFC.  Seven  days  post-­‐injury,  half  of  the  injured  animals  were  transplanted  with  ~100,000  eNSCs  in  two  locations  near  the  lesion.  Behavioral  analysis  was  conducted  using  the  open  field  task  (OFT),  Barnes  maze  (BM),  Morris  water  maze  (MWM),  rotor-­‐rod  (RR),  elevated-­‐plus  maze  (EPM),  and  the  forced-­‐swim  task  (FST).  Following  behavioral  testing  the  animals  were  euthanized,  perfused,  their  brains  extracted,  and  the  tissue  was  imbedded  in  paraffin,  sectioned,  and  underwent  hematoxylin  and  eosin  staining.  Stereological  analysis  was  performed  to  quantify  number  of  surviving  cells  and  total  cortical  volume.  The  data  suggests  that  injured  animals  who  received  eNSCs  performed  better  during  the  MWM  task,  when  compared  to  injured  animals  who  did  not  receive  eNSCs.  For  the  RR  task,  the  data  shows  no  differences  between  the  treated  and  non-­‐treated  injured  groups,  though  both  were  significantly  impaired  when  compared  to  intact  controls.  The  current  data  suggest  that  timing  of  placement  into  the  enriched  environment  may  affect  the  performance  of  eNSC  therapy  and  should  be  explored  further.  Email:  masearle@svsu.edu  90    Jacob  Dunkerson  Jeffrey  S.  Smith   Does  chronically  placed  embryonic  neural  stem  cell  therapy  induce  restoration  of  function  following  cortical  contusion  impact  in  adult  rats  reared  in  an  enriched  environment?  J.A  .  DUNKERSON,  M.A.  SEARLES,  D.A.  FOSTER,  K.M.  LIZYNESS,  N.P.  TAUSCH,  J.L.  WALKER,  J.S.  SMITH  The  Brain  Research  Laboratory,  Saginaw  Valley  State  University,  University  Center,  Michigan   Despite  advances  towards  potential  clinically  viable  therapies  there  has  been  only  limited  success  in  improving  functional  recovery  following  traumatic  brain  injury  (TBI).  Exposure  to  an  enriched  environment  (EE)  improves  memory,  learning,  and  motor  skill  development  in  both  intact  and  injured  animals.  Embryonic  neural  stem  cells  (eNSCs)  have  been  shown  to  survive  transplantation  and  influence  acute  functional  recovery  in  various  models  of  acute  TBI.  Though  the  combined  therapies  have  improved  acute  recovery,  they  have  not  been  tested  as  a  therapy  for  the  chronic  symptoms  of  TBI.  Based  on  the  current  evidence  it  is  hypothesized  that  transplantation  of  eNSCs  42  days  following  a  medial  frontal  cortex  (mFC)  controlled  cortical  impact  (CCI)  injury  will  significantly  improve  functional  recovery.   The  subjects  of  the  study  were  thirty  adult  male  Long-­‐Evans  rats,  which  were  raised  in  an  EE  from  post-­‐natal  day  25  to  adulthood.  At  approximately  90  days  of  age,  20  adult  male  rats  were  randomly  selected  to  receive  a  midline  mFC  cortical  contusion  impact  (CCI)  injury.  The  injured  rats  were  individually  housed  in  a  62  standard  environment  (SE)  for  seven  days  before  being  randomly  reassigned  back  into  an  EE.  At  42  days  post-­‐injury  10  injured  rats  were  randomly  selected  to  receive  bilateral  transplantation  of  100,000  eNSCs  and  immediately  returned  to  their  EE.  Behavioral  analysis,  which  included  the  Open-­‐field  test,  Morris  water  maze  (MWM),  Rotarod  (RR),  Elevated  plus  maze,  and  Forced  swim  task,  was  conducted  over  30  days,  beginning  seven  days  post-­‐transplantation.    The  current  findings  of  the  study  suggest  that  there  were  no  significant  differences  between  the  TBI-­‐eNSC  and  TBI-­‐Untreated  groups  on  the  MWM  task  or  the  Rotorod  task,  however  both  groups  performed  significantly  worse  than  the  Intact-­‐Shams.  These  findings  indicate  that  there  is  a  therapeutic  ceiling  effect  associated  with  eNSC  therapy  on  functional  recovery.  Email:  jadunker@svsu.edu  91    Monica  Gentchev  Jennifer  Taylor   The  effect  of  beta  amyloid  positivity  on  cerebral  metabolism  in  cognitively  normal  seniors  M.K.  GENTCHEV,  A.  BOZOKI,  D.  ZHU  Michigan  State  University   Alzheimer’s  disease  has  a  complicated  pathology  that  is  associated  with  a  dramatic  cognitive  decline.  Pathological  factors  and  changes  that  are  linked  with  the  disease  include,  but  are  not  limited  to,  beta-­‐
amyloid,  apolipoprotein  E  (APOE),  and  glucose  metabolism.  Amyloid  plaques  are  distributed  throughout  the  cortex  in  Alzheimer’s  disease  (Braak  &  Braak,  1991).  These  plaques  deposit  in  the  neocortex,  entorhinal  cortex,  insular  cortex,  and  hippocampus,  respective  to  disease  progression  (Thal,  Rob,  Orantes,  &  Braak,  2002).  Apolipoprotein  E  is  a  class  of  apolipoprotein  that  is  responsible  for  transporting  lipoproteins,  fat-­‐soluble  vitamins,  and  cholesterol  throughout  circulation  (Farlow  et  al,  2004).  However,  this  transporter  has  an  allele,  APOE4  that  has  been  associated  with  Alzheimer’s  disease  (Strittmatter  et  al,  1993;  Deary  et  al,  2002).  Additionally,  the  pathology  has  been  associated  with  a  decreased  metabolism  in  the  temporo-­‐parietal  cortex.   Recent  studies  have  been  focused  on  presymptomatic  pathology.  The  goal  of  these  studies,  in  addition  to  our  own,  is  to  find  signs  of  decline  prior  to  disease  onset.  Having  a  prodromal  diagnostic  criteria  will  enable  clinicians  to  effectively  treat  patients,  when  the  resources  are  available.  Some  studies,  as  of  late,  have  looked  into  the  early  metabolic  changes  in  health  senior  subjects.  However,  results  have  contradicted  one  another  (Cohen  et  al,  2009;  Vaishnavi  et  al,  2010;  Oh  et  al,  2012;  Drzezga  et  al,  2011).  The  contradictory  outcomes  may  be  a  power  problem  due  to  low  subject  pool.  Our  study  looked  into  the  changes  that  occur  in  metabolism  with  respect  to  amyloid  deposition  and  APOE4  status.   Subject  data  was  acquired  from  the  Alzheimer’s  Disease  Neuroimaging  Initiative  (ADNI).  Magnetic  resonance  images  (MRI),  fludeoxyglucose  positron  emission  tomography  (FDG-­‐PET)  scans,  florbetapir  PET  (AV45)  standard  uptake  value  ratios  (SUV/R),  and  APOE4  status  were  acquired  for  each  subject.  MRI  and  FDG-­‐
PET  scans  were  coregistered  and  processed  to  obtain  a  SUV  for  glucose  metabolism  in  the  entorhinal  cortex,  amygdala,  hippocampus,  isthmus  cingulate,  and  medial  temporal  region  for  each  patient.  These  SUVs  were  compared  against  the  AV45  values  to  determine  a  correlation  between  glucose  metabolism  and  amyloid  deposition.  Individuals  were  then  grouped  by  APOE4  status;  the  values  were  then  further  analyzed.  Our  results  show  that  a  hypermetabolic  effect  is  present  in  individuals  who  have  higher  cerebral  amyloid  concentration,  but  only  in  consequence  of  APOE4  status.  These  conclusions  are  representative  of  the  significant  effect  that  apolipoprotein  E4  has  on  the  medial  temporal  region’s  metabolism.  Email:  gentchev@msu.edu  92    Dylan  Miller  Laura  Symonds   Shocks  and  stings:  microstimulation  of  scorpion  defensive  behavior  D.  W.  MILLER,  G.  GAGE,  A.  ROWE  Michigan  State  University  63   A  scorpions’  experience  of  the  world  is  primarily  dependent  upon  its  sense  of  touch,  much  of  which  is  localized  to  sensory  organs  on  their  legs.  Previous  studies  on  scorpions  have  indicated  that  receiving  direct  tactile  stimulation  to  their  legs  induces  a  defensive  behavior-­‐either  stinging,  or  snapping  with  their  pedipalps,  in  the  perceived  direction  of  the  stimulation,  or  movement  directly  away  from  the  perceived  stimulus.   In  this  study,  different  species  of  scorpions  had  their  defensive  responses  evoked  and  examined.   The  scorpion  surgery  includes  interfacing  implanted  wire  electrodes  with  the  leg  nerves,  which  are  then  paired  with  an  external  function  generator.   The  scorpions  received  2.5  V  of  55  Hz  AC  for  150  ms,  at  differing  legs,  and  their  resultant  behavior  relative  to  the  point  of  stimulation  was  recorded.   The  prediction  is  that  those  scorpions  with  thicker  pedipalps  will  reliably  sting  or  claw  to  the  side  the  electrical  stimulation  is  provided,  and  those  with  thinner  pedipalps.   Little  is  understood  about  scorpion  defensive  behavior  and  neurophysiology,  and  this  is  being  used  as  a  means  to  explore  both  topics.       Support  Provided  by:    Backyard  Brains.  LLC   MSU  Federal  Credit  Union  Video:  http://bcove.me/qj3elv9k  Article:  http://www.popularmechanics.com/science/health/nueroscience/the-­‐robo-­‐scorpion-­‐is-­‐coming-­‐
and-­‐no-­‐one-­‐is-­‐safe-­‐17035113?click=pm_latest  Email:  millerdy@msu.edu  93    Cort  Thompson  Laura  Symonds   Undergraduate  optogenetics  researcher  C.  H.  THOMPSON,  O.  SHAFER,  G.  GAGE  Michigan  State  University   Optogenetics  enables  the  manipulation  of  neural  activity  in  free  moving  organisms  with  millisecond  precision  by  making  modified  ion  channels  sensitive  to  a  particular  wavelength  of  light.  Unfortunately  today,  most  optogenetics  methods  are  expensive  and  out  of  reach  beyond  well  funded  institutions.  This  is  regretfully  common  within  the  field  of  neuroscience  and  most  students  aren't  exposed  to  any  neuroscience  concepts  until  graduate  education.     Making  neuroscience  methods  such  as  optogenetics  available  in  grade-­‐school  classrooms  is  important  for  introducing  students  to  the  excitement  of  neuroscience.  Neuroscience  is  a  rapidly  growing  field  and  bringing  the  most  cutting  edge  methodologies,  such  as  optogenetics,  to  the  classroom  will  play  a  role  in  expanding  the  field  of  neuroscience  in  the  future.     Using  a  red-­‐shifted  opsin  (ReaChR)  that  has  been  developed  to  allow  light  to  penetrate  through  the  exoskeleton  of  insects  and  activate  target  cells,  I  will  develop  protocol  and  experiments  using  affordable  tools  and  materials  to  observe  which  neural  pathways  are  involved  in  the  Proboscis  Extension  Response(PER).     Creating  new  tools  for  understanding  the  systems  behind  animal  behaviors  is  important  not  only  because  it  can  inspire  interest  in  neuroscience  and  encourage  critical  inquiry  in  youths,  but  to  eventually  gain  a  further  understanding  of  the  mechanisms  of  neural  substrates  similar  to  those  of  humans  via  such  animal  models.  Email:  thom1069@msu.edu  94    Amy  Pritchard  Dawn  M  Blitz   Neurohormonal  modulation  at  neuromuscular  junctions  exhibiting  distinct  plasticity  A.E.  PRITCHARD,  D.M.  BLITZ  Miami  University   Central  pattern  generator  (CPG)  circuits  produce  motor  outputs  underlying  rhythmic  behaviors  such  as  chewing  and  locomotion  in  vertebrates  and  invertebrates  (Briggman  and  Kristan  2008,  Annu  Rev  Neurosci).  Motor  neurons  relay  CPG  patterns  to  muscles  via  synapses  known  as  neuromuscular  junctions  (nmjs).  One  motor  neuron  can  synapse  onto  multiple  muscles  which  can  respond  to  the  same  motor  64  neuron  activity  differently  (Katz  et  al.  1993,  J  Neurosci).  Distinct  responses  can  be  elicited  due  to  differences  in  synaptic  plasticity  such  as  augmentation,  summation,  facilitation,  and  depression  (Zucker  and  Regehr  2002,  Annu  Rev  Physiol;  Stein  et  al.  2006,  J  Exp  Biol).  In  this  project,  we  use  the  stomatogastric  nervous  system  of  the  crab  Cancer  borealis  to  determine  if  different  muscles  innervated  by  the  same  motor  neuron  which  exhibit  distinct  amounts  of  augmentation  also  exhibit  distinct  levels  of  other  forms  of  plasticity.   Additionally,  we  test  the  hypothesis  that  a  neurohormone  with  central  actions  on  motor  neuron  activity  also  alters  motor  output  by  modulating  plasticity  at  peripheral  nmjs.     Muscles  gm5b  and  gm6ab  are  innervated  by  the  LG  motor  neuron,  a  gastric  mill  (chewing)  CPG  neuron.  These  muscles  experience  distinct  amounts  of  augmentation  in  response  to  gastric  mill-­‐like  LG  bursts  (Pritchard  and  Blitz,  unpublished).  We  now  find  that  both  muscles  also  exhibit  facilitation  analyzed  using  paired-­‐pulse  LG  stimulation  (interstimulus  intervals:  50ms-­‐10s)  and  that  similar  to  augmentation,  facilitation  was  greater  in  gm6ab  (ex:  50ms,  p=0.011;  gm5b:  n=8;  gm6ab:  n=6).   To  determine  whether  a  neurohormone  which  alters  LG  spiking  activity  (CCAP;  Kirby  and  Nusbaum  2007,  J  Neurophysiol)  also  modulates  nmj  plasticity  properties,  we  repeated  paired-­‐pulse  stimulations  in  CCAP.  Although  CCAP  increased  gm5b  EJP  amplitude  (n=8,  p=0.004),  there  was  no  difference  in  EJP  paired-­‐pulse  ratios  in  control  vs.  CCAP  in  gm5b  (n=8;  p>0.05)  or  gm6ab  (n=6;  p>0.05).  Given  the  additional  complexity  of  summation  and  augmentation  during  bursts  of  activity,  we  examined  muscle  responses  to  gastric  mill-­‐like  LG  bursts  in  saline  vs.  CCAP.  However,  unlike  saline  conditions,  EJP  bursts  in  CCAP  elicited  movements  (gm5b,  n=6;  gm6ab,  n=4)  which  hindered  quality  recordings  suggesting  a  CCAP  effect  that  we  were  unable  to  measure.  Thus,  we  next  aim  to  address  whether  CCAP  modulates  augmentation  during  bursts  and/or  modulates  contraction  mechanics  via  postsynaptic  mechanisms  using  tension  recordings  to  further  understand  the  interplay  between  synaptic  plasticity  and  hormonal  modulation  at  central  and  peripheral  sites.  Support:   NSF  IOS-­‐
1153417  (DMB)  and  Miami  University  USS  (AEP).  Email:  pritchae@miamioh.edu  95    Susan  Rus  Leslie  Kwakye   The  neural  correlates  of  multisensory  temporal  processing  in  an  audiovisual  steady-­‐
state  electroencephalogram  task.  S.  RUSS,  E.  ALIGBE,  M.  JOHNSON,  L.  KWAKYE  Oberlin  College  Neuroscience  Department   Many  studies  have  investigated  the  behavioral  consequences  and  neural  correlates  of  temporal  multisensory  processing  in  humans  as  well  as  animal  models.  Collectively,  these  studies  demonstrate  the  necessity  of  the  precise  temporal  alignment  of  multisensory  stimuli  for  multisensory  integration.  These  studies  have  also  revealed  a  fundamental  network  for  assessing  the  relative  timing  of  audiovisual  stimuli  that  includes  the  visual  cortex,  auditory  cortex,  and  superior  temporal  sulcus.  One  caveat  is  that  almost  all  of  these  studies  have  utilized  discreet  auditory  and  visual  stimuli.  Many  naturalistic  audiovisual  objects  produce  somewhat  continuous  stimuli  in  the  auditory  and  visual  modalities  that  feature  regularly  repeating  elements.  The  synchrony  of  these  stimuli  may  not  be  judged  by  differences  in  onset  as  is  the  case  with  discrete  audiovisual  stimuli.  Instead,  individuals  may  rely  on  the  overall  temporal  pattern  produced  in  each  modality.  In  the  current  study,  we  took  advantage  of  the  ability  of  sensory  neurons  to      entrain  to  regularly  repeating  elements  of  external  stimuli  to  produce  steady  state  visual  and  auditory  potentials.  Visual  stimuli  consisted  of  a  white  square  that  flickered  at  a  rate  of  either  10Hz  or  30Hz.  Auditory  stimuli  consisted  of  amplitude-­‐modulated  white  noise  at  frequencies  between  4Hz  and  48Hz.  The  audiovisual  stimuli  were  synchronous  (both  visual  and  auditory  frequencies  at  10Hz  or  30Hz),  or  asynchronous,  with  the  auditory  being  faster  or  slower  (20%  or  60%  increase/decrease).  Auditory  and  visual-­‐only  stimuli  were  presented  with  static  stimuli  in  the  other  modality.  Participants  were  asked  to  report  whether  the  visual  and  auditory  stimuli  were  synchronous  while  continuous  electroencephalograms  were  recorded  using  a  64-­‐channel  ActiChamp  system.  Preliminary  behavioral  data  indicate  that  participants  were  generally  more  accurate  at  identifying  the  synchrony  of  audiovisual  stimuli  centered  at  10Hz  as  compared  to  30Hz.  Additionally,  participants  were  more  accurate  at  correctly  identifying  asynchronous  audiovisual  presentations  when  the  auditory  stimulus  was  presented  at  a  65  slower  rate  than  the  visual.  Future  analyses  will  investigate  changes  in  oscillatory  amplitude  and      coherence  for  trials  in  which  participants  reported  the  audiovisual  stimuli  to  be  synchronous  as  compared  to  asynchronous.  Additionally,  we  will  investigate  individual  differences  in  the  mechanism  for  multisensory  pattern  discrimination  that  may  be  applicable  to  the  study  of  individuals  with  known  alterations  of  multisensory  temporal  processing  (e.g.  in  autism  spectrum  disorders  or  in  musicians).  Email:  susan.eliz.russ@gmail.com    96.1  Dan  Luu  Sarah  Webster   Measuring  behavioral  response  to  stimulation  of  the  bristles  in  Drosophila  melanogaster  D.  D.  LUU,  S.  M.  WEBSTER  College  of  the  Holy  Cross   Mechanosensation  is  the  process  of  interpreting  physical  stimuli  like  touch,  sound,  or   vibration  from  one’s  surroundings.  The  fruit  fly  bristle  is  similar  to  the  human  hair  cells  in  the  inner  ear,  making  Drosophila  melanogaster  a  useful  model  study  for  human  hearing  and  balance.     We  can  measure  mechanosensation  by  observing  a  natural  behavior  when  flies  initiate  a   grooming  reflex  in  response  to  the  touch  of  a  bristle.  In  preparation  to  study  the  grooming  behavior  in  mutant  flies  in  the  future,  we  created  mosaic  flies  with  a  subset  of  mechanosensory  bristles  marked  by  green  fluorescent  protein  (GFP).  We   initiated  a  grooming  response  by  stimulating  the  marked  bristle  with  a  light  touch  and  scored   the  grooming  response.  After  testing  eight  different  types  of  bristles,  we  found  that  the  best   responders  are  flies  tested  on  the  post-­‐alar  bristles.  The  post-­‐alar  bristles  responded  40%  of  the   time  when  stimulated  once  every  two  minutes  for  five  times.  Post-­‐alar  bristles  are  also  useful   because,  even  in  the  lower  percentage  response  trials,  the  flies  responded  at  least  once  in  every   trial.  By  screening  different  types  of  fly  bristles  from  a  control  fly,  we  were  able  to  establish  a   baseline  for  future  testing  of  mutants.  Our  next  step  is  to  test  the  grooming  reflex  in  a  collection   of  mutant  mosaic  flies  to  study  whether  mutations  affect  the  mechanosensory  pathways.     We  would  like  to  thank  The  Renee  and  Anthony  M.  Marlon,  M.D.  '63  Summer  Research   Fellowship  Program  and  the  Department  of  Biology  for  financial  support.  Email:  ddluu15@g.holycross.edu    96.2  Sarah  Smith  Sarah  Webster   Wasabi  aversion  in  Drosophila  adults  and  larvae  S.E.  SMITH,  S.M.  WEBSTER  College  of  the  Holy  Cross   A  variety  of  substances  that  are  identified  as  bitter  and  pungent  by  humans  can  also  be  detected  via  chemosensation  by  the  common  fruit  fly,  Drosophila  melanogaster.  Wasabi  is  made  pungent  by  the  presence  of  isothiocyanate  (ITC).  ITC  is  detected  by  the  TRPA1  ion  channel,  which  is  known  to  be  involved  in  other  sensory  neural  responses  and  mediates  pain,  irritation,  and  inflammation.  The  TRPA1  channel  can  be  found  in  both  humans  and  Drosophila,  which  makes  the  fruit  fly  an  excellent  model  organism  for  better  understanding  the  mechanism  of  this  chemical  detection  system.  As  there  is  little  published  data  addressing  the  behavioral  effects  of  exposure  to  ITC  in  Drosophila  larvae,  my  research  aimed  to  explore  this  further.  I  utilized  three  different  assays  to  measure  feeding  preference  and  aversion  in  larvae  and  one  assay  to  measure  these  behaviors  in  adult  flies.  The  known  aversive  substance,  quinine,  was  used  as  a  control  for  assessing  the  ability  of  the  various  assays  to  measure  avoidance  behavior.  As  other  groups  have  reported  previously,  I  also  observed  that  adult  flies  avoid  ITC  when  given  a  choice.  Interestingly,  as  the  fly  starvation  time  increases,  the  aversive  behavior  towards  ITC  decreases.  Conversely,  larvae  do  not  exhibit  an  initial  aversion  or  feeding  preference  in  the  presence  of  either  ITC  or  quinine.  Because  it  has  been  previously  demonstrated  that  larvae  avoid  quinine,  we  believe  our  assays  are  not  a  good  tool  to  measure  food  aversion.  We  plan  to  modify  the  experiments  by  staging  the  larvae  more  precisely,  as  well  as  66  testing  larvae  throughout  different  stages  of  development.  Once  this  is  established,  my  research  will  aim  to  examine  if  TRPA1  influences  larval  avoidance,  and  if  so  in  which  cells  it  is  required.  Email:  sesmit15@g.holycross.edu  97    Shayna  Sosnowik  Joshua  Brumberg   Morphological  characterization  of  supragranular  neurons  in  the  primary  somatosensory  cortex  S.  SOSNOWIK,  J.C.  BRUMBERG,  C.H.  TSE,  A.  TSIMOUNIS  Queens  College-­‐CUNY   The  cerebral  cortex  is  essential  for  cognitive  computations,  such  as  the  movement  of  a  limb  or  the  detection  of  objects  on  the  skin  surface.  The  processors  of  the  cortex  are  individual  neurons  and  the  circuits  in  which  they  are  embedded.  It  has  been  shown  that  specific  morphologies  are  correlated  with  specific  circuit  functions.  We  performed  a  morphological  analysis  of  layer  2/3  neurons  in  the  barrel  cortex  of  the  mouse  as  an  approach  to  decipher  the  neuronal  circuit(s)  in  this  region  of  the  primary  somatosensory  cortex  (S1).  Our  aim  was  to  objectively  determine  if  there  are  morphological  characteristics  that  can  distinguish  one  group  of  neurons  from  another.  Individual  neurons  from  the  barrel  cortex  in  brain  slices  from  CD-­‐1  mice  were  labeled  non-­‐selectively  with  DiI  using  biolistics  and  reconstructed  three-­‐dimensionally  from  confocal  image  stacks.  Morphological  parameters  of  cell  bodies  and  dendrites  of  supragranular  neurons  in  the  barrel  cortex  were  measured.  Cluster  analysis  following  principal  component  analysis  of  the  morphological  parameters  revealed  distinct  groups  of  neurons.  In  order  to  assign  “functionality”  to  the  groups  in  vivo  injections  of  fluorescent  beads  in  the  ipsilateral  M1  were  used  to  label  S1  neurons  that  projected  to  M1  (a  known  target  of  supragranular  barrel  cortex  neurons).  Acute  sections  from  these  animals  were  processed  with  biolistics  as  described  above.  These  experiments  reveal  the  distribution  of  M1-­‐projecting  supragranular  layers  in  the  overall  classification  dendrogram  and  show  the  correlation  between  anatomical  classes  of  neurons  and  specific  role(s)  within  the  cortical  circuit.  The  present  results  further  support  the  hypothesis  that  neurons  involved  in  specific  anatomical  pathways  have  unique  morphological  properties     Support:  PSC-­‐CUNY  Award  #65323-­‐00  43,  PSC-­‐CUNY  Award  #66224-­‐00  44  Email:  shayna.sosnowik@gmail.com  98    Stuart  Behling  James  Demas   Retinal  circuitry  mediating  navigation  in  freshwater  turtle  hatchlings  S.  BEHLING,  C.  HELLER,  S.  FREEDBERG,  J.  DEMAS  St.  Olaf  College   In  freshwater  turtles,  such  as  the  common  snapping  turtle  (Chelydra  serpentina),  the  navigation  of  hatchlings  towards  water  is  crucial  to  survival.  If  hatchlings  take  too  long  to  get  from  their  nest  to  a  body  of  water  they  are  likely  to  die  from  predation  or  desiccation.  Previous  studies  have  shown  that  snapping  turtles  primarily  use  light  cues  in  order  to  orient  towards  the  water  upon  hatching.  The  retinal  substrate  for  this  phototactic  behavior  is  not  well  understood.  However,  in  newborn  mice,  which  lack  functional  rods  and  cones,  phototactic  behavior  is  mediated  by  intrinsically  photosensitive  retinal  ganglion  cells  (ipRGCs),  a  recently  discovered  class  of  photoreceptors.  These  findings  raise  two  questions:  are  ipRGCs  present  in  the  retinas  of  turtles?  If  so,  do  ipRGCs  mediate  hatchling  navigation?  Using  a  multi-­‐electrode  array  we  performed  extracellular  recordings  which  measured  the  response  of  turtle  RGCs  to  light  stimuli.  In  order  to  identify  putative  ipRGCs,  we  used  a  neurotransmitter  antagonist  cocktail  to  blocks  rod  and  cone  derived  synaptic  input  onto  RGCs.  A  small  subset  of  the  RGCs  maintained  the  ability  to  respond  to  light  in  the  presence  of  the  antagonist  cocktail.  The  response  properties  of  the  putative  turtle  ipRGCs  67  resembled  those  of  mammalian  ipRGCs:  after  a  significant  delay  (>0.5s),  cells  elevated  their  firing  rate  in  response  to  light  onset,  and  this  increase  in  firing  rate  persisted  for  tens  of  seconds.   Furthermore,  the  light  responses  in  these  putative  turtle  ipRGCs  were  sensitive  to  opsinamide.   Opsinamide  is  an  antagonist  of  melanopsin,  the  photopigment  responsible  for  initiating  intrinsic  light  responses  in  mammalian  ipRGCs.   In  sum,  these  results  suggest  that  the  common  snapping  turtle  has  ipRGCs  similar  to  those  found  in  mice.   In  addition,  we  were  able  to  show  strong  phototactic  behavior  of  hatchling  snapping  turtles  in  a  laboratory  setting  using  a  Y-­‐maze.  Preliminary  data  suggest  that  the  phototactic  behavior  is  more  sensitive  to  blue  light,  consistent  with  a  melanopsin-­‐based  photoreceptor.  In  the  future,  we  will  be  able  to  combine  this  behavioral  assay  with  pharmacology  in  order  to  test  whether  ipRGCs  can  drive  phototaxis  independently  of  rod  and  cone  mediated  signals.  Email:  hellerc@stolaf.edu    99.1  Joseph  Schultz  Karen  Brakke,  PhD   Changes  in  VGLUT1  synaptic  connectivity  and  the  presynaptic  inhibitory  inputs  that  modulate  their  activity  on  motoneurons  following  peripheral  nerve  crush  J.  SCHULTZ,  T.  ROTTERMAN,  A.  DWARAKANATH,  F.  ALVAREZ  Emory  University   Group  IA  afferents  are  pseudo-­‐unipolar  sensory  neurons  that  constitute  the  muscle  spindles  in  the  periphery,  where  they  detect  changes  in  muscle  length.  They  relay  this  information  to  the  spinal  cord,  where  they  make  excitatory  synapses  on  motoneurons,  and  are  responsible  for  inducing  the  stretch  reflex.  Previous  work  in  cats  has  shown  that  30%  of  IA  afferents  fail  to  reinnervate  muscle  spindles  after  nerve  crush.  This  is  reflected  in  30%  reduction  in  the  amplitude  of  synaptic  potentials  elicited  by  muscle  stretch  on  motoneurons  (Prather  et  al.,  2011).  These  same  cats,  however,  demonstrate  supranormal  generation  of  force  during  stretch  reflexes  elicited  after  regeneration  of  these  crushed  nerves  (Prather  et  al,  2011),  suggesting  that  somehow  transmission  between  IA  afferents  and  motoneurons  is  facilitated  during  the  stretch  reflex.  This  phenomenon  might  be  explained  by  a  loss  in  presynaptic  inhibition,  via  GABAergic  control,  of  the  IA  afferent  synaptic  contacts  on  motoneurons.  We  therefore  analyzed  the  density  on  injured  and  regenerating  motoneurons  of  IA  afferent  synapses  in  adult  female  Wistar  rats  detected  immunocytochemically  through  their  content  of  vesicular  glutamate  transporter  1  (VGLUT1)  and  their  presynaptic  inhibition  from  GABAergic  synaptic  terminals  expressing  the  65  kDa  isoform  of  glutamic  acid-­‐
decarboxylase  (GAD65).    99.2  Deanna  Ross  Karen  Brakke,  PhD   Detection  of  ephrin-­‐A5  in  the  superior  colliculus  of  mice  D.  ROSS,  V.  CLARK,  S.  PALLAS  Georgia  State  University   This  research  is  focused  on  understanding  the  molecular  mechanisms  that  aid  in  plasticity  after  damage  to  the  visual  system.  In  the  visual  system,  Retinal  Ganglion  Cells  (RGCs)  send  information  to  the  superior  colliculus  (SC).  Our  lab  uses  a  model  for  brain  trauma  in  which  the  caudal  SC  is  damaged  at  birth  in  hamsters.   After  the  damage,  the  RGCs  compress  their  retinotopic  map  onto  the  residual  SC.  Previous  studies  in  mice  and  hamsters  found  that  a  class  of  axon  guidance  molecules  called  ephrins  and  their  Eph  receptors  are  expressed  in  a  graded  fashion  in  the  SC  and  play  a  role  during  development.  After  neonatal  partial  tectal  (PT)  ablation  in  hamsters,  both  the  retinocollicular  map  and  ephrin-­‐A5  expression  gradient  were  shown  to  compress,  leading  to  the  question  whether  ephrinA5  is  instructing  the  compression.  In  this  lab,  electrophysiology  is  used  to  assay  a  retinoptic  map  on  an  ephrinA  knockout  mouse  model.  Results  have  been  ambiguous.  To  test  whether  different  levels  of  ephrinA5  protein  can  be  detected,  a  western  blot  68  was  performed  to  quantify  the  differences  in  the  knockouts.  We  find  that  there  is  not  a  statistical  difference  between  a  normal  mouse  and  a  mouse  with  an  altered  genotype  (p  >  .05).  100    Kathryn  Annand  Dr.  Victoria  Turgeon   Growth  and  imaging  of  a  spinal  cord  in  a  three-­‐dimensional  cell  culture  in  the  presence  of  a  PAR-­‐1  activator  K.  ANNAND,  S.  BEASLEY,  N.  CAMP,  M.L.  MITCHELL,  V.  TURGEON  Furman  University   2-­‐Dimensional  cell  culture  systems  have  been  used  for  decades  in  studies  involving  cell  interactions,  however  there  are  problems  associated  with  these  arrangements.  The  use  of  2D  systems  is  especially  problematic  when  dealing  with  Schwann  cells  and  motor  neurons,  as  the  plastic  base  inhibits  the  Schwann  cells  from  fully  myelinating  the  motor  neuron  axons.  While  there  are  3D  options  available  for  co-­‐culturing  cells,  many  still  do  not  accurately  represent  conditions  in  vivo.   The  present  study  explored  the  viability  and  behavior  of  both  motor  neurons  and  Schwann  cells  in  a  3D  cell  culture  system,  specifically  rat  tail  type  I  collagen  scaffold.  There  was  an  additional  focus  on  how  protease-­‐activated  receptor-­‐1  (PAR-­‐1)  activation  with  the  amino  acid  sequence  SFLLRNP,  an  activator  of  the  PAR-­‐1  receptor,  affects  the  cells’  growth  and  behavior.  To  begin,  the  rate  of  motor  neuron  axon  growth  through  the  collagen  scaffold  was  determined  in  both  the  presence  and  absence  of  the  PAR-­‐1  activator.  PAR-­‐1  activation  was  shown  to  decrease  the  rate  of  motor  neuron  axon  growth  at  all  time  periods,  and  it  was  determined  that  the  axons  grew  at  an  approximate  rate  of  1.17  microns  per  hour  through  this  scaffold.  The  effects  of  PAR-­‐1  activation  on  Schwann  cell  growth  were  simultaneously  investigated.  PAR-­‐1  activation  caused  a  morphological  change  in  the  Schwann  cells.   Cells  that  were  treated  with  the  amino  acid  sequence  SFLLRNP  had  observable  projections  coming  from  their  normally  circular  cell  bodies.  The  establishment  of  the  motor  neuron  axon  growth  rate  in  the  presence  of  the  amino  acid  sequence  SFLLRNP  allows  for  more  efficient  co-­‐culturing  of  motor  neurons  and  Schwann  cells,  as  the  amount  of  time  needed  for  the  neurons  to  fully  extend  their  axons  through  the  collagen  can  be  calculated.  The  presence  of  SFLLRNP  should  facilitate  Schwann  cell  myelination  of  the  motor  neurons’  axons  in  a  specific  3-­‐D  apparatus,  which  will  allow  future  hypotheses  concerning  these  interactions,  specifically  the  role  of  the  PAR-­‐1  activation  on  myelination,  to  be  studied.  Future  studies  will  also  be  concerned  with  identifying  specific  proteins  responsible  for  the  formation  of  the  processes  mentioned.  101    Kimberly  Huynh  Vonnie  Shields   From  molecules  to  motion:  Assessing  the  responses  of  house  crickets  to  plant  volatiles  using  behavioral  and  electrophysiological  paradigms  K.A.  HUYNH,  M.C.  NESLUND,  T.C.  BAKER,  V.D.C.  SHIELDS  Towson  University   Olfaction  plays  an  important  role  in  the  orientation  and  food  source  location  for  many  animals  including  insects.  Insects  are  capable  of  detecting  and  discriminating  large  numbers  of  odorants  that  differ  in  size,  shape,  and  complexity.  To  gain  insights  into  the  mechanisms  underlying  odor-­‐mediated  orientation,  it  is  necessary  to  study  how  odorants  are  detected,  discriminated,  and  processed  in  the  brain.  The  house  cricket,  Acheta  domesticus,  bears  a  pair  of  long  antennae  for  the  detection  of  diverse  odorants  by  means  of  olfactory  receptor  cells  (ORCs)  residing  in  different  types  of  cuticular  sensory  organs  (sensilla).  These  sensilla  act  as  the  first  level  of  environmental  perception  and  are  the  crucial  interface  between  the  insect’s  outside  world  and  its  central  nervous  system.  Odor  molecules  first  reach  the  surface  of  these  sensilla,  perforated  by  many  small  pores,  and  find  their  way  to  the  underlying  sensory  neurons  where  they  bind  to  specific  receptor  sites.  Here,  the  ORCs  transduce  the  chemical  stimuli  into  electrophysiological  signals.  69  This  information  is  sent  to  the  brain  of  the  insect  and  provides  neural  input  for  higher  order  processing.  Subsequently,  this  neural  processing  gives  rise  to  behavioral  orientation  responses.  In  this  study,  we  used  a  Y-­‐tube  olfactometer  to  screen  a  large  number  of  host-­‐plant-­‐associated  odorants,  selected  from  a  wide  array  of  chemical  classes,  to  determine  which  ones  elicited  positive  (attractive)  and  negative  (repellent)  behavioral  responses  for  both  female  and  male  crickets.  In  addition,  we  used  an  electroantennographic  detection  technique  (EAG)  to  test  the  functional  relevance  of  these  odorants.  We  found  some  volatiles  elicited  strong  EAG  responses,  while  others  evoked  medium  to  weak  responses.  The  results  of  these  combined  research  approaches  contribute  to  our  knowledge  of  important  plant  odorants  necessary  for  insect-­‐plant  interactions.  Email:  khuynh1@students.towson.edu    102.1  Bridget  Mitchell  Corey  Cleland   Determinants  of  the  escape  response  of  crickets  to  localized  heat  stimuli  B.C.  MITCHELL,  S.C.  HEITSCH,  G.W.  REBHUN,  E.G.THOMSON,  R.L.  GAITA,  C.L.  CLELAND  James  Madison  University   Animals  respond  to  aversive  stimuli  with  escape  or  withdrawal  responses.  In  crickets,  wind  or  looming  stimuli,  which  might  normally  be  produced  by  an  approaching  predator,  are  commonly  used  to  evoke  an  escape  response  in  which  the  cricket  turns  and  then  runs  or  jumps  away.  Although  in  mammals  aversive  heat  stimuli  have  been  used  routinely  to  evoke  nociceptive  withdrawal  responses,  there  have  been  no  studies  of  the  cricket’s  response  to  localized  heat  stimuli.  The  goal  of  this  study  was  to  describe  the  escape  response  of  the  cricket  (Acheta  domesticus)  to  heat  stimuli  delivered  to  each  of  its  six  tarsi  and  determine  the  factors  that  control  direction  and  magnitude  of  the  response.  Heat  was  delivered  to  the  tarsus  of  each  leg  in  25  crickets  with  an  infrared  laser  diode  (980nm)  and  the  response  was  recorded  by  high-­‐speed  video  (Redlake/IDT,  650  fps)  placed  overhead.  The  top  of  the  head,  thoracic-­‐abdominal  junction  and  the  tip  of  the  abdomen  were  tracked  over  time  (Proanalyst,  Xcitex)  to  provide  the  two  dimensional  locations  and  orientation  of  the  abdomen  and  the  head/thorax.  Further,  the  initial  locations  of  the  tarsi  just  prior  to  movement  were  recorded.  In  response  to  heat  stimuli,  crickets  first  retracted  the  stimulated  tarsal,  then  turned  by  pivoting  about  a  point  toward  the  rear  of  the  animal,  and  finally  either  walked  (86%),  jumped  (9%)  or  remained  largely  stationary  (5%).  As  with  wind  or  looming  stimuli,  the  turn  was  always  away  from  the  location  of  stimulus.  In  contrast,  however,  jumping  was  less  frequent  than  with  the  other  types  of  stimuli.  The  rotation  of  the  head/thorax  matched  the  rotation  of  abdomen,  unlike  crickets’  response  to  looming  stimuli  in  which  the  head  leads  the  abdomen.  These  results  demonstrate  that  crickets  escape  from  heat  as  well  as  from  looming,  touch  and  wind  stimuli,  and  offer  the  opportunity  to  identify  common  movement  strategies  by  comparing  the  escape  responses  to  the  four  different  stimuli.    102.2  Kimberly  Seamon  Corey  Cleland   Rat  hind  limb  nociceptive  withdrawal  response  to  heat  stimuli  depends  on  initial  paw  posture  but  not  stimulus  location  K.M.  SEAMON,  M.  HARTMANN,  C.A.  CHRZAN,  M.N.  KABORE,  K.A.  MOORE,  C.L.  CLELAND  James  Madison  University   Rats  rapidly  withdraw  their  hind  limb  in  response  to  a  noxious  heat  stimulus  applied  to  the  plantar  surface  of  their  paw,  which  is  an  example  of  the  Nociceptive  Withdrawal  Response  (NWR).  Previous  studies  in  spinalized  or  lightly  anesthetized  non-­‐human  mammals  have  shown  that  the  direction  of  response  depends  on  stimulus  location.  The  goal  of  this  study  was  to  determine  if  stimulus  location,  or  other  factors  such  as  initial  posture  or  response  latency,  determines  the  direction  of  withdrawal  in  the  intact,  unanesthetized  rat.  Rats  were  placed  on  a  glass  plate  through  which  an  infrared  laser  beam  (980  70  nm)  was  directed  to  heat  a  small  (1mm)  localized  portion  of  the  plantar  surface  of  the  foot.  The  resulting  withdrawal  response  was  recorded  with  three  conventional  camcorders  (60  fps  @  1080p),  one  on  the  left,  one  on  the  right,  and  the  third  underneath  the  rat.  From  the  video  beneath  the  rat,  the  initial  location  and  angle  of  the  stimulated  paw  was  recorded.  In  response  to  the  stimulus,  the  rat  then  withdrew  and  rapidly  (~40ms)  replaced  its  paw  on  the  glass,  at  which  point  the  final  location  and  angle  of  the  paw  were  recorded.  Rats  withdrew  and  then  replaced  their  paw  on  the  glass  in  all  possible  directions.  To  determine  if  the  location  of  the  stimulus  influenced  response  direction,  the  rat’s  paw  was  stimulated  in  five  locations  (three  aligned  rostral-­‐caudal  and  three  aligned  left-­‐right).  Unexpectedly,  we  found  no  dependence  on  stimulus  location.  However,  we  did  notice  the  initial  position  of  paw  varied  in  both  location  and  angle.  Consequently  we  explored  if  initial  position  (left-­‐right  and  rostra-­‐caudal)  and  paw  angle  influenced  final  location  and  angle.  Correlation  between  initial  and  final  locations  and  angles  did  reveal  a  highly  significant  linear  relationship  (p<0.001),  regardless  of  response  latency.  These  results  demonstrate,  in  contrast  to  studies  in  spinalized  or  anesthetized  non-­‐human  animals,  that  initial  posture  plays  a  greater  role  in  the  programming  of  the  NWR  than  stimulus  location.    102.3  Ariel  Childs  Corey  Cleland   Determinants  of  the  escape  response  of  crickets  to  looming  stimuli  A.M.  CHILDS,  K.L.  REIMAN,  C.R.  EBEL,  C.L.  CLELAND  James  Madison  University   Animals  respond  to  aversive  stimuli  with  escape  or  withdrawal  responses.  In  crickets,  wind,  which  might  normally  be  produced  by  an  approaching  predator,  has  been  shown  to  evoke  an  escape  response  in  which  the  cricket  turns  and  then  runs  or  jumps  away.  Looming  stimuli,  however,  better  approximate  the  combined  stimulus  modalities  (wind,  vision  and  sometimes  touch)  associated  with  attack  by  a  predator.  Nevertheless,  there  are  a  limited  number  of  studies  on  the  response  of  crickets  to  looming  objects.  The  goal  of  this  study  was  to  describe  the  escape  response  of  the  cricket  (Acheta  domesticus)  to  looming  stimuli  delivered  from  each  of  8  angles  around  the  cricket.  Looming  stimuli  were  created  by  attaching  a  3”  black  polyurethane  ball  to  the  end  of  a  12”  air  cylinder  (45  degrees  to  vertical)  driven  by  compressed  air  at  a  speed  of  about  90  mm/sec.  The  direction  of  “attack”  was  varied  in  45  degree  increments  around  the  cricket.  The  cricket’s  response  was  recorded  by  a  high-­‐speed  video  camera  (Redlake/IDT,  650  fps)  placed  overhead.  The  top  of  the  head,  thoracic-­‐abdominal  junction  and  the  tip  of  the  abdomen  were  tracked  over  time  (Proanalyst,  Xcitex)  to  provide  the  two  dimensional  locations  and  orientation  of  the  abdomen  and  the  head/thorax.  Further,  the  initial  locations  of  the  tip  of  tarsi  just  prior  to  movement  were  recorded.  In  response  to  looming  stimuli,  crickets  typically  first  pointed  their  proximal  antenna  toward  the  looming  object  and  then  initiated  a  turn  away  from  the  stimulus.  At  the  completion  of  the  turn,  the  crickets  either  walked  (89%)  or  jumped  (11%)  away.  The  direction  of  the  turn  was  almost  always  (98%)  away  from  the  stimulus.  Further,  the  response  direction  varied  with  the  laterality  of  stimulus  (slope  =  -­‐0.57;  1.0  would  be  directly  away  from  the  stimulus;  p<0.0005).  Interestingly,  the  head/thorax  nearly  always  led  the  turn.  These  results  demonstrate  that  the  direction  of  the  crickets’  escape  turn  from  looming  stimuli  depends  strongly  on  both  the  side  and  the  laterality  from  which  the  stimulus  is  delivered.  Email:  child3am@dukes.jmu.edu  103    Andre  DeSouza  Dr.  Ricardo  C.  Araneda   Cholinergic  modulation  of  granule  cells  in  the  olfactory  bulb  A.  DESOUZA,  R.  S.  SMITH,  R.  C.  ARANEDA  University  of  Maryland   Odor  information  is  first  processed  in  the  olfactory  bulb  (OB),  which  consists  of  two  subdivisions,  the  main  and  the  accessory  OB  (MOB  and  AOB).  In  both  regions,  output  neurons  of  the  OB,  mitral  and  tufted  71  cells  (MCs),  convey  odor  information  to  other  brain  areas,  bypassing  the  thalamus,  highlighting  the  role  of  the  OB  in  olfactory  processing.  Several  inhibitory  mechanisms  contribute  to  information  processing  in  the  OB,  in  particular  inhibition  from  granule  cells  (GCs),  the  most  numerous  interneuron  of  the  bulb.  GCs  are  highly  regulated  by  both  intrinsic  and  extrinsic  signals,  including  cholinergic  projections  arising  from  the  basal  forebrain.  Cholinergic  modulation  of  GCs  and  MCs  produces  a  state-­‐dependent  regulation  of  odor  discrimination.  Previous  work  in  the  AOB  has  shown  that  activation  of  the  M1  muscarinic  acetylcholine  receptor  (mAChR)  subtype  produces  a  strong  depolarization  in  GCs,  which  enhances  the  release  of  GABA  onto  MCs.  Here,  we  investigated  the  role  of  muscarinic  cholinergic  modulation  of  GCs  in  the  MOB.  Surprisingly,  activation  of  mAChRs  by  the  non-­‐selective  muscarinic  agonist,  oxotremorine  (10  μM)  produces  a  hyperpolarization  (−6.5±0.9  mV,  n=9).  Furthermore,  this  inhibition  was  also  present  in  knockout  mice  lacking  the  M1  and  the  M3  mAChRs.   However,  the  selective  M2  mAChR  antagonist,  AF-­‐DX-­‐
116  (1  μM)  significantly  decreased  the  magnitude  of  the  hyperpolarization  (−1.6±0.7  mV;  n=5;  p<0.05),  suggesting  that  the  hyperpolarization  partially  mediated  by  M2  mAChR.  These  results  suggest  that  cholinergic  modulation  in  the  olfactory  bulb  is  more  complex  than  previously  thought  and  that  at  the  circuit  level,  cholinergic  modulation  of  GC  is  different  in  the  AOB  and  MOB.   Smith  RS,  Araneda  RC  (2010)  Cholinergic  modulation  of  neuronal  excitability  in  the  accessory  olfactory  bulb.  J  Neurophysiol  104:2963-­‐
2974.  Email:  adesouza@terpmail.umd.edu  104    Katherine  Cone  Edward  Bilsky   Characterization  of  the  rewarding  and  reinforcing  effects  of  the  mixed-­‐action  delta/mu  opioid  agonist  MMP-­‐2200  in  rats  K.  CONE,  D.  GIUVELIS,  J.  LAVIGNE,  A.  LUGINBUHL,  C.  DUNBAR,  P.  ATHERTON,  J.  STREICHER,  R.  POLT,  E.J.  BILKSY,  G.W.  STEVENSON  University  of  New  England   Previous  work  in  our  laboratories  suggests  that,  compared  to  mu  opioid  analgesics,  mixedaction   delta/mu  receptor  glycopeptides  might  have  equivalent  efficacy  for  treating  pain  and  reduced  side  effects  including  tolerance  and  physical  dependence.  However,  the  abuse  liability  of  these  compounds  has  not  been  assessed.  Toward  that  end,  this  study  evaluated  the  rewarding  and  reinforcing  effects  of  a  lead  candidate,  mixed-­‐action  delta/mu  agonist  MMP2200.  MMP2200  was  first  evaluated  in  vitro  and  maintained  a  selective  efficacy  for  mu  and  delta  opioid  receptors  versus  kappa  in  an  assay  of  βarrestin2  recruitment.  MMP2200  was  also  evaluated  in  in  vitro  cAMP  assays  for  naloxone  induced   overshoot  and  chronic  morphine  induced  tolerance,  which  correlate  with  dependence  and  tolerance  respectively  in  vivo.  MMP2200  was  then  evaluated  in  vivo  using  a  conditioned  place  preference  assay  as  well  as  a  drug  self-­‐
administration  procedure  in  rats.  In  place  conditioning  studies,  rats  underwent  a  2-­‐week  conditioning  protocol  and  were  then  tested  for  chamber  preference.  Rats  receiving  MMP2200,   at  previously  determined  analgesic  doses,  could  not  distinguish  between  the  drug-­‐  and  saline-­‐paired   chamber,  whereas  rats  receiving  the  opioid  agonist  morphine  showed  a  strong  preference  for  the  morphine  paired  chamber.  In  self-­‐administration  studies,  rats  were  trained  to  respond  to  the  high   efficacy  mu  opioid  receptor  agonist  fentanyl  on  an  FR5  schedule  of  reinforcement.  Following  complete  dose  response  determinations  for  fentanyl,  a  range  of  doses  of  MMP2200  as  well  as  morphine  were  tested.  Relative  to  the  mu  agonists  fentanyl  and  morphine,  MMP2200  maintained  lower  rates  of  drug  infusion.  These  findings  suggest  that  MMP2200  may  be  less  rewarding  than  currently  available  prescription  opioid  pain  relievers.  Email:  kcone@une.edu      72  105.1  Ashley  Lyons  Brian  Antonsen   The  role  of  resilin  in  the  mantis  prey  capture  strike  A.R.  LYONS,  M.D.  BLAKE,  H.R.  BREWER,  R.E.  THACKER,  A.  MUMMERT,  B.L.  ANTONSEN  Marshall  University   Resilin,  an  elastic  protein  found  in  arthropods,  has  been  studied  in  multiple  high  performance  jumping  systems.  This  97%  efficient  protein  acts  as  a  spring,  storing  energy  to  produce  quick,  forceful  movements,  and  may  contribute  to  the  remarkable  speed  of  the  Chinese  Mantis  prey  capture  strike.  The  work  presented  here  is  part  of  a  multidisciplinary  approach  to  determine  if  resilin  contributes  to  muscular  contraction.  We  performed  a  gross  anatomical  analysis  to  determine  the  distribution  of  resilin,  from  which  inferences  can  be  drawn  concerning  its  function.  We  obtained  calibrated  photomicrographs  of  the  strike  limb  segments  and  the  joints  between  them  from  each  plane.  Particular  attention  was  given  to  the  condyles  of  each  joint,  along  with  the  origins  and  insertions  of  the  muscles.  This  data  will  be  compiled  into  a  3-­‐dimensional  computer  reconstruction.  Resilin  was  found  at  the  attachment  points  of  the  major  power  stroke  muscles  for  the  strike,  suggesting  resilin  may  stretch  and  store  energy  during  muscle  contraction.  One  possible  inference  is  that  resilin  acts  as  a  transient  energy  storage  mechanism  during  muscle  contraction.  A  second  possibility  arising  from  the  data  is  that  resilin  behaves  as  a  shock  absorber  during  the  strike.  A  further  goal  of  this  project  will  be  to  develop  a  computer  reconstruction  using  our  data  in  order  to  simulate  the  mantis  strike.  Manipulation  of  the  elastic  structures  will  allow  us  to  ask  questions  concerning  our  inferences  of  the  function  of  resilin.  Information  from  this  project  is  also  being  used  in  the  creation  of  an  educational  tool,  which  will  allow  students  to  investigate  muscle  and  tendon  kinematics.  This  tool  is  based  on  the  Hill  Muscle  Model,  and  will  contain  exercises  focused  on  lever  properties,  tendon  stiffness  and  injury.  Email:  lyons76@marshall.edu    105.2  Anna  Lefevre  Brian  Antonsen   Neurotoxic  effects  of  silver  nanoparticles  on  Procambarus  clarkii  A.C.  LEFEVRE,  B.L.  ANTONSEN  Marshall  University   Silver  nanoparticles  (AgNP)  are  commonly  used  in  medical  and  consumer  products  because  of  their  antimicrobial  properties.  It  has  become  virtually  impossible  to  avoid  coming  into  contact  with  them  in  day  to  day  life  since  they  are  applied  to  products  from  children’s  toys  to  toothpaste  and  shampoo.  The  AgNP  being  used  in  this  study,  and  commonly  in  products,  are  coated  in  polyvinylpyrrolidone  (PVP),  which  is  used  to  prevent  agglomeration  and  break  down.  They  are  known  to  cause  oxidative  stress  in  aquatic  species,  but  the  neurotoxic  potential  is  still  largely  unknown.  Because  of  the  common  application  and  lack  of  regulation,  AgNP  are  inevitably  in  our  waterways,  though  the  exact  concentration  of  contamination  is  difficult  to  measure.  We  use  crayfish  because  they  are  a  bioindicator  and  keystone  species.  Behavior  of  the  organism  relies  on  the  serotonergic  functioning.  Based  on  literature,  social  stress  influences  changes  in  serotonergic  function.  Since  the  activity  of  the  neurotransmitter,  serotonin,  on  the  lateral  giant  is  well  characterized  in  literature,  we  are  using  serotonin’s  distribution  on  this  neuron  as  a  measure  for  this  potential  neuro-­‐toxicant.  By  analyzing  serotonin  distribution  in  the  nerve  cord,  we  hope  to  find  a  link  between  chemical  stress  and  serotonin.  We  expose  crayfish  to  concentrations  varying  from  1ppm  to  50ppm  for  chronic  (2  weeks)  and  acute  (2  days)  exposure  periods.  The  nerve  cord  is  removed  and  immunolabeled  for  serotonin,  then  visualized  using  confocal  and  fluorescent  microscopy.  Preliminary  analysis  indicates  that  treatment  groups  do  differ  from  the  control  in  location  and  level  of  fluorescence  intensity.  This  change  to  the  serotonergic  function  could  cause  detrimental  or  maladaptive  effects  to  the  behavior  of  the  animal.  Email:  lefevre7@marshall.edu   73  106   Eszter  Kish  Michael  D.  Mauk   Learning  induces  changes  in  the  firing  frequency  of  pons  cells  E.A.  KISH,  H.E.  HALVERSON,  M.D.  MAUK  University  of  Texas  at  Austin   The  pons  relays  the  conditioned  stimulus  (CS)  inputs  to  which,  when  paired  with  an  unconditioned  stimulus  (US),  the  cerebellum  learns  to  elicit  a  conditioned  response  (CR).  Therefore,  characterizing  pontine  responses  to  different  stimuli  indicates  what  information  the  cerebellum  is  receiving  during  learning.  Previous  studies  have  shown  plasticity  in  the  medial  auditory  thalamic  nuclei  (MATN)  during  tone  mediated  classical  conditioning.  Since  the  MATN  has  projections  to  the  pons,  plasticity  induced  changes  in  the  MATN  response  to  stimuli  could  influence  the  signals  the  pons  relays  to  the  cerebellum.  This  would  indicate  that  although  the  cerebellum  mediates  the  learning  of  CRs,  pontine  inputs  dictate  which  CS  inputs  the  cerebellum  can  learn.  Pontine  responses  and  by  extension  the  likelihood  of  CRs  decrease  as  the  frequency  of  the  stimuli  get  farther  away  from  the  trained  frequency.  This  would  lead  to  varying  strengths  of  inputs  to  the  cerebellum,  restricting  the  stimuli  undergoing  plasticity,  and  directing  attention  to  important  stimuli.  We  tested  this  using  tetrodes  to  record  from  the  MATN  and  the  pons  in  rabbits  during  tone  and  50  ms  periorbital  shock  (2-­‐3  mA)  eyelid  delay  (500  ms)  and  trace  (500-­‐500  ms)  conditioning.  After  training  to  a  specific  frequency  tone  we  created  a  session  where  we  played  a  range  of  frequencies  with  only  the  trained  frequency  paired  with  the  US.  Recordings  during  these  sessions  showed  a  frequency  curve  in  pons  cells  with  higher  levels  of  firing  elicited  by  tones  near  the  trained  frequency.  Firing  levels  decreased  as  the  tones  got  farther  away  from  the  trained  frequency.  Therefore  inputs  to  the  cerebellum  have  different  weights,  as  the  pontine  input  can  encode  the  importance  of  stimuli  in  the  robustness  of  its  firing.  Performing  these  types  of  recording  experiments  is  greatly  aided  by  our  ability  to  hold  onto  cells  over  different  training  sessions  and  days.  This  allowed  us  to  observe  changes  in  responses  of  the  same  cells  mediated  by  learning  over  long  periods  of  time  and  in  different  paradigms.  Learning  related  changes  to  the  input  into  the  cerebellum  affect  how  the  cerebellum  responds  to  the  training  stimulus.  Therefore  characterizing  changes  in  pontine  responses  to  a  range  of  stimuli  is  important  for  understanding  cerebellar  mechanisms.  Eyelid  conditioning  is  performed  in  a  lab  setting  where  inputs  to  the  cerebellum  are  controlled.  In  the  real  world  however,  the  cerebellum  receives  a  large  range  of  inputs  differing  in  importance  for  US  prediction.  Characterizing  changes  to  pontine  input  to  the  cerebellum  creates  a  better  understanding  of  how  the  cerebellum  functions  in  day  to  day  situations  as  it  encounters  a  spectrum  of  stimuli.  Email:  eszterkish@utexas.edu  107    Maura  Curran  Jacob  Krans   Free  [Ca2+]  concentration  rate  of  decay  in  larval  Drosophila  melanogaster  muscle  tissue.  M.  CURRAN,  J  ARROYO,   J.  KRANS  Western  New  England  University   Calcium  [Ca2+]  is  vital  to  transduction  at  the  neuromuscular  junction  (NMJ)  and  to  muscle  contraction.  There  remains  a  question  of  how  long  free  calcium  resides  in  the  cytoplasm  after  synaptic  activation  of  muscle  during  active  sarcoplasmic  sequestration.  Fluo-­‐4  AM  is  a  membrane  permeable  ester  that  can  be  used  to  measure  intracellular  calcium  concentrations  with  high  temporal  and  titer  resolution.  Here  we  describe  the  use  of  Fluo-­‐4  AM  to  estimate  the  [Ca2+]  decay  rate  after  multiple  stimulus  trains  of  varying  parameters.  We  have  utilized  the  historically  important  NMJ  preparation  of  larval  Drosophila  melanogaster  and  imaged  the  bodywall  muscles  upon  electrical  activation.   Much  previous  research  has  addressed  changes  in  free  [Ca2+]  at  the  pre-­‐synaptic  bouton  rather  than  within  the  post-­‐synaptic  cell  (i.e.  muscle).  Quantification  of  this  decay  is  important  to  understanding  deviations  in  force  generated  upon  stimulation  by  successive  trains  of  potentials,  or  trains  that  vary  stimulus  rate  in  a  non-­‐linear  fashion  (i.e.  74  sinusoidal  activation  ca.  locomotion).  The  free  [Ca2+]  is  estimated  from  the  relative  change  in  fluorescence  as  measured  via  changes  in  pixel  intensity.  Preliminary  data  show  that  fluorescence  was  observed  to  increase  by  approximately  one  hundred  percent  within  the  first  train  of  stimulation  (DF/F:  133%  +/-­‐  27%)  and  increase  46%  (+/-­‐  2.9%)  in  later  stimulation  trains,  suggesting  reduced  decay  rates.   Indeed,  after  multiple  successive  stimulus  trains,  pixel  intensity  –  and  thus  free  [Ca2+]  -­‐  decays  more  slowly  than  a  when  the  tissue  is  activated  with  a  single  train.  This  is  an  important  biological  property  as  muscle  contraction  and  force  production  are  mediated  by  intracellular  [Ca2+],  which  is  released  by  motoneuron  potential  trains  that  oscillate  between  two  and  35  Hz.  Email:  mc332191@wne.edu  108    Julia  Buirkle  Jennie  Stevenson   GHS-­‐R1A  antagonism  reduces  alcohol  but  not  sucrose  consumption  and  preference  in  prairie  voles.  J.M.  BUIRKLE,  K.A.  YOUNG,  A.E.  BOHIDAR,  K.M.  ALBERTINI,  L.E.  BUCKLEY,  J.  STEVENSON  Bucknell  University   Rationale:  Growth  hormone  secretagogue  receptor  1A  (GHS-­‐R1A)  antagonism  has  been  shown  to  reduce  both  alcohol  and  sucrose  consumption,  making  the  ghrelin  system  a  potential  target  for  the  treatment  of  alcohol  use  disorders  and  obesity.  Objective:  To  investigate  the  effects  of  GHS-­‐R1A  antagonism  in  a  novel  animal  model  of  high  alcohol  consumption,  the  prairie  vole,  and  to  characterize  the  role  of  ghrelin  in  limited  access  consumption  of  a  drug  (alcohol)  and  non-­‐drug  (sucrose)  reward.  Methods:  Female  prairie  voles  were  given  four  2-­‐hr  two-­‐bottle  drinking  sessions,  occurring  every  other  day.  During  drinking  sessions,  animals  had  access  to  20%  ethanol  vs  water  or  10%  sucrose  vs  water.  Pre-­‐treatment  with  the  GHS-­‐R1A  antagonist  JMV  2959  (i.p.;  0.0,  9.0  mg/kg  Experiments  1  and  2;  0.0,  9.0,  12.0  mg/kg  Experiments  3  and  4.)  occurred  30-­‐min  before  the  fourth  session.  To  determine  if  the  amount  of  exposure  to  sucrose  sessions  affected  the  efficacy  of  JMV  2959,  in  Experiment  5  animals  were  given  16  daily  2-­‐hr  drinking  sessions  with  10%  sucrose  vs  water.  JMV  2959  treatment  (0.0  or  9.0  mg/kg)  occurred  30-­‐  min  prior  to  the  16th  session.  Results:  JMV  2959  reduced  alcohol  but  not  sucrose  preference  and  consumption.  Even  after  extended  experience  with  sucrose  sessions,  JMV  2959  had  no  effect  on  sucrose  preference  or  consumption.  Conclusion:  These  findings  demonstrate  that  GHS-­‐R1A  antagonism  reduces  consumption  of  alcohol,  but  suggest  limitations  on  the  role  of  ghrelin  in  the  consumption  of  naturally  rewarding  substances.  Email:  jmb081@bucknell.edu    109.1  Leigh  Dairaghi  Sarah  H.  Meerts   Corticolimbic  response  to  vaginocervical  stimulation  in  adult  female  rats  with  or  without  ovaries  during  puberty.  L.K.  DAIRAGHI,  N.R.  MASON,  S.H.  MEERTS  Carleton  College   Recent  studies  indicate  that  the  female  brain  undergoes  both  postnatal  and  pubertal  organization  in  the  presence  of  ovarian  hormones.   Previously,  we  found  that  exposure  to  pubertal  ovarian  hormones  may  influence  the  sensory  discrimination  in  female  adult  rats  although  sexual  motivation  and  reward  appear  to  develop  even  without  pubertal  ovaries.   The  present  experiment  sought  to  explore  the  role  of  ovarian  pubertal  hormones  on  neural  activity  in  adult,  hormone-­‐primed  female  rats  in  response  to  artificial  vaginocervical  stimulation  (aVCS),  which  activates  Fos  gene  expression  in  the  hypothalamic  and  limbic  regions  of  the  brain.   Female  Long-­‐Evans  rats  were  ovariectomized  prepubertally  (No  O@P)  or  postpubertally  (O@P)  and  then  gained  sexual  experience  at  least  four  weeks  later.  On  a  separate  day,  the  75  rats  were  hormone-­‐primed  and  brain  tissue  was  collected  one  hour  after  receipt  of  15  aVCS  or  15  control  stimulations.  The  brains  were  sectioned  coronally  and  analyzed  immunocytochemically  for  differences  in  Fos  expression  within  the  posterodorsal  nucleus  of  the  medial  amygdala  (MePD),  the  prefrontal  cortex  (PFC),  and  the  nucleus  accumbens  (NAc).   Both  the  MePD  and  NAc  are  modulated  by  ovarian  hormones  and  the  MePD  responds  primarily  to  reproductively  relevant  stimuli  such  as  aVCS.   The  infralimbic  and  prelimbic  regions  of  the  PFC  are  involved  in  activating  the  mating-­‐related  neurons  of  the  ventral  tegmental  area.  MePD  Fos  expression  was  increased  in  female  rats  that  received  aVCS,  independent  of  pubertal  hormone  condition,  compared  to  control.   However,  there  was  no  significant  difference  in  MePD  Fos  expression  between  O@P  and  No  O@P  rats.   These  results  are  consistent  with  the  findings  of  previous  studies,  and  suggest  that  the  neural  response  in  female  rats  to  sexual  stimuli  in  adulthood  is  not  solely  dependent  upon  pubertal  hormones.  Interestingly,  preliminary  data  show  that  patterns  of  Fos  expression  in  the  PFC  and  NAc  are  not  contingent  upon  pubertal  hormones.   Our  findings  indicate  that  the  adult  activation  of  these  brain  regions  may  be  independent  of  exposure  to  pubertal  ovarian  hormones  due  to  the  plasticity  of  the  brain.   Future  studies  will  examine  the  differences  in  Fos  expression  within  the  anteroventral  periventricular  nucleus  and  medial  preoptic  area  of  the  hypothalamus.   This  study  was  supported  by  an  HHMI  award  to  Carleton  College.  Email:  dairaghl@carleton.edu    109.2  Helen  Strand  Sarah  H.  Meerts   Strain  differences  and  similarities  in  motivation  and  reward  for  mating  and  amphetamine  H.K.  STRAND,  S.H.  MEERTS,  T.A.  MCNAMARA,  A.C.  PURITZ  Carleton  College   Female  rats  exhibit  paced  mating  behavior,  a  pattern  of  approach  and  withdrawal  from  the  male,  when  tested  in  an  apparatus  that  permits  the  female  rat  to  control  the  timing  of  the  receipt  of  sexual  stimulation  (i.e.,  mounts,  intromissions,  and  ejaculations)  by  exiting  the  compartment  where  the  male  is  confined.  The  display  of  paced  mating  behavior  varies  as  a  function  of  the  intensity  of  the  sexual  stimulation  received  from  the  male,  such  that  more  intense  stimuli  elicit  longer  delays  in  approach  behavior  and  more  withdrawals  from  the  male.  Mating  is  considered  nonpaced  when  it  occurs  under  conditions  that  do  not  permit  the  female  to  control  the  timing  of  the  sexual  interaction.  Paced  mating  behavior  has  consistently  been  shown  to  be  rewarding  to  female  rats  as  measured  by  the  conditioned  place  preference  (CPP)  task,  however  labs  differ  with  regard  to  whether  or  not  nonpaced  mating  can  induce  a  CPP.  Rat  strains  vary  between  labs  and  those  that  use  Long-­‐Evans  rats  report  that  nonpaced  mating  is  reinforcing  whereas  labs  that  use  Wistar  rats  report  that  nonpaced  mating  is  not  reinforcing.  A  number  of  studies  report  strain  differences,  including  strain  effects  in  sensitivity  to  ovarian  hormones,  so  we  hypothesized  that  there  may  be  underlying  differences  in  response  to  mating  stimulation  that  might  account  for  the  inconsistent  reinforcing  effects  of  nonpaced  mating.  The  present  series  of  experiments  explored  the  response  of  Wistar  and  Long-­‐Evans  rats  on  several  tasks.  Experiment  1  found  that  Long-­‐Evans,  but  not  Wistar  female  rats  exhibited  a  CPP  for  nonpaced  mating.  Experiment  2  found  that  only  Long-­‐Evans  rats  exhibited  a  paced  mating-­‐induced  CPP.  Experiment  3  analyzed  behavioral  measures  collected  during  tests  of  paced  mating  behavior  in  sexually  naïve  and  experienced  Long-­‐Evans  and  Wistar  rats.  Sexually  naïve  Wistar  rats  showed  longer  return  latency  to  the  male  after  intromissions,  fewer  proceptive  behaviors  alone,  and  spent  more  time  with  the  male  compared  to  sexually  naive  Long-­‐Evans  female  rats.  Wistar  females  displayed  more  rejection  behaviors  during  both  the  sexually  naive  and  experienced  tests.  Experiment  4  found  that  both  strains  demonstrated  a  CPP  for  amphetamine,  indicating  that  Wistar  female  rats  will  express  a  CPP  in  our  hands.  Overall,  these  data  support  the  idea  that  strain  difference  in  response  to  mating  may  underlie  the  differences  in  the  reinforcing  effects  of  nonpaced  mating.  Additional  experiments  are  required  to  pinpoint  the  neural  or  hormonal  factors  supporting  these  differences.    76  110  Tanner  McNamara  Sarah  H.  Meerts   Conditioned  object  preference  as  a  task  to  measure  reward  in  adult  female  rats  T.A.  MCNAMARA,  G.C.  KLUMPP,  S.  GUTERL,  S.H.  MEERTS  Carleton  College   Researchers  use  classical  conditioning  to  assess  the  rewarding  nature  a  range  of  stimuli,  from  drugs  to  mating,  via  the  conditioned  place  preference  (CPP)  paradigm.  In  the  CPP  task  a  stimulus  is  repeatedly  paired  with  a  specific  environment  to  determine  if  rats  will  develop  a  preference  for  that  context  to  indicate  that  the  stimulus  is  rewarding.   In  the  present  study,  we  asked  whether  Long-­‐Evans  female  rats  would  form  a  conditioned  preference  for  an  object  associated  with  an  injection  of  amphetamine  relative  to  an  object  associated  with  an  injection  of  saline.  A  tri-­‐compartment  apparatus  with  one  object  placed  in  each  outer  chamber  was  used  for  conditioning  and  testing.  A  given  rat  received  all  tests  and  conditioning  in  the  same  apparatus.  The  objects  in  our  task  were  a  rubber  truck  scented  with  almond  extract  placed  in  the  right  compartment  and  a  rubber  duck  scented  with  orange  extract  placed  in  the  left  compartment.  Following  a  15-­‐min  baseline  in  which  the  rats  had  free  access  the  entire  apparatus,  rats  were  randomly  assigned  to  receive  either  1  mg/kg  amphetamine  (experimental  rats)  or  saline  (control  rats)  immediately  prior  to  30-­‐min  exposures  to  the  compartment  containing  the  initially  less  preferred  object.  On  separate  days  rats  received  a  saline  injection  before  30-­‐min  exposures  to  the  compartment  containing  the  more  preferred  object.  After  three  pairs  of  conditioning  sessions,  rats  received  a  drug-­‐free  test.  From  baseline  to  test,  experimental  rats  showed  a  significant  increase  in  the  percentage  of  time  spent  with  the  object  associated  with  amphetamine.  In  contrast,  control  rats  did  not  show  a  change.  To  determine  whether  the  rats  demonstrated  an  object  preference  and  not  a  place  preference,  a  second  test  was  conducted.  The  rats  were  tested  in  an  apparatus  other  than  the  one  in  which  they  were  conditioned  and  the  locations  of  the  objects  were  switched.  Consistent  with  the  first  test,  experimental  rats  showed  a  preference  for  the  object  paired  with  amphetamine  whereas  the  control  rats  showed  no  change  in  preference.  Together  these  results  suggest  that  the  rats  associated  the  rewarding  effects  of  amphetamine  with  the  scented  object,  indicating  that  a  conditioned  object  preference  task  can  be  used  to  evaluate  reward.  Future  experiments  will  use  this  real-­‐time  pairing  of  experience  with  an  object  to  identify  the  specific  aspects  of  mating  that  are  rewarding  for  female  rats.  111    David  Liao  Cheryl  Harding   Environmental  mold  exposure  leads  to  spatial  memory  deficits  D.  LIAO,  C.  HARDING,  R.  PERSAUD,  K.  LIN,  K.  PAGE,  C.L.  PYTTE  CUNY  Hunter  College   An  estimated  40%  of  American  buildings  contain  mold.  Exposure  to  environmental  mold  can  cause  motor  impairments,  chronic  fatigue,  and  cognitive  deficits.  To  our  knowledge,  no  animal  research  has  been  published  examining  how  mold  causes  these  problems.  We  developed  a  mouse  model  to  determine  the  physiological  mechanisms  behind  these  neurobehavioral  issues.  Adult  male  C57BL/6  mice  were  given  intranasal  instillations  (3X/week)  of  1)  intact,  toxic  Stachybotrys  spores  (IN),  2)  extracted  Stachybotrys  spores  with  their  toxins  removed  and  proteins  denatured  (EX),  or  3)  the  saline  vehicle.   Our  basic  hypothesis  is  that  mold  inhalation  activates  an  innate  immune  response,  leading  to  brain  inflammation  and  consequent  behavioral  impairment.  Because  innate  immune  activation  specifically  impairs  hippocampal  function,  we  examined  the  effects  of  mold  exposure  on  performance  in  the  Morris  water  maze  using  a  two-­‐day  protocol  that  compared  the  mouse’s  ability  to  find  the  nonvisible  platform  after  four  visible  training  trials  24hr  previously.  As  predicted,  mold  exposure  caused  significant  deficits  in  spatial  memory.  After  4.5-­‐5.5  weeks  treatment,  EX  mice  performed  significantly  worse  in  finding  the  hidden  platform  compared  to  VEH  or  IN  mice.  EX  mice  showed  the  greatest  deviation  from  their  performances  during  visible  training  trials.  They  took  significantly  longer  to  reach  the  hidden  platform  and  used  longer  paths.  Performance  in  locating  the  visible  platform  predicted  performance  in  locating  the  hidden  platform  77  for  VEH  mice.  The  same  was  not  true  for  the  spore-­‐treated  groups.  Greater  durations/path  lengths  and  inconsistent  performance  suggest  memory  impairment  in  EX  and  IN  mice.   Performance  on  the  water  maze  was  inversely  correlated  with  numbers  of  interleukin-­‐1β  (IL-­‐1β)-­‐immunoreactive  cells  in  hippocampal  CA1  (r2  =  -­‐0.56,  p  =  0.01).  This  relationship  was  stronger  for  the  spore-­‐treated  groups,  consistent  with  spatial  memory  impairment  resulting  from  brain  inflammation  due  to  mold  treatment.   Spatial  memory  deficits  on  both  the  last  training  trial  (r2  =  0.52,  p  =  0.004)  and  the  first  testing  trial  (r2  =  0.59,  p  <  0.001)  also  correlated  positively  with  weight  gain  during  the  first  three  weeks  of  treatment.   Once  again,  this  relationship  is  stronger  for  the  spore-­‐treated  mice.  This  was  not  surprising  since  energy  reserves  modulate  immune  responses.  It  is  unclear  why  treatment  with  spore  skeletons  (EX)  caused  greater  impairment  than  treatment  with  intact,  toxic  spores  (IN).  Clearly,  the  spore  skeleton  is  sufficient  to  elicit  adverse  cognitive  effects.  These  findings  are  consistent  with  brain  inflammation  as  a  cause  of  neurobehavioral  dysfunction.     -­‐1SC2  MH085472  from  NIMH/NIGMS   -­‐PSC  CUNY  Grants  69172-­‐0038  &  61214-­‐0039   -­‐Research  Centers  in  Minority  Institutions  Award  RR-­‐03037  from  the  NCRR  Email:  dliao711@gmail.com    112.1  Anisha  Kalidindi  Kyle  Frantz,  PhD   Region-­‐specific  influences  of  ovarian  hormones  on  cerebral  glucocorticoid  receptors  A.  KALIDINDI,  S.  KELLY,  C.  HARRELL,  G.  NEIGH  Emory  University   It  is  well  established  that  stress  responses  can  be  sexually  dimorphic.  The  glucocorticoid  receptors  (GR),  which  is  present  in  both  the  prefrontal  cortex  and  hippocampus,  may  be  influenced  by  sex  steroids.   Therefore,  understanding  more  about  the  mechanism  of  GR  in  the  female  rat  may  lead  to  an  understanding  of  the  sexually  dimorphic  nature  of  the  stress  response.  Two  of  the  co-­‐chaperones  which  modulate  the  function  of  the  GR  and  are  influenced  by  sex  steroids  are  FKBP51  and  PPID  but  much  of  what  is  know  with  their  interactions  are  from  cancer  cell  lines.  We  hypothesized  that  GR  and  its  co-­‐
chaperones  would  be  significantly  influenced  by  ovarian  hormones.  In  order  to  test  this  hypothesis  we  compared  ovariectomized  females  to  sham-­‐operated  females.  The  target  genes,  GR  and  its  co  -­‐chaperones  (PPID  and  FKBP1)  were  quantified  through  quantitative  RT-­‐PCR.  Removal  of  ovarian  hormones  caused  a  significant  reduction  in  gene  expression  in  the  hippocampus  but  did  not  impact  expression  in  the  prefrontal  cortex.  These  data  demonstrate  that  sex  steroids  impact  GR  and  its  co-­‐chaperones  in  a  region-­‐
specific  manner,  suggesting  that  the  hippocampus  is  a  mediator  for  sex  dependent  stress  response.  For  further  study  more  molecular  analysis  to  elucidate  the  mechanism  of  GR  will  be  done.    112.2  Brianna  Harris  Kyle  Frantz,  PhD   Microglia  activation  and  monocyte  chemotaxis  in  RGS10-­‐null  mice  B.  HARRIS,  G.  KANNARKAT,  M.  TANSEY  Spelman  College   Neurodegenerative  disorders  are  marked  by  peripheral  immune  cell  infiltration  into  the  central  nervous  system  (CNS).   On  entering  the  diseased  CNS,  monocytes  differentiate  into  tissue-­‐resident  dendritic  cells  and  macrophages  which  aid  in  modulating  inflammation,  producing  effector  molecules  that  destroy  pathogens,  and  even  help  in  brain-­‐resident  microglial  cells.   Monocytes  are  brought  to  inflammation  sites  including  the  CNS  through  chemokine  receptors  (CRs).   CRs  are  G-­‐protein  linked  receptors  and  are  modulated  by  Regulator  G-­‐protein  Signaling  (RGS)  proteins,  which  act  as  GTPase  accelerating  proteins  (GAPs).   Previous  studies  have  not  identified  physiologic  substrates  for  RGS10,  a  GAP  that  is  highly  enriched  in  immune  cells,  implicated  in  regulating  activation  of  microglia,  CNS-­‐resident  myeloid  cells,  and  linked  to  age  related  macular  degeneration  in  humans.   The  current  study  proposes  to  define  the  role  of  RGS10  in  monocyte  responses  to  chemokine  stimulation.   Chemotactic  responses  have  been  modeled  by  78  seeding  human  umbilical  vein  endothelial  cells  (HUVECs)  into  a  microfluidics  chamber  to  measure  binding  patterns  of  monocytes  from  RGS10  wild-­‐type  and  knockout  mice.   This  study  also  sought  to  confirm  the  microgliosis  phenotype  found  in  RGS10  knockout  mice  on  a  pure  genetic  background,  the  C57/BL6  background.   New  information  obtained  in  this  study  could  eventually  lead  to  the  development  of  treatments  of  neurologic  diseases.  113    Matthew  Phillips  Linda  Rinaman   The  effects  of  chronic  food  restriction  on  behavioral  and  hindbrain  noradrenergic/peptidergic  neural  responses  to  cognitive  stress  M.B.  PHILLIPS,  H.  ZHENG,  L.  RINAMAN  Furman  University,  University  of  Pittsburgh   Food  intake  and  cognitive  stress  have  been  shown  to  independently  activate  two  distinct  but  intermingled  populations  of  neuronal  cell  bodies  located  in  the  caudal  nucleus  of  the  solitary  tract  (cNST)  of  the  rat  hindbrain.  The  first  population  is  a  subset  of  noradrenergic  (NA)  neurons  that  also  express  Prolactin-­‐
releasing  Peptide  (PrRP);  the  second  a  grouping  of  non-­‐adrenergic  cells  that  express  Glucagon-­‐like  Peptide  1  (GLP-­‐1).   These  neural  populations  project  directly  to  the  bed  nucleus  of  the  stria  terminalis  (BST)  and  paraventricular  nucleus  of  the  hypothalamus  (PVN)  and  are  considered  to  play  key  roles  in  driving  coinciding  endocrine  and  behavioral  functions  related  to  regulating  food  intake,  such  as  satiety,  satiation,  and  stress-­‐induced  hypophagia.   Previous  studies  have  shown  that  while  these  neurons  can  be  activated  independently  by  feeding  and  external  stressors,  disruption  of  feeding  via  overnight  food  deprivation  strongly  attenuates  the  responses  of  these  hindbrain  neurons  to  stress.   To  further  delineate  the  relationship  between  food  intake  and  stress  response  in  context  of  this  circuitry,  we  tested  the  effects  of  a  novel  feeding  paradigm,  chronic  food  restriction  (CFR),  upon  rat  performance  in  elevated  plus  maze  (EPMZ),  open  field  (OF),  and  social  open  field  tasks.  Brain  tissues  were  also  immunocytochemically  double-­‐labeled  for  cFos  and  GLP-­‐1  or  triple-­‐labeled  for  cFos  and  PrRP/dopamine-­‐β-­‐hydroxylase  (DBH)  to  localize  activation  levels  of  cNST,  BST,  and  PVN  neurons  in  response  to  physical  restraint.  It  was  expected  that  rats  with  a  greater  degree  of  food  restriction  (70%  of  average  maximum  daily  intact,  CFR70)  would  show  abolished  GLP-­‐1  and  PrRP/DBH  activity  in  comparison  to  the  group  receiving  100%  of  their  average  maximum  daily  intact  (CFR100),  and  would  display  greater  degrees  of  exploration  in  the  behavioral  assays.  Although  histological  analysis  has  not  yet  been  completed,  behavioral  results  have  been  promising.  CFR70  possessed  significantly  higher  open  arm/closed  arm  and  center  zone/outer  zone  duration  ratios  than  CFR100  in  EPMZ  and  OF  tests  respectively  without  differing  in  mean  distance  traveled,  suggesting  greater  explorative  activity  without  increased  locomotion.  These  behavioral  results  imply  a  strong  anxiolytic  CFR  effect,  further  supporting  the  view  that  food  intake  and  stress  are  intertwined  via  shared  neural  circuitry.   Supported  by  the  Furman  Advantage  Grant  and  the  Rinaman  Lab  of  the  Department  of  Neuroscience,  University  of  Pittsburgh  Email:  matt.phillips2892@furman.edu  114    Jayson  Cruz  Dr.  Elizabeth  Ann  Becker   Paternal  retrievals  increase  testosterone  levels  in  both  male  and  female  offspring  in  California  mice  (Peromyscus  californicus).  J.P.  CRUZ,  M.C.  CHARY,  M.  BARDI,  E.A.  BECKER  Saint  Joseph's  University   The  importance  of  maternal  care  effects  on  offspring  development  has  received  considerable  attention,  although  more  recently,  researchers  have  begun  to  focus  on  the  significance  of  paternal  contributions.  In  the  monogamous  and  bi-­‐parental  California  mouse  (CA),  fathers  provide  high  levels  of  care  and  therefore  79  are  a  model  system  for  studying  paternal  effects  on  behavior  and  their  underlying  neuroendocrine  mechanisms.  Likely  through  modulation  of  the  arginine  vasopressin  (AVP)  system  which  is  androgen  dependent  during  development,  retrieval  behavior  by  CA  mouse  fathers  influences  the  development  of  aggression  and  parenting  in  adult  male  offspring.   Male  offspring  exposed  to  paternal  retrievals  experience  a  transient  increase  in  testosterone  (T)  which  may  underlie  these  observed  changes  in  offspring  brain  and  behavior.   Few  studies  have  examined  father-­‐daughter  interactions,  although  paternal  retrievals  have  been  shown  to  increase  aggression  in  female  offspring.   Although  T  has  been  implicated  in  the  regulation  of  female  aggression,  it  remains  unclear  whether  T  may  underlie  changes  in  female  offspring  aggression  in  response  to  paternal  retrievals.  In  the  current  study,  we  examined  the  influence  of  paternal  retrievals  on  T  in  both  male  and  female  offspring.  Retrievals  were  manipulated  experimentally  by  displacement  of  the  pup.  Trunk  blood  was  collected  from  retrieved,  non-­‐retrieved  and  non-­‐manipulated  (control)  pups.  We  found  that  fathers  expressed  similar  levels  of  retrievals  towards  sons  and  daughters,  and  that  T  levels  were  elevated  in  retrieved,  as  compared  to  non-­‐retrieved  offspring.   Similar  to  what  has  been  previously  described  in  male  offspring  and  replicated  here,  female  offspring  that  were  retrieved  had  higher  T  levels  than  non-­‐retrieved  females.  Our  data  therefore  suggest  that  paternal  retrievals  may  serve  similar  functions  in  male  and  female  pups  i.e.,  fathers  may  shape  adult  offspring  behavior  via  changes  in  circulating  hormones.  Email:  jc564817@sju.edu  115    Jennifer  Christensen  Mary  Harrington   Foul  weather  friends:  the  role  of  oxytocin  in  meadow  vole  seasonal  sociality.  J.D.  CHRISTENSEN,  A.M.J.  ANACKER,  A.K.  BEERY  Smith  College   As  research  in  the  field  of  neuroendocrinology  has  gained  momentum,  the  neuropeptide  oxytocin  has  come  into  focus.  Recent  findings  indicate  it  has  influence  on  several  aspects  of  social  behavior.  Voles  (Microtus  spp)  have  become  a  valuable  model  in  social  behavior  research  given  the  variation  of  social  structures  across  species.  Our  research  questions  focus  the  effect  of  oxytocin  on  the  affiliative  bonds  formed  in  winter  months  between  female  meadow  voles  (M.  pennsylvanicus).  While  the  affiliative  behavior  can  be  elicited  in  laboratory  settings  by  simulating  short  daylight  conditions,  the  question  of  neuronal  mechanism  remains.   Female  meadow  voles  express  high  levels  of  oxytocin  receptors  in  the  lateral  septum;  therefore,  we  infused  oxytocin,  oxytocin  receptor  antagonist  (courtesy  of  Dr.  Maurice  Manning,  University  of  Toledo,  OH),  or  artificial  cerebral  spinal  fluid  into  this  region.  Infusions  were  followed  by  twenty-­‐four  hour  cohabitation  with  a  conspecific  female.  Social  behavior  of  focal  animals  was  then  assessed  in  a  partner-­‐preference  test.  Preliminary  data  indicate  a  trend  toward  lower  levels  of  huddling  when  oxytocin  or  oxytocin  receptor  antagonist  are  administered.  Lower  levels  of  huddling  with  a  partner  following  oxytocin  infusion,  relative  to  vehicle,  demonstrate  a  role  for  oxytocin  inhibiting  social  affiliation  in  female-­‐female  bonds,  contrary  to  findings  showing  a  role  for  oxytocin  promoting  social  affiliation  in  other  brain  regions  in  other  species.  A  similar  decrease  in  huddling  following  infusion  of  oxytocin  with  the  oxytocin  receptor  antagonist  also  indicates  that  the  action  may  be  through  the  vasopressin  receptor  instead  of  the  oxytocin  receptor.  Further  aspects  of  our  studies  will  address  whether  the  vasopressin  system  may  be  involved,  as  well  as  the  role  of  other  high  oxytocin  receptor  expression  brain  regions,  which  will  assist  in  understanding  the  role  of  oxytocin  in  female  meadow  vole  seasonal  sociality.  Email:  jchristensen@smith.edu      80  116  Eyerusalem  Lemma  Sarah  A.  Heimovics   The  relationship  between  brain  steroidogenesis  and  individual  variation  in  singing  behavior:  a  seasonal  comparison  E.M.  LEMMA,  K.M.  CARLSON,  S.A.  HEIMOVICS  University  of  St.  Thomas   European  Starlings  sing  all  year,  however  the  motivation  driving  vocal  behavior  differs  in  breeding  and  non-­‐breeding  contexts  (Heimovics  &  Riters,  2007).  Studies  on  brain  regulation  of  vocal  communication  to  date  show  support  for  seasonal  context  dependent  differences  in  European  Starlings,  primarily  in  neurotransmitters  such  as  dopamine  (Heimovics  &  Riters,  2008)  and  opioids  (Riters  et  al.,  2005).  It  is  unclear  if  steroid  hormones,  particularly  steroids  made  in  the  brain,  also  have  context  dependent  differences  in  the  brain.  The  focus  of  this  research  was  to  investigate  the  context  dependent  differences  in  neurosteriodogenesis  between  nonbreeding  and  breeding  season  like  endocrine  states.  Fourteen  birds  were  randomly  assigned  to  non  breeding  and  breeding  groups  and  underwent  photoperiod  manipulation  to  induce  each  endocrine  state.  Behavioral  observations  were  performed  in  a  free  flying  aviary  for  one  hour  a  day  for  five  consecutive  days  using  a  point  sampling  technique.  Immediately  after  the  last  observation  tissue  was  collected.  Brains  and  gonads  were  flash  frozen  and  stored  in  -­‐80ºC  and  gonad  measurements  were  collected.  Brains  were  sectioned  at  200  microns  and  nuclei  were  punched  and  analyzed  for  gene  expression  using  two-­‐step  RT-­‐qPCR.  Breeding  condition  birds  had  significantly  larger  gonads  than  non  breeding  birds  showing  that  photoperiod  manipulations  were  successful  in  inducing  the  endocrine  states.  Results  show  that  there  is  not  a  significant  difference  in  song  rate  between  nonbreeding  and  breeding  birds.  In  nucleus  taenia  of  the  amygdala  (TnA)  and  and  the  bed  nucleus  of  the  stria  terminals  (BST),  nuclei  implicated  to  social  behavior  (Heimovics  &  Riters,  2005;  Heimovics  &  Riters,  2006),  individual  singing  behavior  is  positively  correlated  to  individual  mRNA  expression  of  aromatase  in  breeding  season  birds,  but  not  in  nonbreeding  season  birds.  In  contrast,  in  the  caudomedial  nidopallium  (NCM),  an  auditory  processing  region  (Gentner  et  al.,  2004),  and  rostral  hypothalamus,  a  nuclei  implicated  in  social  behavior  (Heimovics  &  Riters,  2005),  no  significant  correlation  exists  in  either  context.  This  suggests  that  neuroestrogen  production  in  TnA  and  BST  is  critical  to  sexually  motivated  vocal  communication.   Email:  lemm8531@stthomas.edu  117    Bradley  Wise  Teresa  Aubele-­‐Futch   A  nitric  oxide  promoter  in  the  medial  preoptic  area  facilitates  copulation  in  adult  male  rats  B.  WISE,  T.  AUBELE-­‐FUTCH,  E.  HULL  Wabash  College   Dopamine  (DA)  in  the  medial  preoptic  area  (MPOA)  is  crucial  in  order  for  adult  male  rats  to  perform  their  entire  range  of  copulatory  behaviors.  Previous  research  has  shown  that  the  nitric  oxide  (NO)-­‐cGMP  pathway  modulates  and  facilitates  MPOA  DA  levels,  and  that  administration  of  a  NO  synthesis  inhibitor  directly  to  the  MPOA  inhibits  both  basal  and  female-­‐stimulated  MPOA  DA  release,  stimulus  sensitization,  and  copulatory  ability.  Thus,  we  hypothesized  that  administration  of  a  NO  promoter,  sodium  nitroprusside  (SNP),  could  mimic  the  facilitative  effects  of  stimulus  sensitization  on  copulatory  ability.  In  naïve  male  Long-­‐Evans  Blue  Spruce  rats,  SNP  or  saline  was  microinjected  directly  to  the  MPOA  every  other  day  for  a  total  of  7  administrations.  Other  naïve  male  rats  were  exposed  to  receptive  females  placed  over  their  cages  on  the  same  schedule,  and  a  third  cohort  received  IP  injections  of  SNP  on  the  same  schedule.  Those  receiving  SNP  or  saline  did  not  receive  exposure  to  females  or  female  odors  until  copulatory  testing.  In  a  drug-­‐free  test  after  the  7th  administration  of  SNP,  saline,  or  exposure  to  a  receptive  female,  copulatory  behaviors  (mounts,  intromissions,  and  ejaculations)  were  scored  in  a  single  copulatory  session  lasting  thirty  minutes  from  the  first  intromission.  Animals  that  received  SNP  directly  to  81  the  MPOA  showed  facilitation  of  some,  but  not  all,  sexual  behaviors,  including  ejaculation  frequency  and  intromission-­‐to-­‐mount  ratios  over  discrete  ejaculatory  series,  similarly  to  those  males  that  were  stimulus-­‐
sensitized  via  exposure  to  receptive  female  rats.  Animals  receiving  SNP  regardless  of  the  route  of  administration  also  showed  lower  post-­‐ejaculatory  intervals,  similar  to  female-­‐exposed  animals.  Thus,  a  NO  promoter  administered  to  the  MPOA  can  mimic  some  facilitative  aspects  of  stimulus  sensitization  in  adult  male  rats.  Email:  bmwise14@wabash.edu    118.1  Sophia  Stone  Louise  M.  Freeman   Sex  Difference  in  the  Medial  Preoptic  Area  of  the  Asian  Musk  Shrew  S.A.  STONE,  C.L.  WRIGHT,  M.M.  MCCARTHY,  L.M.  FREEMAN  Mary  Baldwin  College   The  medial  preoptic  area  (mPOA)  of  the  hypothalamus  regulates  sexual  behaviors  in  many  mammalian  species.  In  rats,  neural  aromatization  of  testosterone  to  estradiol  (E2)  masculinizes  both  mounting  behavior  and  dendritic  spine  density  in  the  male  mPOA  by  activation  of  COX-­‐2  and  prostaglandin-­‐E2  (PG-­‐
E2);  however,  it  is  not  known  if  this  mechanism  is  shared  by  other  species.  Aromatization  of  androgens  is  not  essential  for  sexual  differentiation  in  the  primate  brain  or  the  Asian  musk  shrew  (Suncus  murinus).  Here,  dendritic  spine  density  in  the  shrew  mPOA  was  evaluated  via  western  blotting  for  spinophilin  and  direct  quantification  of  dendritic  spines  in  Golgi  Cox-­‐impregnated  neurons.  Western  blot  analysis  demonstrated  that  the  male  shrew  mPOA  contains  more  spinophilin  than  the  female  (p  =  0.042),  indicating  a  higher  spine  density  in  males,  which  we  verified  by  quantifying  spines  visualized  by  Golgi-­‐Cox  stain  (p  =  0.033).  Further,  we  predict  that  treatment  of  female  shrews  with  non-­‐aromatizable  dihydrotestosterone  (DHT),  but  not  E2,  would  masculinize  spinophilin  levels  along  with  mounting  behavior.  We  hope  to  establish  a  biological  as  well  as  behavioral  marker  for  brain  masculinization  in  the  musk  shrew,  and  test  the  ability  of  COX-­‐2  and  PG-­‐E2  manipulations  to  mimic  the  masculinizing  effects  of  DHT.  Email:  stones8956@mbc.edu    118.2  Kaela  Kelly  Louise  M.  Freeman   The  effect  of  time  of  day  on  musk  shrew  sexual  behavior  K.J.  KELLY,  K.R.  VASILOFF  Mary  Baldwin  College   Suncus  murinus,  also  known  as  the  Asian  musk  shrew,  is  a  model  species  for  studies  of  sexual  behavior.  The  unique  mating  behaviors  of  musk  shrews  are  due  to  the  fact  that  the  female  is  the  aggressor.  Initial  mating  practice  begins  with  female  lunges  towards  the  male.  Instead  of  the  female  performing  lordosis,  she  instead  tail  wags  to  give  indication  of  sexual  receptiveness.  The  male  will  then  proceed  to  mount  the  female  until  ejaculation.  One  of  the  advantages  of  using  musk  shrews  includes  that  musk  shrews  do  not  have  behavioral  hormonal  estrus  cycles.  Female  musk  shrews  also  only  have  a  total  gestation  period  of  30  days.   Though  this  process  has  been  observed  in  research,  the  optimal  time  for  mating  has  not  been  studied.  In  this  experiment,  we  looked  at  the  musk  shrews’  sexual  behaviors  and  how  they  differed  between  morning  and  evening.  Because  previous  laboratory  matings  have  been  performed  in  the  evening,  we  expected  to  see  more  successful  matings  during  that  time.  The  results  from  this  study  can  aid  future  matings  to  be  performed  at  a  time  where  breeding  is  more  efficacious.   To  look  at  the  effect  of  a  multitude  of  variables  on  shrew  sexual  behavior,  we  observed  a  total  of  14  female  shrews  and  14  male  shrews.  To  control  specifically  for  the  differences  of  mating  behavior  we  recorded  time  of  day,  humidity,  successful  mating  counts,  aggressive  lunge  counts  [female  aggression  in  the  form  of  an  audible  shriek  and  physical  approach],  and  whether  or  not  the  male  ejaculated.  The  first  observations  were  conducted  as  a  baseline,  82  looking  at  normal  behavior  during  the  morning  and  evening.  The  second  set  of  observations  had  a  total  n  of  10,  with  an  n  of  5  in  both  the  morning  mating  and  evening  mating  groups.  Two-­‐way  chi  square  showed  significance  between  ejaculation  and  morning  or  evening  matings  [X2(1)=4.16,  p<.05].  There  was  no  significant  difference  between  the  amount  of  lunge  counts  and  time  of  day,  nor  was  there  any  significant  difference  between  humidity  and  ejaculation.  This  suggests  that  the  optimal  time  to  mate  shrews  may  be  at  the  beginning  of  their  light  cycle,  rather  than  at  the  end  as  previously  predicted.  119    Dana  Cobb  Mark  Zrull   Environmental  enrichment  during  adolescence  reduces  affinity  for  novelty  in  young  adult  rats  D.  E.  COBB,  M.  C.  ZRULL  Appalachian  State  University   Like  adolescents,  young  adult  animals  often  exhibit  increased  novelty  seeking,  risk-­‐taking,  and  exploratory  behavior.  During  adolescence,environmental  enrichment  (EE)  can  enhance  brain  development  and  learning  and  memory  as  well  as  affect  variants  of  exploratory  behavior  including  novelty  seeking.  In  this  study,  we  examined  how  EE  during  adolescence  affected  novel  object  and  location  preference  in  young  adult  rats  and  the  relationship  between  these  behaviors  and  neural  activation  in  the  basolateral  amygdala  (BLA)  and  dentate  gyrus  (DG).  The  BLA  plays  a  role  in  processing  emotion  related  to  risk-­‐taking  behaviors,  and  the  DG  contributes  to  modulation  of  these  behaviors.  Long-­‐Evans  rats  (n=16)  were  exposed  to  EE  in  cages  with  ramps,  platforms,  inanimate  objects,  and  familiar  and  novel  conspecifics  for  two  days  followed  by  a  day  without  EE  for  a  total  of  20  EE  sessions  between  postnatal  days  (PND)  34  and  64.  Age-­‐matched  control  rats  (n=16)  were  not  enriched.  Two-­‐trial  object  and  location  preference  testing  occurred  between  PND  66  and  75  (15,  30,  60  minute  and  24  hour  delays).  On  Trial  2,  a  novel  object  (NOP  task)  or  familiar  object  at  a  novel  location  (NLP  task)  was  present  in  the  test  field.  Time  in  direct  contact  with  and  proximity  to  the  novel  object  or  at  the  novel  location  was  measured.  In  the  NOP  task  with  15  to  60  minute  delays  before  Trial  2,  the  proportion  of  novel  object  contact  time  increased  for  control  rats  (+43%,  0.54  to  0.77)  and  dropped  for  EE  rats  (-­‐34%,  0.59  to  0.39).  This  trend  reversed  with  a  24  hour  delay  (p<.05)  when  EE  rats  spent  more  time  with  the  novel  object  (0.64  vs.  0.59).  During  Trial  2  of  the  NLP  task,  EE  rats  gradually  decreased  attention  to  the  object  at  the  novel  location  across  delays  (-­‐31%,  0.70  to  0.48).  Control  rats  showed  a  consistent  proportion  of  contact  time  with  the  newly  located  familiar  object  (0.60)  across  all  delays  (p<.05).  On  PND  78  following  2  hours  in  the  quiet  and  dark,  rats  were  sacrificed  and  brain  tissue  processed  to  count  baseline  active  neuron  levels  using  the  c-­‐fos  protein  as  an  indicator.  In  BLA  of  EE  brains,  there  was  a  19%  reduction  in  active  neurons  relative  to  controls,  and  a  history  of  EE  reduced  activated  neurons  in  the  DG  by  44%  relative  to  unenriched  controls.  Behavioral  data  suggest  enrichment  during  adolescence  promotes  short-­‐term  (less  than  1  day)  adaptation  to  the  introduction  of  a  novel  item  into  a  familiar  environment  but  longer-­‐term  adaptation  to  rearrangement  of  familiar  objects  in  a  known  environment  in  our  young  adult  rats.  Neural  data  suggest  a  history  of  enriching  experiences  produces  an  analogous  change  in  brain  structures  contributing  control  to  novelty  preference  behavior  by  reducing  numbers  of  active  neurons.  Email:  cobbde@email.appstate.edu  120    Janace  Gifford  G.  Andrew  Mickley   Proposed  considerations  for  analysis  of  prepulse  inhibition  J.J.  GIFFORD,  R.A.  ZACHARIAS,  C.P.  TURNER  Baldwin  Wallace  University   83  Prepulse  inhibition  (PPI)  is  a  task  that  is  typically  employed  to  measure  the  acoustic  startle  response  in  animals.  PPI  is  often  determined  using  an  equation  that  indicates  the  percent  change  of  startle  response  when  a  prepulse  (warning)  is  provided  prior  to  the  startle  stimulus.  Conversely,  one  may  analyze  prepulse  trials  without  using  a  percent  PPI  equation.  The  purpose  of  this  study  was  to  determine  whether  more  robust  differences  could  be  detected  using  a  percent  PPI  equation  versus  raw  startle  response  data.  A  data  set  was  used  to  investigate  alternate  methods  of  analyzing  PPI  data.  Within  these  data  startle  response  to  three  different  prepulse  levels  (5,  10,  15  dB  above  background)  and  pulse  only  stimuli  were  recorded.   Results  indicated  that  the  method  of  analysis  of  prepulse  trials  leads  to  different  conclusions.  Specifically,  fewer  group  differences  were  present  when  using  the  percent  PPI  equation  compared  to  raw  startle  response  data.  Increased  p-­‐values  are  also  typically  observed  when  using  the  formula.  Thus,  employing  the  percent  PPI  equation  may  not  detect  marginal  differences  that  are  significant  when  analyzing  raw  startle  response  data.  The  percent  PPI  equation  utilizes  the  average  of  pulse  only  trials.  However  these  data  indicate  startle  response  changes  over  a  series  of  trials  in  response  to  pulse  only  startle  stimuli.  Therefore,  using  the  average  of  pulse  only  trials  in  the  percent  PPI  equation  may  also  contribute  to  an  inability  to  detect  subtle  group  differences  because  the  startle  response  to  pulse  only  trials  is  changing.  Researchers  should  also  be  aware  that  prepulse  intensity  significantly  affects  the  startle  response.  In  particular,  the  higher  the  prepulse  level,  the  more  the  startle  response  is  inhibited.  Employing  various  prepulse  intensities  therefore  may  not  be  desirable  unless  the  researchers  intend  to  analyze  startle  behavior  at  each  prepulse  level  independently.  Taken  together  these  findings  suggest  that  the  type  of  analysis  and  use  of  differing  prepulse  levels  may  impact  results  of  PPI  data.  121    Matthew  Gerlach  Michael  Watt   Effects  of  adolescent  social  defeat  and  isolation  on  adult  anxiety  and  depression  M.J.  GERLACH,  G.L.  FORSTER,  M.J.  WATT  Basic  Biomedical  Sciences,  University  of  South  Dakota   Adolescent  exposure  to  social  stressors  such  as  bullying  is  associated  with  later  anxiety  and  depression  disorders,  many  of  which  are  characterized  by  deficits  in  cognitive  processes  mediated  in  part  by  prefrontal  cortex  (PFC)  dopamine  (DA)  activity.   We  have  shown  that  male  rats  exposed  to  repeated  social  defeat  in  adolescence  exhibit  decreased  PFC  DA  activity  as  young  adults,  but  display  risk-­‐taking  rather  than  anxiety-­‐like  behavior.   However,  subjects  in  our  previous  studies  were  socially  housed.   Given  that  teen  bullying  victimization  is  often  associated  with  social  withdrawal,  here  we  investigated  whether  social  isolation  concurrent  with  social  victimization  during  adolescence  would  prove  to  be  a  contributing  factor  to  the  emergence  of  anxiety-­‐  and  /  or  depressive-­‐like  behavior  in  adulthood.   Adolescent  male  rats  (postnatal  day  [P]35)  were  exposed  to  socially  aggressive  adult  males  for  five  consecutive  days.   Age-­‐
matched  controls  received  no  social  defeat,  but  instead  were  exposed  to  a  novel  empty  cage  each  day.   Half  of  all  subjects  were  housed  singly  (isolated)  starting  at  P35  and  continuing  to  behavioral  testing  in  early  adulthood  (P56–60).  Anxiety-­‐like  and  depressive-­‐like  behaviors  were  assessed  using  the  elevated  plus  maze  (EPM)  and  forced  swim  test  (FST),  respectively.   No  differences  were  found  among  groups  in  time  spent  in  open  arms  of  the  EPM  on  the  elevated  plus  maze.   However,  socially-­‐housed  controls  showed  unexpectedly  high  anxiety-­‐like  behavior,  which  may  have  obscured  any  effects  of  adolescent  defeat  and/or  isolation.   Therefore,  we  are  repeating  the  EPM  test  with  different  subjects,  and  also  assessing  anxiety-­‐like  behavior  using  the  open  field  test.   In  the  FST,  socially  isolated  rats  displayed  less  floating  and  increased  swimming  /  climbing,  regardless  of  exposure  to  adolescent  defeat.   This  contrasts  with  effects  of  adult  social  isolation,  which  has  been  shown  to  enhance  behavioral  despair  as  indicated  by  increased  floating  in  the  FST.   Similarly,  previous  studies  indicate  that  social  defeat  in  either  adolescence  or  adulthood  increases  FST  immobility.   Contrary  to  our  original  hypothesis,  our  findings  suggest  that  social  isolation  from  mid-­‐adolescence  to  early  adulthood  may  actually  reduce  depressive-­‐like  behavior,  mitigating  negative  effects  of  defeat  exposure  and  increasing  resilience  to  situations  of  inescapable  stress.   However,  effects  of  combined  social  defeat  and  isolation  in  adolescence  on  later  anxiety-­‐like  behavior  are  yet  to  be  resolved.   Support:  USD  SPURA  program  (NIH  NIDA  grant  R25-­‐DA033674)  and  NSF  1257679  (MJW).  84  Email:  Matthew.Gerlach@coyotes.usd.edu    122.1  John  Tishler  Erin  Wamsley   Memory  consolidation  during  a  brief  period  of  waking  rest:  an  EEG  study  J.W.  TISHLER,  K.B.  BROKAW,  S.A.  MANCEOR,  K.B.  HAMILTON,  A.  GAULDEN,  E.  PARR,  E.J.  WAMSLEY  Furman  University   Introduction   Numerous  studies  have  shown  that  sleep  helps  to  facilitate  memory  consolidation.   However,  emerging  evidence  suggests  that  waking  rest  can  facilitate  memory  consolidation  even  in  the  absence  of  sleep.   The  present  study  examined  the  effects  of  eyes-­‐closed  rest  on  memory  consolidation  across  a  short  delay,  using  EEG  to  assess  the  brain  correlates  of  resting  memory  consolidation.     Methods   Participants  (n=26)  listened  to  a  short  story,  immediately  recalled  everything  they  could  remember  about  the  story,  and  then  spent  the  next  15min  either  resting  with  eyes  closed,  or  completing  a  distractor  task  (the  computer  game  Snood).   A  delayed  recall  test  was  administered  immediately  following  the  15min  retention  interval.  All  subjects  completed  both  the  quiet  rest  condition  and  distractor  task  condition,  in  counterbalanced  order.   Results   Following  exclusion  of  outliers,  quiet  rest  led  to  greater  improvement  in  memory  compared  to  the  active  condition  (p=0.005).   Additionally,  there  was  a  strong  positive  correlation  between  change  in  story  recall  across  the  retention  interval  and  slow  oscillation  power  at  all  electrodes  (r=0.69,  p=0.002,  at  C4  electrode).  Contrary  to  our  original  hypothesis,  there  was  also  a  strong  negative  correlation  between  alpha  power  at  central  and  frontal  electrodes  and  change  in  recall  (r=-­‐0.60,  p=0.009,  at  F3  electrode).   Conclusion   This  study  supports  the  hypothesis  that  even  a  short  period  of  rest  can  support  memory  under  optimal  conditions.  Slow  oscillations  have  been  shown  to  enhance  memory  consolidation  in  sleep,  and  this  study  shows  that  these  oscillations  may  also  play  a  crucial  role  in  memory  consolidation  during  wake  as  well.  Support   This  research  was  supported  by  a  scientific  bursaries  award  from  the  BIAL  Foundation.  Email:  ward.tishler@furman.edu    122.2  Kelly  Hamilton  Erin  Wamsley   Impact  of  future  relevance  on  dream  content  and  sleep-­‐dependent  memory  consolidation  K.B.  HAMILTON,  S.  MANCEOR,  K.  BROKAW,  Y.  GRAVELINE,  E.  PARR,  A.  GAULDEN,  J.W.  TISHLER,  E.J.  WAMSLEY  Furman  University   Background   Previous  studies  have  shown  that  sleep  following  the  learning  of  new  information  is  beneficial  for  memory  consolidation  of  this  information.   Information  that  we  know  to  be  relevant  in  the  near  future  may  be  preferentially  processed  during  sleep,  and  may  be  preferentially  reflected  in  our  dreams.   The  current  study  aims  to  test  the  hypotheses  that  information  relevant  to  an  individual’s  future  is  more  likely  to  be  incorporated  into  dream  content,  and  these  memories  will  also  benefit  more  from  sleep-­‐dependent  memory  consolidation.   Methods    Participants  (n=57)  trained  on  a  Virtual  Maze  Task  (VMT)  and  Motor  Sequence  Typing  Task  (MST).   Immediately  following  training  on  the  memory  tasks,  participants  were  given  instructions  about  the  later  testing  session.   Those  participants  in  the  “Expected”  condition  were  instructed  they  would  be  tested  later  on  the  memory  tasks,  and  those  in  the  “Unexpected”  condition  were  instructed  that  they  would  fill  out  additional  paperwork  later.   Participants  then  either  had  nine  hours  of  sleep  or  nine  hours  of  wake  prior  to  delayed  testing  on  both  memory  tasks.   EEG  data  were  acquired  throughout  sleep.   Performance  data  were  analyzed  using  a  2  (Expected  vs  Unexpected)  x  2  (Sleep  vs  Wake)  ANOVA.  Results   For  the  MST,  performance  improved  significantly  more  across  sleep  than  85  across  wakefulness  (p=.05).   The  benefit  of  sleep  was  numerically  greater  in  the  “Expected”  group  than  the  “Unexpected”  group  (non-­‐significant).   For  the  VMT,  sleep  also  had  a  numerically  greater  effect  on  improvement  when  the  test  was  expected  (non-­‐significant).  Data  collection  is  ongoing.       Conclusions   Preliminary  analysis  of  this  ongoing  study  supports  the  hypothesis  that  sleep  enhances  memory  consolidation  more  when  newly  learned  information  is  relevant  to  a  participants’  future.   Previous  studies  have  shown  this  effects  for  procedural  memory,  however,  the  present  study  is  the  first  to  test  the  effect  of  expectation  on  spatial  memory  consolidation  during  sleep.   These  results  may  give  insight  to  a  similar  mechanism  for  procedural  and  spatial  memory  consolidation  in  the  sleeping  brain.  Support   This  research  was  supported  by  a  scientific  bursaries  award  from  the  BIAL  Foundation.  Email:  kelly.hamilton2835@furman.edu  123    Ashvini  Pandian  Joaquin  Lugo   Repeated  oral  doses  of  aniracetam  does  not  alter  anxiety,  locomotion,  or  learning  and  memory  in  adult  C57BL/6J  mice  A.  PANDIAN,  T.W.  ELSTON,  G.D.  SMITH,  A.J.  HOLLEY,  N.  GAO,  J.N.  LUGO  Baylor  University   There  is  a  growing  community  of  individuals  self-­‐administering  aniracetam,  a  nootropic,  for  its  purported  cognition  enhancing  effects.  Aniracetam  is  believed  to  be  therapeutically  useful  for  enhancing  cognition,  alleviating  anxiety,  and  treating  various  neurodegenerative  conditions.  Physiologically,  aniracetam  enhances  both  glutamatergic  neurotransmission  and  long-­‐term  potentiation.  Previous  studies  of  aniracetam  demonstrate  the  cognition-­‐restoring  effects  of  acute  administration  in  different  models  of  disease.  No  previous  studies  have  explored  the  effects  of  aniracetam  in  healthy  subjects.  We  investigated  whether  daily  50  mg/kg  oral  administration  improves  cognitive  performance  in  naïve  C57BL/6J  mice  by  a  variety  of  aspects  of  cognitive  behavior.  We  measured  spatial  learning  in  the  Morris  water  maze  test;  associative  learning  in  the  fear  conditioning  test;  motor  learning  in  the  accelerating  rotorod  test;  and  odor  discrimination.  We  also  measured  locomotion  in  the  open  field  test;  anxiety  through  the  elevated  plus  maze  test  and  by  measuring  time  in  the  center  of  the  open  field  test;  repetitive  behavior  through  marble  burying.  We  detected  no  significant  differences  between  the  naive,  placebo,  and  experimental  groups  across  all  measures.  Despite  several  studies  demonstrating  efficacy  in  impaired  subjects,  our  findings  suggest  that  aniracetam  does  not  alter  behavior  in  normal  healthy  mice.  This  study  is  timely  in  light  of  the  growing  community  of  healthy  humans  self-­‐administering  nootropic  drugs.  Email:  Ashvini_Pandian@baylor.edu  124    Hensley  Barnes  Lori  McGrew   Assessment  of  working  memory  and  anxiety  in  Danio  rerio  following  treatment  with  pharmacological  agents  H.  BARNES,  L.  SHEPPARD,  K.  PARKER,  I.  WAHID,  J.  WESLEY,  C.  WYATT  Belmont  University   Danio  rerio,  more  commonly  known  as  zebrafish,  are  an  NIH  model  organism  that  has  long  been  used  for  toxicology  and  development  studies.   More  recently,  Danios  have  been  used  for  behavioral  experiments  including  assessments  of  anxiety  and  working  memory.   Our  lab  utilized  a  T-­‐maze  to  measure  working  memory  following  treatment  of  the  fish  with  several  different  pharmacological  agents  including  triclosan,  acetaminophen,  and  nicotine.   We  also  used  a  diving  tank  to  evaluate  the  effects  of  these  agents  on  anxiety  in  the  zebrafish.   We  found  a  correlation  between  increased  anxiety  and  decreased  working  memory  in  the  Danio's.   We  went  on  to  treat  the  fish  with  agents  designed  to  decrease  anxiety  (anandamide  receptor  agonist  and  buproprion)  to  see  whether  these  treatments  would  improve  working  memory  in  the  fish.   86  Finally,  we  tested  a  pre-­‐workout  supplement  that  for  its  ability  to  increase  anxiety  in  the  fish.   Overall,  treatments  that  increased  anxiety  as  measured  using  the  dive  tank  paradigm  had  a  negative  impact  on  working  memory  as  assessed  in  the  T-­‐maze  in  Danio  rerio.  Email:  hensley.barnes@pop.belmont.edu  125    Lila  Tibbets  Dwight  Krehbiel   Emotion  effects  on  performance  in  a  3-­‐back  task  L.E.  TIBBETS,  A.  GONZALEZ,  G.D.S.  GONZALEZ  Bethel  College,  KS   This  study  investigated  effects  of  emotional  facial  expressions  on  performance  in  a  working  memory  task.  Working  memory  performance  was  tested  using  a  3-­‐back  matching  test  with  fear  and  neutral  faces.  Our  design  and  concept  were  based  on  a  similar  study  that  used  valenced  words  (Kopf,  Dresler,  et  al.,  2013).  Faces  were  selected  from  the  Karolinska  Directed  Emotional  Faces  database  (Lundqvist,  D.,  Flykt,  A.,  &  Ohman,  A.,  1998).  The  3-­‐back  task  consisted  of  two  categories  of  trials  -­‐-­‐  target  faces  (30  fear  and  30  neutral),  which  had  been  seen  three  trials  previously,  and  non-­‐target  faces  (66  fear  and  66  neutral),  which  had  not.  The  proportion  of  correct  answers  for  target  and  non-­‐target  faces  and  median  reaction  times  for  both  conditions  were  measured  for  comparison.  Measures  for  fear  and  neutral  faces  were  obtained  separately.  EEG  data  were  simultaneously  recorded,  and  event-­‐related  potentials  (ERPs)  were  extracted.  Participants  were  20  Bethel  College  undergraduate  student-­‐athletes.  Two-­‐way,  within-­‐subjects  ANOVAs  were  used  to  determine  possible  effects  of  emotion  and  target/non-­‐target  on  proportion  of  correct  answers  and  reaction  times.  No  significant  effect  of  emotion  was  found  on  either  variable,  nor  was  there  an  interaction  between  emotion  and  target/non-­‐target.  However,  the  proportion  correct  for  non-­‐target  faces  was  significantly  higher  than  that  for  the  targets  (Non-­‐Target  M  =  .911,  Target  M  =  .780),  indicating  that  non-­‐target  faces  were  responded  to  more  accurately  than  target  faces.  Box-­‐Cox  transformations  were  used  to  achieve  approximately  normal  distributions  prior  to  conducting  the  ANOVAs.    ERP  results  showed  an  enhanced  late  positive  potential  (LPP)  for  target  faces,  especially  for  fear  target  faces,  compared  to  non-­‐
target  faces  at  electrode  sites  Cz,  Pz,  Cp1,  and  Cp2.  ERP  results  support  the  finding  regarding  processing  differences  between  target  and  non-­‐target  faces;  enhanced  by  fear  expressions  in  targets.  ERP  results  were  similar  to  those  of  Kopf  et  al.  (2013),  who  found  an  enhanced  LPP  for  negative  valenced  stimuli  in  the  ERP  average  for  electrodes  Cz,  Pz,  CPz  (not  recorded  in  our  study),  CP1  and  CP2.  In  addition,  our  ERP  results  showed  an  enhanced  LPP  for  fear  target  stimuli  at  PO3  and  PO4.  Thus,  both  studies  show  an  enhanced  LPP  for  negative  valenced  stimuli.   In  comparison  to  the  Kopf  et  al.  study,  we  did  not  find  a  significant  effect  of  emotion  on  behavioral  variables;  we  found  an  enhanced  LPP  for  target  faces  compared  to  non-­‐target  faces,  especially  for  fear.  Thus,  there  is  some  doubt  about  whether  perception  of  emotion  in  faces  has  similar  effects  as  do  words.  Further  research  is  needed  to  determine  the  source  of  these  possible  differences.  Email:  lilaetibbets@bethelks.edu    126.1  Mary  Pearce  J.  Matthew  Kittelberger   Mapping  immediate  early  gene  activity  in  the  brains  of  naturally  vocalizing  midshipman  fish  (Porichthys  notatus)  M.E.  PEARCE,  J.M.  KITTELBERGER  Gettysburg  College   Midshipman  fish  (Porichthys  notatus),  a  highly  vocal  species  of  toadfish,  have  become  a  model  system  for  studying  the  structure,  function,  and  evolution  of  vertebrate  vocal-­‐motor  systems.  Territorial  males  nest  in  intertidal  zones  where  they  hum  nocturnally  to  attract  females,  and  grunt  or  growl  to  defend  their  nests  87  from  intruders.  The  vocal  circuit  has  been  mapped  and  areas  involved  in  vocalization  have  been  identified  by  a  variety  of  lesion,  chemical  inactivation,  stimulation,  and  a  few  single  unit  recording  studies,  as  well  as  anatomical  tract-­‐tracing  experiments.   Historically,  functional  studies  of  the  vocal-­‐motor  system  have  been  performed  in  a  fictive  vocal  preparation,  in  which  vocal  activity  is  elicited  by  electrical  stimulation  and  monitored  by  electrodes  placed  on  the  motor  nerve  innervating  the  swim  bladder  (the  vocal  organ).   No  experiments  have  yet  been  done  confirming  that  brain  areas  identified  by  these  methods  are  indeed  active  in  naturally  humming  fish,  or  if  there  are  other  important  vocal  areas  active  in  natural  humming  but  not  in  the  fictive  vocal  context.   Here,  we  used  an  antibody  against  the  phosphorylated  form  of  the  ribosomal  S6  protein,  recently  characterized  as  a  downstream  target  of  immediate  early  genes  classically  used  to  identify  active  neurons,  to  label  neurons  in  naturally  humming  and  non-­‐humming  territorial  male  midshipman.   Fish  were  day-­‐night  reversed  and  monitored  during  dark  hours  using  a  hydrophone  in  tanks  with  artificial  nests  and  females  to  induce  natural  courtship  behavior.  Males  classified  as  humming  were  actively  humming  for  at  least  one  hour  prior  to  sacrifice,  and  had  inflated  swim  bladders.  Non-­‐humming  males  were  observed  to  be  quiet,  but  listening  to  humming  of  other  males  in  the  same  tank,  for  one  hour  prior  to  sacrifice,  and  were  confirmed  as  non-­‐hummers  by  their  deflated  swim  bladders.  Brains  of  humming  males  were  sectioned  and  stained  with  standard  immunohistochemical  methods  for  the  expression  of  pS6.  Labeling  was  cataloged,  with  attention  paid  to  areas  of  the  brain  previously  shown  to  be  part  of  the  vocal-­‐motor  pathway.  Robust  staining  was  observed  in  the  hindbrain  vocal  pattern  generator  in  humming  male  midshipmen,  in  the  vocal  motor,  vocal  pacemaker,  and  pre-­‐pacemaker  nuclei.  However,  no  structures  previously  identified  as  vocal  areas  in  the  midbrain,  hypothalamus,  preoptic  area,  or  forebrain  were  labeled.   These  results  were  based  on  a  small  number  of  fish,  and  further  experiments  will  be  performed  to  replicate  the  results  and  compare  to  non-­‐humming  fish.  Supported  by  the  Grass  Foundation  and  by  a  Howard  Hughes  Medical  Institute  Undergraduate  Science  Education  grant  to  Gettysburg  College.  Email:  pearma01@gettysburg.edu    126.2  Alexandra  Turano  J.  Matthew  Kittelberger   The  effect  of  early  adolescent  play  behavior  in  rats  on  late  adolescent  and  adulthood  alcohol  consumption  A.  TURANO,  C.C.  GARLISS,  E.J.  ACHTERBERG,  J.G.  LOZEMAN-­‐VAN  'T  KLOOSTER,  A.M.  BAARS,  L.J.M.J.  VANDERSCHUREN,  S.M.  SIVIY,  H.M.B.  LESSCHER  Gettysburg  College;  Utrecht  University   Play  behavior  during  early  adolescence  has  a  strong  correlation  to  social  behavior  later  in  life.  Access  to  play  during  adolescence  can  increase  social  ability  in  late  adolescence  and  adulthood,  while  denied  access  to  play  during  adolescence  can  hinder  future  social  capabilities.  Individuals  with  impaired  social  aptitude  are  at  a  higher  risk  for  self-­‐isolation  and/or  substance  addiction.  There  is  a  high  degree  of  individual  variation  in  the  risk  for  addiction.  There  is  a  possibility  that  individual  variation  in  play  behavior  exhibited  during  adolescence  is  predictive  of  the  risk  for  substance  addiction  habits  in  the  future.  The  purpose  of  the  current  study  was  to  determine  if  play  behavior  of  early  adolescent  rats  was  related  to  late  adolescent  and  adulthood  alcohol  consumption.  48  Lister-­‐Hooded  rats  were  housed  socially  upon  arrival  and  isolated  for  two  and  a  half  hours  prior  to  play  testing  on  pnd  28  and  pnd  35,  when  play  behavior  is  highly  abundant.  Play  pairs  were  determined  by  weight  and  novelty  to  each  other;  individual  rats  were  coded  for  pins  and  pounces.  Subsequently,  a  ranking  score  for  the  number  of  pins  and  pounces  in  the  two  play  sessions  was  calculated  for  each  individual  rat  to  differentiate  high  and  low  playing  rats.  Between  pnd  42  and  56,  half  of  the  rats  were  given  a  free  choice  between  water  and  20%  ethanol  in  a  home  cage  intermittent-­‐every-­‐day  paradigm,  7  hours  a  day  on  Monday,  Wednesday  and  Friday  for  a  total  of  6  days.  The  other  rats  consumed  merely  water.  A  tertile  split  for  play  behavior  indicated  that  high  playing  animals  made  significantly  more  pounces  and  pins.  Moreover,  the  high  playing  animals  consumed  more  alcohol  when  compared  to  low  playing  animals.  Ongoing  experiments  with  these  animals  will  assess  the  relation  between  early  adolescent  play  behavior  and  alcohol  consumption  in  adulthood.   Supported  by  NIMH  grant  R15MH100585  to   S.M.Siviy  88  Email:  turaal02@gettysburg.edu  127    Leigh  Andrews  enyhus@bowdoin.edu   Selective  attention  and  memory:  Event  related  potentials  and  the  IOR  effect.  L.A.  ANDREWS,  J.M.  MACDONALD,  J.  MARKANT,  E.  NYHUS  Bowdoin  College   Visual  learning  is  dependent  on  the  focusing  of  the  attentional  system.  Studies  show  that  attentional  enhancement  and  inhibition  modify  the  encoding  of  otherwise  identically  presented  stimuli.  fMRI  has  shown  that  activation  for  the  attended  stimulus  was  stronger  with  simultaneous  inhibition  at  the  distractor  location  utilizing  inhibition  of  return  (IOR),  in  which  an  elongated  cue  to  target  interval  inhibits  attention  at  the  cued  location  and  enhances  attention  at  the  non-­‐cued  location.  EEG  research  has  linked  the  P1  component  to  attentional  inhibition  that  occurs  early  in  IOR  while  the  Nd250  component  is  related  to  excitatory  processes  that  override  IOR.  It  has  also  been  proposed  that  the  FN400  component  indexes  familiarity  and  the  parietal  old/new  effect  indexes  recollection  during  retrieval.  The  present  study  utilized  IOR  to  study  the  impact  of  target  enhancement  and  distractor  inhibition  on  memory  encoding.  In  the  task  a  cue  appeared  on  the  left  or  right  600  ms  before  the  stimulus  appeared,  subjects  then  responded  to  the  target  location.  Participants  were  not  informed  that  the  images  used  would  be  the  subject  of  a  subsequent  recognition  memory  test.  EEG  was  used  to  look  for  component  differences  between  target  enhancement  and  distractor  inhibition  and  between  recognition  and  familiarity.   Subjects’  RTs  were  faster  for  non-­‐cued  than  cued  targets  showing  an  IOR  effect.  Importantly,  subjects’  memory  was  better  for  non-­‐cued  than  cued  targets.  In  addition,  preliminary  results  suggest   an  increased  P1  and  Nd250  for  non-­‐cued  relative  to  cued  targets.   These  results  indicate  that  subjects’  memory  is  affected  by  the  selective  attention  during  encoding.   Paller  Neuroscience  Fellowship   Loewy  Neuroscience  Fellowship   Bowdoin  College  Neuroscience  Department.  Email:  landrews@bowdoin.edu  128    Michele  Amato  Jeffrey  L.  Calton   NMDA  blockade  and  disorientation  disrupts  the  establishment  of  a  stable  head  direction  signal  M.E.  AMATO,  A.M.  RODRIGUEZ,  L.E.  BERKOWITZ,  I.  YBARRA,  J.A.  JONES,  I.A.  PASTOR,  J.L.  CALTON  California  State  University,  Sacramento   Head  direction  (HD)  cells,  found  in  many  areas  of  the  rodent  Papez  circuit,  are  thought  to  reflect  the  spatial  orientation  of  the  animal.   Each  HD  cell  fires  maximally  when  the  head  is  oriented  towards  a  particular  direction,  known  as  the  preferred  direction  of  that  cell.   The  preferred  direction  of  the  cell  is  typically  different  between  environments,  and  this  preference  is  determined  during  the  initial  exposure  to  that  environment.   Given  the  known  role  of  NMDA  receptor-­‐mediated  glutamatergic  transmission  in  many  forms  of  neuroplasticity,  we  sought  to  determine  whether  NMDA  transmission  is  necessary  for  the  HD  cell  to  maintain  directional  specificity  when  encountering  a  new  environment.   Anterior  thalamic  HD  cells  were  recorded  after  the  animals  were  administered  the  competitive  NMDA  antagonist  CPP  (RS-­‐3-­‐2-­‐
carboxypiperazin-­‐4-­‐yl-­‐propyl-­‐1-­‐phosphonic  acid;  10  mg/kg)  or  isotonic  saline.   In  the  first  session  following  injection,  the  cells  were  recorded  in  a  familiar  cylindrical  environment  to  determine  the  baseline  directional  activity  of  the  HD  cell.   Then,  the  animals  were  exposed  to  a  new  environment  through  one  of  two  methods.   In  the  Saline/Walks  and  CPP/Walks  conditions,  a  door  was  opened  and  the  animals  were  allowed  to  walk  from  the  familiar  cylinder  to  a  novel  square  environment.   In  the  Saline/Manual  and  CPP/Manual  conditions,  the  animals  were  removed  from  the  cylinder,  placed  in  a  cardboard  box,  and  89  disoriented  before  being  manually  placed  in  the  novel  square  environment.   The  cells  were  then  recorded  in  the  novel  square  environment  to  determine  if  there  were  differences  in  the  quality  of  the  directional  signal  in  the  new  environment.   In  general  there  was  an  attenuation  of  the  directional  signal  between  the  familiar  and  novel  environments,  providing  evidence  that  the  signal  suffers  some  degradation  during  the  initial  exposure  to  a  new  environment.   This  attenuation  was  larger  in  the  CPP  conditions,  suggesting  that  NMDA  transmission  may  be  involved  in  maintaining  the  directional  signal  in  a  new  environment.   Finally,  the  attenuation  was  greatest  when  the  drugged  animals  were  disoriented  prior  to  being  placed  in  the  novel  square,  suggesting  that  the  effects  of  NMDA  blockade  are  greatest  when  the  animal  has  no  stable  directional  reference  to  carry  into  the  new  environment.   In  accordance  with  this  observation,  several  cells  in  the  CPP/Manual  condition  showed  slow  drifts  in  preferred  direction  during  the  sessions,  an  effect  not  observed  in  the  other  conditions.   These  results  suggest  that  NMDA  blockade  interrupts  the  maintenance  of  the  directional  signal  carried  by  the  HD  cell  network  when  the  animal  is  exposed  to  a  new  environment.   This  research  was  supported  by  NIH  grant  1R15NS071470-­‐01.  Email:  mea97@csus.edu    129.1  Lana  McDowell  Stephen  Siviy   Effects  of  risperidone  treatment  on  5-­‐HT2a  and  DRD2  mRNA  expression  in  F344  and  Sprague-­‐Dawley  rats  L.S.  MCDOWELL,  N.  LI,  K.A.  LIPSETT,  S.M.  SIVIY  Gettysburg  College   Imbalances  in  dopamine  and  serotonin  functioning  appear  to  be  underlying  problems  in  several  neuropsychiatric  disorders,  including  schizophrenia  and  autism.  Rats  have  been  used  as  an  effective  model  organism  due  to  their  exhibition  of  complex  social  behavior,  particularly  play.  F344  rats  are  an  inbred  rat  strain  that  exhibit  less  play  behavior  than  other  rats  and  are  known  to  have  impaired  dopamine  and  possibly  impaired  serotonin  modulation.  In  an  attempt  to  elucidate  the  neurological  differences  between  F344  rats  and  an  outbred  strain  commonly  used  in  behavioral  research,  such  as  Sprague  Dawley  rats,  real  time  quantitative  PCR  was  performed  on  homogenized  frontal  cortex  RNA  samples  from  F344  and  Sprague  Dawley  rats  that  had  been  treated  with  Risperidone,  a  5-­‐HT2A/D2  antagonist,  or  vehicle  for  two  weeks.   Risperidone  is  a  common  atypical  antipsychotic  that  is  also  used  for  the  treatment  of  autism.  It  was  hypothesized  that  blocking  these  receptors  will  result  in  an  increase  in  the  expression  of  the  mRNA  for  these  receptors.  The  target  genes  were  DRD2  and  5-­‐HT2A,  while  PPIA  and  YWhaz  were  used  as  reference  genes.  Preliminary  data  suggests  that  vehicle-­‐treated  F344  rats  express  less  mRNA  for  5HT2A  and  D2  receptors  than  vehicle-­‐treated  Sprague  Dawley  rats,  but  that  risperidone-­‐treated  F344  rats  have  increased  expression  of  both  receptors,  possibly  greater  than  that  of  untreated  Sprague  Dawley.  If  maintained  after  further  data  collection,  these  differences  may  reveal  systematic  variability  in  serotonin  and  dopamine  receptors  between  these  strains,  which  then  may  account  for  some  of  the  observed  behavioral  variability.   Support  from  HHMI  grant  to  Gettysburg  College  Email:  mcdola03@gettysburg.edu    129.2  Samantha  Eck  Stephen  Siviy   Early  experience,  oxytocin,  and  dysfunctional  play  in  the  F344  rat  S.R.  ECK,  J.  SOROKA,  L.S.  MCDOWELL,  S.M.  SIVIY  Gettysburg  College   Previous  work  from  our  laboratory  has  shown  that  the  inbred  Fischer  344  (F344)  rat  is  consistently  less  playful  than  other  inbred  and  outbred  strains.  In  order  to  determine  the  extent  to  which  these  strain  differences  can  be  accounted  for  by  strain  differences  in  maternal  care,  a  cross-­‐fostering  study  was  done  90  with  F344  and  Lewis  rats.   Entire  litters  were  either  cross-­‐fostered  or  in-­‐fostered  and  maternal  care  was  quantified  using  a  timed-­‐sampling  procedure  over  10  days  starting  on  post-­‐natal  day  2.  F344  mothers  spent  significantly  less  time  licking  and  grooming  their  pups  than  Lewis  mothers,  although  there  were  no  strain  differences  in  the  amount  of  time  spent  in  arch-­‐back  nursing.  After  weaning  at  21  days  of  age,  rats  were  tested  for  play  with  a  standard  Sprague-­‐Dawley  play  partner.  Rats  were  tested  after  both  4  and  24  hours  of  isolation,  with  F344  rats  found  to  be  less  playful  overall  than  Lewis  rats  in  terms  of  both  nape  contacts  and  complete  rotations.  Rearing  did  have  an  impact  on  play  but  only  in  Lewis  rats.  In  particular,  cross-­‐fostered  Lewis  rats  were  as  playful  after  4  hours  of  isolation  as  they  were  after  24  hours  of  isolation.   Cross-­‐fostered  Lewis  rats  were  also  more  likely  to  respond  to  a  nape  contact  with  a  complete  rotation  than  in-­‐fostered  Lewis  rats.  To  assess  whether  strain  differences  in  trait  anxiety  could  account  for  any  differences  in  play,  anxiety  was  assessed  through  activity  in  an  elevated  plus  maze  (EPM)  and  novel  open  field.  When  tested  in  the  EPM,  F344  rats  spent  more  time  in  the  open  arms  than  Lewis  rats  and  this  measure  of  anxiety  was  not  affected  by  rearing  condition.  When  tested  in  a  novel  open  field,  F344  rats  spent  more  time  in  the  center  than  did  Lewis  rats.  However,  cross-­‐fostered  Lewis  rats  spent  more  time  in  the  center  than  in-­‐fostered  Lewis  rats.  These  data  suggest  that,  contrary  to  our  original  working  hypothesis,  juvenile  F344  rats  are  less  anxious  than  same-­‐aged  Lewis  rats.  As  a  result,  these  data  suggest  that  the  dysfunctional  play  of  the  F344  rat  is  not  a  consequence  of  enhanced  anxiety  in  this  strain.  While  early  postnatal  experiences  may  be  having  an  impact  on  Lewis  rats,  maternal  factors  do  not  appear  to  contribute  significantly  to  the  dysfunctional  play  of  the  F344  rat.  To  assess  if  differences  in  oxytocin  functioning  may  account  for  these  strain  differences,  an  additional  group  of  male  and  female  F344,  Lewis,  and  SD  rats  were  used  to  quantify  oxytocin  (OT)-­‐positive  neurons  in  the  hypothalamus.   While  still  preliminary,  no  discernible  differences  in  the  number  of  hypothalamic  OT-­‐positive  neurons  were  observed  between  the  strains.   Support  from  NIMH  grant  R15MH100585  to  S.M.S.  and  HHMI  grant  to  Gettysburg  College  Email:  ecksa01@gettysburg.edu  130    John  Mootz  Sharon  Furtak   Perirhinal  cortex  involvement  in  fear  conditioning  to  a  discontinuous  light  stimulus  J.  MOOTZ,  C.  CALUB,  A.  BECKNER,  S.C.  FURTAK  California  State  University,  Sacramento   Previous  studies  have  shown  that  lesions  to  the  perirhinal  cortex  (PER)  impair  fear  conditioning  to  complex  auditory  cues,  such  as  pre-­‐recorded  rat  ultrasonic  vocalizations  (Linquist,  Jarred,  &  Brown,  2004).  In  particular,  the  discontinuous  nature  of  ultrasonic  vocalizations  was  found  to  depend  upon  PER  processing  during  fear  conditioning  to  these  stimuli  (Kholodar-­‐Smith,  Allen,  &  Brown,  2008).   The  current  experiment  examined  whether  PER  is  lesions  induced  similar  impairments  in  fear  conditioning  to  a  discontinuous  visual  conditioned  stimulus  (CS).  In  this  study,  Sprague-­‐Dawley  derived  Albino  male  rats  were  broken  into  two  groups:  Lesion  and  Sham.   The  Lesion  group  underwent  surgery  and  received  intracranial  injections  of  NMDA  to  produce  bilateral  excitotoxic  lesions  targeted  at  PER,  while  the  Sham  group  underwent  a  similar  surgical  procedure  with  the  exception  that  no  injection  was  made.   Following  recovery,  all  subjects  were  trained  on  a  three-­‐day  fear  conditioning  paradigm.   Day  1,  Fear  Acquisition,  consisted  of  5  presentations  of  the  CS  (discontinuous  light)  paired  with  an  unconditioned  stimulus  (US),  a  foot  shock.  The  subsequent  two  days  consisted  of  a  Context  Test,  the  rat  was  placed  back  into  the  conditioning  chamber  with  no  CS  or  US  presentations,  and  a  Light  Test,  the  rat  was  placed  into  a  new  chamber  (a  context  shift)  and  presented  with  the  light  CS  with  no  US  presentations  for  6  mins.  The  order  of  tests  was  counterbalanced  across  rats  in  each  group.  Freezing  behavior  (no  movement  except  that  necessary  for  breathing)  was  monitored  and  recorded  throughout  the  experiment.   Results  show  animals  with  PER  lesions  froze  significantly  less  than  Sham  animals  to  the  discontinuous  light  CS  during  the  Light  Test.  Additional  histological  analysis  will  be  necessary  to  eliminate  the  possibility  that  amygdala  damage  contributed  to  the  observed  deficit.   These  results  further  support  PER  in  the  processing  of  discontinuous  stimuli  and  extend  this  hypothesis  to  include  modalities  outside  of  the  audition,  in  particular  stimuli  within  the  visual  modality.  91  Email:  jrkm1.0@hotmail.com  131    Raquel  Candal  Greg  Butcher   Music  therapy  and  its  effect  on  Alzheimer's  disease  and  dementia  R.  CANDAL,  S.  IRONS,  A.  ROSS,  G.  BUTCHER  Centenary  College  of  Louisiana  and  Thiel  College   Alzheimer’s  is  a  devastating  disease  with  symptoms  ranging  from  memory  loss  to  behavioral  changes,  all  of  which  can  be  detrimental  to  a  person’s  quality  of  life.  In  some  cases,  behavior  changes  such  as  agitation  have  been  shown  to  improve  after  participation  in  music  therapy.   However,  our  understanding  concerning  which  type  of  music  therapy  is  most  effective  is  incomplete.  Given  this,  we  hypothesized  that  patients  participating  in  music  therapy  sessions  designed  around  a  customized  playlist  would  show  greater  improvements,  both  quantitatively  and  qualitatively,  in  behavioral  symptoms  than  participants  with  a  random  playlist  or  a  no-­‐music  control.  The  following  study  was  designed  to  investigate  whether  random  music  can  improve  quality  of  life  or  if  familiar  music,  and  its  associated  memories,  holds  the  key  to  better  outcomes.   Participants  that  had  scored  a  19  or  less  on  the  Mini  Mental  State  Examination  (MMSE)  were  included  in  the  study.   The  participants  were  randomly  sorted  into  a  customized  playlist  group,  randomized  playlist  group,  and  a  no-­‐music  control  group.  The  effects  of  the  therapy  were  measured  using  a  pre-­‐  and  post-­‐test  MMSE  and  Neuropsychiatric  Inventory  (NPI).  Preliminary  analysis  indicates  that  a  customized  playlist  significantly  reduced  agitation  compared  to  the  random  playlist  and  the  no-­‐
music  control.   If  consistent,  this  finding  could  be  used  to  develop  more  effective  music  therapy  programs  for  people  living  with  Alzheimer’s  disease.  https://www.youtube.com/edit?o=U&video_id=_SaXoH_VHuE  Email:  rcandal@my.centenary.edu  132    Nicole  Comfort  Jade  Zee   Linear  integration  for  perceptual  behavior  in  mouse  primary  auditory  and  visual  cortex  M.H.  HISTED,  N.T.  COMFORT,  R.T.  OHMAN,  A.R.  PERILLO,  J.H.R.  MAUNSELL  Dept.  of  Neurobiology,  Harvard  Medical  School  and  Program  in  Behavioral  Neuroscience,  Northeastern  University   Many  mammalian  species  can  treat  sensory  information  similarly  whether  it  is  distributed  over  time  or  concentrated  over  a  short  interval.  Such  linear  integration  means  that  the  product  of  stimulus  duration  and  amplitude  predicts  perceptual  performance,  a  rule  called  Bloch’s  Law.  This  phenomenon  can  be  created  by  computations  in  the  cerebral  cortex,  as  we  have  shown  by  directly  stimulating  mouse  visual  cortex  (Histed  and  Maunsell,  2014).  Linear  behavior  of  cortical  circuits  might  have  been  unexpected  because  cortical  neurons’  spike  activity  is  a  non-­‐linear  function  of  their  inputs.  However,  behavioral  linearity  can  be  explained  by  a  decoder  that  applies  a  threshold  rule  to  total  population  spike  count.     Because  near-­‐perfect  sensory  integration  is  seen  in  many  species  and  many  sensory  systems,  it  is  likely  that  linear  integration  is  a  computation  that  many  cortical  circuits  can  perform.  To  determine  if  auditory  cortex  as  well  as  visual  cortex  can  use  linear  integration  to  guide  behavior,  we  trained  mice  to  perform  an  auditory  task  in  which  we  determine  the  limits  of  their  perception  for  pure  tones  of  varying  duration  and  amplitude  embedded  in  noise.  We  find  that  mice  show  linear  integration,  following  Bloch’s  law,  for  audition:  detection  threshold  is  related  to  the  product  of  duration  and  tone  amplitude  (duration:  2-­‐100ms,  N=2  mice).       We  previously  found,  using  direct  stimulation  of  visual  cortex,  that  very  small  changes  in  neuronal  activity  can  be  detected  and  reported  by  mice.  These  small  changes  mean  that  individual  neurons  do  not  carry  enough  information  for  animals  to  do  the  task.  Instead,  a  population  of  neurons  must  be  decoded  to  achieve  the  observed  behavioral  performance.  We  find  that  neurons  in  mouse  primary  92  auditory  cortex  are  also  modulated  only  weakly  by  stimuli  near  detection  threshold  (median  change  in  firing  rate  over  interval  before  behavioral  response:  0.5  spk/s;  75th  percentile  1.7  spk/s;  N=13  single  units  and  47  multiunits,  recorded  extracellularly  in  awake  mice).      Thus,  despite  the  widely  different  types  of  sensory  input  processed  in  primary  visual  and  auditory  cortex,  both  areas  can  support  linear  integration.  The  cerebral  cortex  might  have  evolved  to  support  linear  integration  as  one  important  computational  regime.  Email:  nicolecomfort3@gmail.com  133    Cassidy  White  Andrea  Tracy   The  effect  of  high-­‐fat  diet  consumption  on  hippocampal  dendritic  spine  density  and  spatial  memory  performance  C.M.  WHITE,  A.L.  TRACY  Grinnell  College   Though  an  abundance  of  evidence  now  correlates  diet-­‐induced  obesity  with  deficiencies  in  learning  and  memory,  much  remains  unknown  about  the  physiological  mechanisms  underlying  these  effects.  To  gain  more  insight  about  how  prolonged  high-­‐fat  diet  (HFD)  consumption  alters  function  in  the  hippocampus,  a  brain  region  associated  with  spatial  memory,  this  study  investigates  the  effect  of  diet  on  hippocampal  dendritic  spine  density.  16,  male  Long-­‐Evans  rats  consumed  either  standard  chow  (4%  fat)  or  a  HFD  (40%)  ad  libitum  for  16  weeks.  All  rats  then  learned  to  escape  a  Morris  water  maze  onto  a  fixed  platform.  Rate  of  acquisition  across  training  trials  was  equivalent  across  diet  conditions.  One  week  after  the  training  period,  a  recall  test  was  conducted  with  the  platform  removed  from  the  maze.   HFD  animals  were  significantly  slower  to  reach  the  platform's  previous  location  (M  =  41.78,  SD  =  25.93;  M  =  5.64,  SD  =  6.17;  p  =  0.005)  and  crossed  that  location  significantly  fewer  times  (M  =  0.63,  SD  =  0.74;  M  =  3.50,  SD  =  1.07;  p  =  0.001)  than  standard  chow  animals.  Brain  tissue  was  then  collected  and  Golgi  stained  to  investigate  neuronal  morphology  in  the  hippocampus.  Results  of  spine  density  analysis  revealed  that  HFD  rats  had  significantly  greater  densities  than  their  chow-­‐fed  counterparts  (M  =  0.076,  SD  =  0.010;  M  =  0.054,  SD  =  0.011;  p  =  0.001).  These  results  contrast  previous  research  suggesting  that  increased  spinal  density  is  associated  with  better  learning  and  memory  performance.  However,  the  data  are  consistent  with  spinal  density  changes  expected  to  occur  following  increased  exposure  to  leptin,  an  adipocyte-­‐derived  hormone  that  is  elevated  with  HFD  consumption.  Further  research  is  needed  to  more  completely  understand  the  functional  relationship  between  hippocampal  dendritic  spine  density  and  the  consolidation  and  recall  of  spatial  memory.  Email:  whitecas@grinnell.edu  134    Emily  Mortimer  Cara  M.  Constance   Determining  the  developmental  stage  of  onset  of  behavioral  circadian  rhythms  in  Hyla  versicolor  (Gray  treefrog)  E.N.  MORTIMER,  C.E.  LOYOLA,  A.B.  MYER,  C.M.  CONSTANCE  Hiram  College   Circadian  rhythms  play  a  crucial  role  in  the  biological  functions  of  many  organisms  on  Earth.   Internal  clocks  control  basic  cycles  in  an  organism,  including  the  rest/wake  and  feeding  cycles.  It  is  beneficial  to  study  model  organisms  such  as  Xenopus  laevis  which  possess  similar  clock  genes  as  humans.   However,  it  is  also  informative  to  study  rhythms  of  animals  in  a  natural  setting.  We  hypothesized  that  tadpoles  of  the  tree  frog,  Hyla  versicolor,  are  active  at  a  different  time  of  day  from  the  adults  of  the  same  species  as  a  defense  mechanism  from  cannibalistic  tendencies  and  to  avoid  competition  for  similar  resources.  H.  versicolor  tadpoles  procured  from  the  field  were  monitored  in  constant  darkness  and  temperature  93  controlled  environment  with  unlimited  access  to  food  for  five  circadian  periods  with  a  video  camera  and  software  that  measured  movement.  Of  the  18  tadpoles  tested,  only  one  of  the  monitored  tadpoles  showed  a  circadian  rhythm  in  behavior  with  peak  behavior  occurring  in  the  nighttime.   The  data  suggests  that  tadpoles  do  not  have  a  stable  circadian  rhythm  that  contributes  to  their  survival,  and  that  they  are  consistently  active  throughout  the  day  and  night.   Even  though  a  stable  circadian  rhythm  for  tadpoles  was  not  discovered,  the  conclusion  reached  is  important  because  it  gives  rise  to  a  further  hypothesis  that  circadian  rhythms  emerge  in  a  later  developmental  stage  of  H.  versicolor  as  they  mature  into  adult  frogs.   Further  testing  will  be  performed  during  metamorphosis  to  pinpoint  when  rhythmic  behavior  initiates  in  this  species.  Email:  mortimeren@hiram.edu  135    Max  Feinstein  Ryan  Lacy   The  effects  of  aerobic  exercise  on  impulsive  choice  in  a  rodent  model  M.A.  FEINSTEIN,  R.T.  LACY,  J.C.  STRICKLAND,  M.A.  SMITH  Davidson  College   Impulsivity  is  a  cardinal  component  in  several  psychiatric  conditions  resulting  in  maladaptive  behaviors.  Binge  eating,  attention  deficit  hyperactivity  disorder,  and  substance-­‐use  disorders  all  involve  some  component  of  impulsivity  in  their  respective  pathologies.  Additionally,  impulsivity  can  be  influenced  by  a  multitude  of  environmental  conditions,  and  various  procedures  exist  to  objectively  measure  and  quantify  impulsivity  in  both  human  and  animal  subjects.   We  investigated  the  effects  of  aerobic  exercise  on  impulsivity  in  a  rodent  model  using  a  delay  discounting  paradigm.  Delay  discounting  is  the  phenomenon  where  subjects  will  decrease  their  valuation  of  a  reward  as  the  time  to  receive  that  reward  increases.  For  example,  an  impulsive  choice  observed  from  a  delay  discounting  perspective  would  be  selecting  a  bowl  ice  cream  now  rather  than  abstaining  and  enjoying  better  physical  health  later.  To  assess  the  effect  of  exercise  on  delay  discounting,  we  placed  rats  in  two  cohorts,  an  exercising  group  that  had  ad  libitum  access  to  a  running  wheel,  and  a  sedentary  condition  that  was  only  allowed  locomotion  within  their  home  cages  (interior  dimensions  of  50  x  28  x  20  cm).  Every  day  rats  were  placed  in  an  operant  chamber  with  two  levers;  one  lever  was  programmed  to  deliver  one  45  mg  grain  pellet  immediately  after  each  lever  press,  and  the  second  lever  was  programmed  to  deliver  three  45  mg  grain  pellets  at  increasingly  delayed  intervals.  As  the  time  required  for  the  rat  to  wait  for  the  larger,  later  reward  (LLR)  increased,  we  observed  both  groups  would  discount  this  option  and  choose  the  smaller,  sooner  reward  (SSR).   By  logarithmically  transforming  the  ratio  of  responses  for  the  LLR  and  SSR  and  plotting  those  values  as  a  function  of  delay  (also  a  logarithmically  transformed  ratio  of  delay  for  LLR  and  delay  for  SSR),  we  were  able  to  isolate  two  different  behavioral  mechanisms  contributing  to  impulsivity.  We  found  that  exercising  rats  were  less  sensitive  to  the  effect  of  delay  than  sedentary  rats,  indicating  exercising  rats  were  less  likely  to  discount  a  reward  as  a  function  of  delay.  In  contrast,  we  found  that  exercising  rats  were  more  likely  to  discount  the  value  of  an  LLR  due  to  the  effect  of  the  magnitude  of  the  reward,  meaning  that  sedentary  rats  valued  the  LLR  more  than  the  exercising  rats,  assuming  an  equal  delay.   In  conclusion,  we  found  a  two  opposing  effects  of  exercise  on  impulsivity.  Exercise  decreased  impulsive  choice  by  reducing  sensitivity  to  delay,  but  increased  impulsive  choice  by  reducing  sensitivity  to  reward  magnitude.  Future  investigations  of  these  effects  may  involve  analyzing  the  neuroadaptations  resulting  from  exercise  and  their  relevance  to  impulsivity.  Funding  provided  by  Davidson  Research  Initiative.  Email:  mafeinstein@davidson.edu      94  136  Caitlin  John  Margaret  J.  Gill   Impact  of  differential  rearing  on  set-­‐shifting  ability  C.A.  JOHN,  M.R.  CROMWELL,  M.J.  GILL  North  Central  College   Rearing  rats  in  enriched  (EC)  or  impoverished  (IC)  conditions  induces  long  term  neurological,  behavioral,  and  cognitive  changes.   EC  rats  exhibit  improved  cognitive  abilities,  such  as  increased  responding  for  sucrose  and  visual  stimuli,  compared  to  IC  rats.   In  contrast,  it  appears  that  EC  rats  have  poorer  reward  discrimination  compared  to  IC  rats,  when  given  the  choice  between  a  smaller-­‐sooner  or  larger-­‐later  reward.   To  determine  if  these  differences  were  due  to  cognitive  deficits  in  EC  and  IC  rats,  the  current  study  utilized  an  automated  operant  task,  that  is  equivalent  to  the  Wisconsin  card  sorting  task  often  used  in  humans  (Floresco,  Block,  &  Tse,  2008).   Rats  arrived  at  21  days  of  age  and  were  reared  in  their  respective  conditions  for  30  days  prior  to  testing  in  standard  two  lever  operant  conditioning  chambers.   After  rearing,  rats  began  training  on  a  FR1  schedule  with  sucrose  pellets  as  rewards.   Rats  were  tested  for  their  side-­‐bias  prior  to  learning  their  first  “rule”  involving  visual  cue  discrimination.    A  cognitive  shift  was  then  quantified  as  rats  were  required  to  shift  responding  to  the  non-­‐biased  lever  in  order  to  obtain  a  reward.   During  the  visual  cue  task,  IC  rats  displayed  a  greater  number  of  correct  choices  and  a  fewer  number  of  incorrect  choices  compared  to  EC  rats.   Similarly,  in  this  same  task,  IC  rats  required  fewer  trials  than  EC  rats  to  reach  criterion.   Since  EC  and  IC  differences  were  observed  during  the  second  session  of  visual  cue  discrimination,  while  not  following  a  shift  to  the  new  rule,  results  suggest  that  EC  and  IC  differences  in  reward  discrimination  may  be  due  to  learning  deficits,  rather  than  cognitive  deficits  impeding  discrimination  of  the  reward.    Research  supported  by  North  Central  College  Summer  Undergraduate  Research  Program  137    Monica  Doring  Larry  Normansell   Effects  of  FG7142  on  isolation  induced  stress  in  Sprague-­‐Dawley  and  Wistar  rats  M.  DORING,  S.  SIVIY  Gettysburg  College   In  the  current  study,  we  examined  the  effects  of  early  social  deprivation  on  the  sensitivity  of  GABAA  receptors  in  Wistar  and  Sprague-­‐Dawley  rats.   We  examined  the  behavioral  effects  associated  with  the  benzodiazepine  inverse  agonist  N-­‐methyl-­‐β-­‐carboline-­‐3-­‐carboxamide  (FG7142).   The  effects  of  β-­‐
carbolines  are  stress  sensitive  and  can  have  enhanced  behavioral  effects  when  tested  under  conditions  of  chronic  stress.   In  previous  open  field  tests,  isolation  reared  rats  were  more  immobile,  less  active,  and  spent  more  time  in  the  center  of  the  field  than  the  socially  housed  rats.  Methods.   Male  Sprague-­‐Dawley  and  Wistar  rats  were  housed  either  socially  or  in  isolation  for  2  weeks  beginning  at  about  30  days  old.  Rats  were  tested  in  an  open  field  for  a  60  minute  baseline  period,  injected  with  FG7142  (10  mg/kg  IP),  and  then  tested  for  an  additional  60  minutes.   Results.   During  baseline  testing,  rats  housed  in  isolation  were  more  active,  reared  more,  and  spent  more  time  in  the  center  of  the  arena  than  those  housed  socially.  The  effects  of  isolation  were  comparable  between  the  2  strains  although  Wistar  rats  were  more  active  than  SD  rats  overall  and  spent  more  time  in  the  center.   After  treatment  with  FG7142,  rats  housed  in  isolation  continued  to  be  more  active  and  reared  more  than  those  housed  socially  although  this  was  only  apparent  in  Wistar  rats.   This  suggests  that  Wistar  rats  reared  in  isolation  are  particularly  sensitive  to  the  effects  of  FG7142.   Conclusions.   Wistar  rats  housed  in  isolation  seem  to  be  more  sensitive  to  the  effects  of  FG7142  than  Sprague-­‐Dawley  rats.   The  results  support  the  idea  that  GABAA  receptors  are  stress-­‐sensitive.   The  results  show  that  there  are  strain  differences  in  responses  to  stress,  such  as  chronic  isolation,  which  can  alter  sensitivity  to  drugs  acting  at  the  GABAA  receptor  complex.  Funded  by  Jack  Shand  Summer  Student  Research  Fellowship  to  M.D.  Email:  dorimo01@gettysburg.edu   95  138   Jason  Freedman  Michael  Loose   Identifying  the  relative  influence  of  multiple  prior  events  on  predictions  of  a  probabilistic  future:  an  artificial  neural  network  analysis  J.  FREEDMAN,  A.  AMLIE-­‐WOLF,  R.  WITTENBERG,  O.  SHORHAM,  S.R.  ARONSON,  M.D.  LOOSE  Oberlin  College  Department  of  Neuroscience   When  predicting  future  events  most  individuals  tend  to  match  their  rate  of  predicting  an  outcome  to  the  probability  of  that  outcome  occurring.  We  used  an  artificial  neural  network  trained  via  back-­‐propagation  (ANN)  to  test  the  hypothesis  that  multiple  types  of  information  influence  such  predictions.  The  model  used  events  of  recent  previous  trials  as  inputs  (14  input  nodes)  with  two  or  five  hidden  nodes  and  two  output  nodes.  The  sign  of  the  difference  between  the  two  output  nodes  determined  the  network’s  guess.  Training  sets  were  constructed  (N=22)  from  behavioral  data  collected  for  an  event-­‐related  potential  study  in  which  the  probability  ratio  was  63:37  (Society  for  Neuroscience  2012,  101.22).  Each  training  set  contained  a  50:50  ratio  of  high  and  low  probability  predictions  while  the  test  set  retained  the  original  choice  ratio  (range  of  high  predictions:  54%  -­‐  82%).  Ten  networks,  each  initialized  with  random  weight  values,  were  trained  for  each  of  the  22  data  sets.  After  training,  the  ANNs  were  more  accurate  compared  to  before  training  at  predicting  subjects’  choices  with  the  training  set  (mean  improvement:  14.9  %,  SD  =  5.0%,  p  <  0.001),  as  well  as  with  the  test  set  (mean  improvement:  9.5%,  SD  =  11.2%,  p  <  0.001).  We  compared  3  metrics  for  rank  ordering  the  contributions  of  the  various  inputs  to  accuracy  of  the  networks.  We  tested  a  new  metric  that  used  the  magnitude  of  output  node  difference  values  (as  a  measure  of  network  confidence)  and  two  established  metrics,  a  lesion  method  and  a  connection  weight  strength  algorithm.  We  examined  four  types  of  input  patterns  that  could  have  influenced  each  decision:  Patterns  that  defied  the  expected  probability,  behavioral  streaks,  accuracy  of  the  previous  guess,  and  speed  of  the  previous  guess.  The  strongest  correlations  between  input  pattern  metrics  and  actual  behavior  were  achieved  with  the  synaptic  weight  algorithm  (mean  r  =  .83)  and  the  confidence  metric  (mean  r  =  .81).  Both  metrics  were  more  highly  correlated  (p  <  0.05)  than  the  lesion  metric  (mean  r  =  .49).  Each  input  pattern  was  found  to  be  important  for  a  subset  of  individuals.  The  interactions  of  two  or  more  patterns  often  were  important  to  successful  predictions  by  the  ANN,  and  no  one  strategy  was  found  to  be  strongly  predictive  for  all  participants.  Our  results  suggest  that  for  simple  probabilistic  predictions  people  vary  their  strategies  depending  upon  recent  events  and  their  decisions  are  influenced  simultaneously  by  multiple  types  of  information.  We  infer  that  attempting  to  fit  probabilistic  decisions  with  a  single  strategy  like  the  win-­‐stay  lose-­‐shift  or  the  expectation  matching  strategy  will  fail  to  capture  significant  components  of  the  decision  making  process.  Email:  jason@freedman.com  139    Melissa  Rose  Adrienne  Betz   Behavioral  and  immune  responses  in  chronic  and  acute  unpredictable  restraint  stress  M.  ROSE,  C.  LITTLE,  B.  DALENA,  C.  WHITELOCK,  A.J.  BETZ  Quinnipiac  University   Restraint  stress  has  been  shown  to  cause  structural  and  functional  changes  in  the  hippocampus  and  prefrontal  cortex.  First,  we  characterized  the  behavioral  effects  of  chronic  unpredictable  restraint  stress  in  male  Sprague-­‐Dawley  rats.  Chronic  unpredictable  restraint  stress  was  induced  over  a  21-­‐day  period.  Two,  30-­‐minute  sessions  of  restraint  stress  were  performed  at  unpredictable  times.  We  found  that  there  were  significant  decreases  in  weight  change  in  animals  subjected  to  chronic  unpredictable  repeated  restraint  stress.  Thirty  minutes  post  the  second  session  of  unpredictable  restraint  stress,  glucose  levels  were  measured  for  21  days.  We  found  that  there  were  no  significant  differences  between  the  control  and  restraint  group  but  glucose  levels  significantly  decreased  across  the  21  day  period.  Spleen  and  adrenal  weights  were  decreased  in  chronic  unpredictable  restraint  stress  exposed  animals  on  day  21.  Additionally,  96  there  were  exploratory  differences  in  the  elevated  plus  maze  in  animals  exposed  to  chronic  unpredictable  restraint  stress  compared  to  control  animals.  Next,  we  performed  an  experiment  with  animals  subjected  to  acute  unpredictable  restraint  stress  with  two,  30  minute  sessions.  Animals  were  immediately  sacrificed  and  single  cell  dissociations  were  performed  with  the  hippocampus  and  prefrontal  cortex.  Immunomagnetic  isolation  of  microglia  were  performed  and  confirmed  with  flow  cytometry.  Preliminary  evidence  suggests  an  elevation  of  microglia  in  both  the  hippocampus  and  prefrontal  cortex  brain  regions;  however,  further  research  will  be  required  to  validate  this.  These  findings  suggest  expression  of  these  immune  cells  is  increased  with  exposure  to  restraint  stress.  Email:  melissa.rose@quinnipiac.edu    140.1  Emma  Brockway  Paul  J  Currie   An  investigation  of  the  role  of  central  ghrelin  on  appetite,  metabolism,  and  stress  activation  E.T.  BROCKWAY,  C.B.  MOCTEZUMA,  E.C.  AGAN,  J.A.  SELVA,  P.J.  CURRIE  Reed  College   Ghrelin  is  a  gut-­‐brain  peptide  secreted  peripherally  and  active  at  ghrelin  1a  receptors  distributed  throughout  the  rat  central  nervous  system.  In  addition  to  stimulating  eating,  the  peptide  is  known  to  elicit  alterations  in  energy  homeostasis,  metabolism,  and  anxiogenesis.  In  the  present  report  adult  male  Sprague  Dawley  rats  were  implanted  with  unilateral  guide  cannula  aimed  at  the  hypothalamic  paraventricular  or  arcuate  nuclei,  the  midbrain  ventral  tegmental  area,  or  basolateral  amygdala.  Each  region  expresses  the  1a  receptor  protein.  Ghrelin  was  administered  at  doses  ranging  from  25-­‐800  pmol  and  was  dissolved  in  sterile  water  vehicle  in  a  volume  of  0.2  ul.  In  addition  to  food  intake,  we  examined  the  effect  of  the  peptide  on  energy  substrate  utilization  (respiratory  quotient;  VCO2/VO2),  measured  via  indirect  calorimetry,  as  well  as  the  impact  of  ghrelin  treatment  on  performance  in  the  elevated  plus  maze  paradigm.  While  ghrelin  elicited  eating  after  injection  into  all  targeted  brain  regions,  the  peptide  most  robustly  increased  RQ  after  hypothalamic  administration.  Higher  doses  of  the  peptide  increased  avoidance  of  the  open  arms  in  the  elevated  plus  maze,  indicative  of  the  induction  of  stress-­‐related  or  anxiety-­‐like  behavior.  If  rats  were  allowed  to  eat  after  ghrelin  treatment,  and  then  tested  in  the  EPM,  no  anxiety-­‐like  behavior  was  observed.  Overall  our  findings  further  delineate  the  role  of  forebrain  and  midbrain  structures  mediating  the  effects  of  ghrelin  in  the  expression  of  appetitive  and  emotional  behaviors.  Supported  by  the  Murdock  Charitable  Trust.  Email:  pcurrie@reed.edu    140.2  Cloe  Moctezuma  Paul  J  Currie   Systemic  and  brain  ghrelin  signaling  in  ethanol  reward  C.B.  MOCTEZUMA,  E.C.  AGAN,  E.T.  BROCKWAY,  J.A.  SELVA,  P.J.  CURRIE  Reed  College   In  the  central  nervous  system  mesotelencephalic  neurons  are  implicated  in  the  control  of  reward  and  reinforcement.  Numerous  neurotransmitter  and  peptides  are  synthesized  or  expressed  by  these  neurons  and  act  locally  in  the  mediation  of  drug  reward,  including  ethanol  reinforcement.  Recent  research  indicates  that  the  gut-­‐brain  hormone  ghrelin  plays  an  important  role  in  this  process.  For  example  ghrelin  microinjection  directly  into  the  midbrain  ventral  tegmental  area  increases  operant  responding  for  palatable  food,  an  effect  blocked  by  central  dopamine  depletion.  In  the  present  study  we  investigated  the  impact  of  ghrelin  on  ethanol  intake  in  male  Sprague  Dawley  rats.  Animals  were  initially  exposed  to  increasing  concentrations  of  ethanol.  Midway  through  this  exposure  period  rats  were  implanted  with  chronic  indwelling  guide  cannula  aimed  at  the  ventral  tegmental  area  or  the  nucleus  accumbens.  After  rats  97  had  showed  stabilized  intake  of  8%  ethanol,  they  were  then  injected  with  either  ghrelin  or  sterile  water  vehicle  using  a  repeated  measures  design.  A  period  of  at  least  3  non-­‐injections  days  separated  various  treatments.  A  separate  group  of  rats  received  peripheral  ghrelin  injections.  Intakes  were  assessed  at  2  and  6  hrs  postinjection.  Our  findings  indicated  that  both  systemic  and  central  ghrelin  administration  elicited  reliable  increases  in  ethanol  consumption.  Overall  this  work  is  consistent  with  the  role  of  mesotelencephalic  ghrelin  signaling  in  the  mediation  of  ethanol  reward.  Supported  by  the  Murdock  Charitable  Trust.  Email:  pcurrie@reed.edu  141    Maxwell  Anderson  Gary  Muir   Influence  of  visual  cues  on  head  direction  (HD)  cell  firing  following  anesthesia  M.  ANDERSON,  M.  SEVERSON,  A.  THOMSON,  G.  MUIR  St.  Olaf  College   One  class  of  neuron  thought  to  play  a  role  in  navigation  and  spatial  orientation  are  head  direction  (HD)  cells.  HD  cells  fire  relative  to  a  rat's  directional  heading,  and  this  firing  is  thought  be  controlled  by  the  animal's  use  of  both  idiothetic  (internal)  and  allothetic  (external)  cues.  Our  study  investigates  the  effects  of  manipulating  a  prominent  visual  (allothetic)  cue  in  a  cylindrical  testing  chamber  on  HD  cell  directionality  following  a  period  of  unconsciousness.  Four  HD  cells  were  recorded  from  the  Anterior  Dorsal  Thalamic  Nucleus  (ADN)  of  animals  before  (baseline),  during,  and  following  a  period  of  unconsciousness  induced  by  Isoflurane  gas  anesthesia.  All  HD  cells  appeared  to  lose  their  directionality  during  the  period  of  unconsciousness,  firing  randomly  in  all  directions,  but  quickly  regained  their  directionality  upon  a  return  to  consciousness.  If  the  visual  cue  was  visible  during  recovery,  all  HD  cell  firing  returned  to  its  original  (baseline)  direction.  Surprisingly,  when  the  visual  cue  was  removed,  three  of  the  cells  still  reverted  back  to  their  original  firing  direction  on  recovery  from  anesthesia.  These  results  indicate  that  when  available,  visual  information  significantly  controls  the  directional  firing  of  HD  cells.  When  the  visual  cue  is  removed,  however,  unknown  allothetic  cues,  or  a  preserved  idiothetic  signal  despite  the  apparent  randomness  of  the  HD  cell  firing  during  unconsciousness,  could  possibly  explain  how  the  HD  cell  returns  to  its  original  firing  direction.  The  next  step  in  our  ongoing  research  is  to  determine  whether  there  is  another,  uncontrolled  external  cue  influencing  this  outcome;  primarily,  whether  directionality  is  maintained  when  visual  and  auditory  cues  are  diminished  (e.g.,  using  complete  darkness  and  loud  white  noise).  Email:  andersmr@stolaf.edu  142    John  Connell  Shelly  Dickinson   The  impact  of  caffeine  on  the  motivational  effects  of  alcohol  in  mice  J.  CONNELL,  M.  NORBY,  P.  VUE  St.  Olaf  College   Combined  caffeine  and  alcohol  consumption  is  a  common  practice  during  adolescence,  a  period  of  acute  neurobiological  vulnerability.  It  is  important  to  understand  the  behavioral  and  neuropharmacological  effects  of  these  substances  on  the  adolescent  brain  as  early  exposure  may  contribute  to  the  development  of  alcohol  abuse.  The  present  study  employed  place  conditioning  (PC)  and  conditioned  taste  avoidance  (CTA)  procedures  to  assess  the  impact  of  caffeine  on  the  rewarding  and  aversive  effects  of  ethanol  in  adolescent  and  adult  mice.  The  PC  procedure  produced  an  aversion  to  a  20  mg/kg  dose  of  caffeine  after  four  trials  as  well  as  a  preference  for  a  2  g/kg  dose  of  ethanol  after  eight  trials  in  adolescent  mice.  Both  effects  were  subject  to  extinction,  with  the  ethanol  preference  extinguishing  most  rapidly.  In  addition,  the  CTA  data  showed  that  the  presence  of  caffeine,  when  combined  with  either  ethanol  or  saline,  produced  a  stronger  aversion  in  both  age  groups  compared  to  the  saline  and  ethanol.  Although  it  is  unclear  whether  98  these  results  were  produced  by  behavioral  summation  or  pharmacological  interactions,  such  data  provides  further  insight  into  the  combined  effects  of  caffeine  and  alcohol.  Email:  connell@stolaf.edu  143    Jordan  Buck  Jessica  Siegel   Effects  of  early  adolescent  methamphetamine  and  nicotine  exposure  on  behavior  and  cognition  in  adolescent  mice  J.M.  BUCK,  A.  SCHULTHEIS,  J.A.  SIEGEL  The  University  of  the  South   The  neurotoxic  effects  of  methamphetamine  (MA)  can  lead  to  deficits  in  behavior  and  cognition.  The  rising  rates  of  adolescent  MA  use  necessitate  that  we  understand  effects  of  MA  exposure  on  the  adolescent  brain.  Adolescents  in  treatment  for  MA  abuse  show  higher  levels  of  depression  and  suicide  ideation  compared  to  those  being  treated  for  other  substances.  Adolescents  using  MA  also  show  high  rates  of  nicotine  use.  Previous  research  has  shown  that  nicotine  can  mediate  the  effects  of  MA  in  the  brain.  However,  the  interaction  between  MA  and  nicotine  in  the  adolescent  brain,  and  the  effects  of  these  two  substances,  has  not  been  examined.  This  research  assesses  the  effects  of  early  adolescent  MA  and  nicotine  exposure  on  cognition  and  behavior  in  male  C57BL/6J  mice  later  in  adolescence.  The  effects  of  early  adolescent  MA  and  nicotine  exposure  on  behavior  in  the  open  field  test,  the  novel  object  recognition  test,  the  Porsolt  forced  swim  test,  the  Morris  water  maze  test,  and  MA  conditioned  place  preference  were  examined.  Mice  exposed  to  MA  or  nicotine  in  early  adolescence  showed  increased  time  spent  in  the  center  of  the  open  field  compared  to  mice  exposed  to  saline  or  both  MA  and  nicotine  together.  There  were  no  effects  of  early  adolescent  MA  and/or  nicotine  exposure  in  early  adolescence  in  any  other  test,  including  the  conditioned  place  preference  test.  These  findings  suggest  that  early  adolescent  exposure  to  MA  or  nicotine  increases  risk  taking  behavior  and  decreases  anxiety,  but  concurrent  exposure  to  both  MA  and  nicotine  reduces  this  effect.  Current  experiments  examining  dopamine  transporter  density  and  corticosterone  levels  are  ongoing  to  better  understand  the  mechanisms  underlying  these  behavioral  results.  These  findings  contribute  to  a  greater  understanding  of  how  MA  and  concurrent  nicotine  exposure  alters  behavior  and  cognition  in  an  age  group  that  has  been  relatively  understudied.   These  studies  supported  by:  James  D.  Kennedy  III  Faculty  Fellowship  from  The  University  of  the  South.  Email:  buckjm0@sewanee.edu  144    Torrie  Summers  Brian  Burrell   Endocannabinoids/endovanilloids  attenuate  injury-­‐induced  hyperalgesia  but  not  mechanical  allodynia  T.  SUMMERS,  B.  HANTEN,  W.  PETERSON,  B.  BURRELL  University  of  South  Dakota   The  endocannabinoid  (eCB)  system  is  thought  to  play  a  role  in  modulating  nociceptive  signaling  at  both  the  central  and  peripheral  levels,  thus  making  it  a  potential  therapeutic  target  for  modulating  pain  signaling.   The  analgesic  effects  of  eCBs  are  thought  to  be  due  to  depressing  excitatory  synaptic  transmission  within  pain  neural  pathways.   However,  results  from  both  clinical  and  laboratory-­‐based  studies  have  found  that  eCBs  can  also  contribute  to  nociceptive  sensitization  (e.g.  mechanical  hyperalgesia  or  allodynia)  due  to  a  depression  of  inhibitory  synapses  that  leads  to  disinhibition  of  pain  circuits  (Pernia-­‐
Andrade  et  al.,  2009).   Using  the  medicinal  leech  as  a  model  system,  our  lab  has  observed  that  while  eCBs  depress  nociceptive  synapses,  they  enhance  non-­‐nociceptive  synaptic  transmission  (Yuan  &  Burrell,  2010).   Here,  we  examined  the  functional  relevance  of  these  synaptic  effects  by  testing  whether  eCBs  have  similar  bidirectional  effects  on  behavioral  responses  to  nociceptive  vs.  non-­‐nociceptive  stimuli.   Leeches  99  were  injected  with  either  the  eCB  2-­‐arachidonoylglycerol  (2-­‐AG;  75µM)  or  anandamide  (AEA;  100µM)  and  then  tested  for  nociceptive  and  non-­‐nociceptive  stimulus  response  thresholds.  Both  AEA  and  2-­‐AG  significantly  sensitized  the  animals  to  non-­‐nociceptive  stimuli  while  simultaneously  decreasing  responses  to  nociceptive  stimuli.   Both  the  pro-­‐  and  anti-­‐nociceptive  effects  of  AEA  and  2-­‐AG  were  blocked  by  co-­‐
injection  of  an  inhibitor  of  the  transient  receptor  potential  vanilloid  (TRPV)  channel,  which  is  thought  to  function  as  an  eCB  receptor.   Further  experiments  were  conducted  to  determine  if  eCBs  have  an  effect  on  non-­‐nociceptive  and  nociceptive  stimuli  responses  in  an  injured  animal.  Animals  were  given  a  crush  injury  or  injection  of  LPS  (1mg/mL)  to  their  posterior  sucker  and  their  behavioral  responses  to  nociceptive  and  non-­‐nociceptive  stimuli  was  observed  daily  for  14  days.  Animals  received  an  injection  of  2AG  (75µM)  on  the  third  day  after  injury.  The  injured  animals  had  a  significantly  increased  response  to  non-­‐nociceptive  (allodynia)  and  nociceptive  (hyperalgesia)  stimuli.  Treatment  with  2AG  restored  responses  to  nociceptive  stimuli  to  pre-­‐injury  latencies;  however,  2AG  treatment  did  not  attenuate  the  sensitized  response  to  non-­‐
nociceptive  stimuli.  These  results  indicate  that  eCB  treatment  may  be  effective  in  treating  mechanical  hyperalgesia,  but  may  not  be  useful  in  treating  mechanical  allodynia.    145    Jenna  Goldstein  Eric  Wiertelak   Huang  lian  jie  du  wan:  traditional  chinese  medicine  formulation  for  pain  treatment  J.  GOLDSTEIN,  C.SEMLA,  G.  THAYER,  E.  WIERTELAK  Macalester  College   TCM  is  more  than  5,000  years  old  and  has  its  roots  in  the  ancient  philosophy  of  Taoism.  Whereas  Western  medicine  tends  to  focus  on  maladies  of  particular  organs  or  parts  of  the  body,  TCM  focuses  on  the  balance  and  imbalance  of  various  patterns,  and  utilizes  these  patterns  to  diagnose  and  treat  patients.  Some  of  the  most  important  principles  are  cold/heat,  damp/dry,  excess/deficiency,  and  yin/yang.  Huang  Lian  Jie  Du  Wan  is  a  TCM  formula  that  focuses  on  repletion  heat,  heat  toxin,  and  damp-­‐heat.  It  contains  4  primary  herbs,  huang  lian,  huang  qin,  huang  bai,  and  zhi  zi,  as  well  as  3  supplementary  herbs  that  are  specific  to  the  formulation  used  in  this  study,  including  chuan  niu  xi,  shi  gao,  and  dan  pi.   The  different  herbs  in  Huang  Lian  Jie  Du  Wan  have  individually  demonstrated  health  benefits  but  have  not  been  studied  together  as  a  formula.   This  study  used  3  different  pain  assays  –  tail  flick,  hot  plate,  and  formalin  –  to  assess  Huang  Lian  Jie  Du  Wan’s  analgesic  properties  in  a  rat  model.   The  rats  received  a  5mL  oral  decoction  of  the  formulation  via  gavage  1  hour  prior  to  testing  and  were  compared  to  a  control  group  that  received  water.   There  was  no  significant  change  in  pain  response  for  any  of  the  assays,  running  contrary  to  the  hypothesis  that  the  formulation  would  reduce  pain  responses.   This  result  was  unexpected,  as  prior  research  indicated  that  the  herbs  had  potentially  analgesic  effects  individually,  therefore  it  was  reasonable  to  assume  that  they  would  maintain,  if  not  increase  their  analgesic  properties  when  combined  in  a  formulation.  The  lack  of  significant  results  may  be  due  to  the  fact  that  Huang  Lian  Jie  Du  Wan  is  generally  administered  over  the  course  of  several  days,  as  opposed  to  a  one-­‐time  dosage,  offering  insight  into  areas  for  future  study.  146    Kathryn  Hathaway  Darcy  Burgund   Processing  distracting  text:  A  Biopac  EEG  test  case  K.V.  HATHAWAY,  E.P.  WIERTELAK  Macalester  College   The  present  study  aims  to  validate  the  use  of  the  Biopac  Systems,  Inc.  EEG  technology  in  a  laboratory  setting  where  higher-­‐end  brain  imaging  hardware  is  not  available.  To  test  for  validity  and  reliability,  a  replication  of  a  cognitive  task  from  a  2003  ERP  study  by  Phillips  and  Lesperance  was  initiated  using  Biopac's  MP36  console  and  Acqknowledge  data  recording  software.  In  the  original  study,  participants  100  were  presented  with  sentences  with  imbedded  distracter  words  and  were  asked  to  read  aloud  the  sentences  while  ignoring  the  distracters.  Participants  were  then  presented  with  a  probe  word  and  the  N400  waveform  was  analyzed  for  probing  for  either  sentence-­‐related  words,  distracter-­‐related  words  or  unrelated  words.  The  researchers  found  that  the  electronegativities  for  distracter  and  sentence-­‐related  words  was  not  as  high  as  those  seen  for  unrelated  probe  words,  demonstrating  that  distracters  were  being  cognitively  processed  along  with  the  sentences  themselves.  The  results  of  the  present  study  showed  a  similar  pattern  of  priming,  but  only  for  distracter-­‐related  probe  words  and  not  for  those  that  were  sentence-­‐related.  Future  studies  should  re-­‐visit  the  Biopac  hardware  in  order  to  determine  if  the  results  were  due  to  the  equipment  itself  or  to  experimental  error.   Email:  khathawa@macalester.edu  147    Brett  Campbell  Julia  E.  Meyers-­‐Manor   Lending  a  helping  paw:  GABAergic  mechanisms  in  empathy  and  pro-­‐social  behaviors  in  rats  B.A.  CAMPBELL,  J.E.  MEYERS-­‐MANOR,  N.D.  MATHEWS,  &  E.P.  WIERTELAK  Macalester  College   Non-­‐human  animals,  here  specifically  rats,  are  capable  of  both  pro-­‐social  behavior  and  responses  implicating  emotional  contagion.  The  current  studies  set  out  to:  1)  determine  whether  rats  may  demonstrate  the  ability  to  recognize  a  conspecific’s  distressed  state  from  a  non-­‐distressed  state,  through  patterns  of  behavior  indicative  of  differential  levels  of  accord  with  an  empathetic  response,  and  2)  Examine  the  role  that  GABAergic  mechanisms  may  play  in  such  responsivity.  The  activation  of  GABAergic  mechanisms  is  highly  correlated  with  relief  from  anxiety-­‐related  symptoms  in  humans;  the  question  here  was  whether  alterations  in  GABAergic  activity  might  affect  the  performance  of  empathy-­‐related  activity  in  rats.   Physiological  symptoms  of  anxiety  and  distress  originate  in  activation  of  brain  areas  associated  with  the  limbic  system.  Administration  of  chlordiazepoxide,  a  prototypical  GABAergic  benzodiazepine  agonist  results  in  decreased  levels  of  such  responsivity.  To  examine  whether  activation  of  limbic  system  structures  and  GABAergic  mechanisms  are  necessary  for  the  emotional  contagion  involved  in  empathetically  motivated  behavior,  in  study  1,  subjects  from  two  groups  of  rats  were  placed  in  individual  plexiglas  restraining  apparatuses;  one  habituated  to  the  restrainer,  one  non-­‐habituated  (and  therefore  distressed).   A  free-­‐roaming  cagemate  was  then  placed  into  the  open-­‐field  containing  the  restrainer,  which  offered  the  option  of  opening  the  restrainer  and  freeing  their  cage-­‐mate.   Here,  rats  released  the  distressed  cagemate  at  a  greater  rate  on  the  first  day  of  testing  than  those  in  the  habituated,  non-­‐
distressed  group.  In  study  2,  non-­‐habituated  distressed  group  received  either  2  mg/kg  of  chlordiazepoxide  or  vehicle  to  evaluate  the  impact  of  benzodiazepines  on  pro-­‐social  behavior.  Email:  bcampbe2@macalester.edu  148    Simon  Sangaard  Eric  Wiertelak   Kappa-­‐Opioid  receptor  agonist  analgesia  and  antianxiety:  Effects  of  Salvinorin  A  in  rats  E.P.  WIERTELAK,  S.A.  ANDERSON,  JR.,  H.C.  GEMRICH,  T.M.  NICHOLS-­‐MEADE,  S.  SANGAARD   Macalester  College   Salvinorin  A  is  the  main  active  component  of  Salvia  Divinorum,  a  plant  indigenous  to  Oaxaca,  Mexico.  The  subjective  effects  of  S.  Divinorum  are  described  as  being  akin  to  lysergic  acid  diethylamide  (LSD)  and  other  classical  hallucinogens  that  interact  with  the  serotonin  5-­‐HT2A  receptor  subtype.  However,  Salvinorin  A  does  not  interact  with  this  receptor  (Listos  et  al.,  2011).  Therefore,  Salvinorin  A  can  be  defined  as  a  structurally  unique,  non-­‐nitrogenous,  highly  selective  kappa  opioid  receptor  (KOR)  agonist  (Roth  et  al,  2002).  Results  from  various  studies  exemplify  a  range  of  effects  similar  to  known  KOR  101  agonists,  although  reports  of  analgesia  from  Salvinorin  A  have  been  somewhat  varied  and  collectively  limited  (McCurdy  et  al.,  2006).  Braida  et  al.  (2009)  found  no  dose-­‐dependent  effects  of  Salvinorin  A  in  the  Elevated  Plus  Maze,  which  tests  for  anxiety.  Their  results  suggest  that  Salvinorin  A  could  possess  a  slight  anxiolytic  effect.  This  present  study  expands  upon  previous  work  by  testing  the  analgesic  and  anxiolytic  effects  of  Salvinorin  A  on  rats  using  the  hot  plate,  tail-­‐flick,  formalin  and  Elevated  Plus  Maze  assays  at  three  different  dosages  of  Salvinorin  A:  0.25  mg/kg,  0.50  mg/kg,  and  0.75  mg/kg.  Significance  was  found  in  open-­‐arm  time  between  the  control  and  0.50  mg/kg  and  between  0.50  mg/kg  and  0.75  mg/kg.  Behaviorally,  rats  given  the  0.50  mg/kg  dosage  exhibited  exploratory  activity,  as  opposed  to  the  0.75  mg/kg,  which  induced  hypolocomotion  and  avoidance  of  the  open-­‐arms.  These  results  suggest  that  0.50  mg/kg  of  Salvinorin  A  has  a  significant  anxiolytic  effect  in  rats.  Studies  of  the  potential  analgesic  effects  are  currently  ongoing.  In  the  future,  Salvinorin  A  could  serve  as  a  template  for  non-­‐addictive  opioids,  provided  dose-­‐dependent  dysphoria  and  hallucinations  are  eliminated.  More  research  needs  to  be  done  to  understand  the  mechanisms  behind  Salvinorin  A,  in  order  to  utilize  its  possible  anxiolytic  and  analgesic  therapeutic  effects.  Email:  ssanggaa@macalester.edu  149    Josh  Rogers  Kenneth  Renner   Organic  cation  3  antagonist  infusion  into  the  mediobasal  hypothalamus  inhibits  female  sexual  behavior  J.T.  ROGERS,  M.W.  BUCHANAN,  J.  CHILUWAL,  K.J.  RENNER  University  of  South  Dakota   The  dorsomedial  hypothalamus  (DMH)  is  believed  to  modulate  stress  through  the  integration  of  autonomic  and  neuroendocrine  responses  that  mediate  appropriate  changes  in  behavior.  Delivery  of  stress  hormone,  corticosterone  (CORT)  into  the  mediobasal  hypothalamus,  which  includes  DMH  and  ventromedial  hypothalamus,  of  rats  primed  with  estradiol  (E2)  and  progesterone  (P)  markedly  increases  extracellular  serotonin  (5-­‐HT).  CORT  may  exert  rapid  effects  on  5-­‐HT  by  blocking  organic  cation  transporters  (OCTs),  a  nonspecific  class  of  membrane  transporters  that  are  highly  expressed  in  the  DMH.  Since  OCTs  are  believed  to  function  as  a  clearance  mechanism  for  monoamines,  including  serotonin,  it  is  possible  that  stress-­‐induced  increases  in  CORT  may  exert  behavioral  effects  by  enhancing  and  prolonging  5-­‐HT  effects.  Normetanephrine  (NORMET),  a  metabolite  of  norepinephrine,  also  blocks  OCT3.  We  hypothesized  that  CORT  and  NORMET,  by  interfering  with  OCT-­‐mediated  serotonin  clearance  in  the  DMH,  would  increase  5-­‐HT;  acutely  suppress  the  expression  of  the  lordosis  reflex  and  increase  the  expression  of  anxiety-­‐like  behavior.  Anxiety  was  tested  using  the  open  field  test  and  the  elevated  plus  maze.  Female  sexual  behavior  was  tested  by  evaluating  the  expression  of  lordosis  in  response  to  10  mounts  by  a  male.  In  all  tests,  ovariectomized  females  were  primed  with  E2  (5  µg/0.1  mL  V,  24  hr)  and  P  (0.5  mg/0.1  mL  V,  4-­‐6  hr)  and  treated  with  bilateral  infusions  of  CORT  (48  pg/0.5  µL),  NORMET  (45µg/0.5  µL)  or  vehicle  into  the  DMH  10  min  prior  to  behavioral  evaluation.  Surprisingly,  preliminary  results  suggest  that  neither  CORT  nor  NORMET  infusions  into  the  DMH  affect  anxiety-­‐like  behaviors.  Previous  work  indicates  that  restraint  stress  markedly  increases  DMH  5-­‐HT  activity  in  females.  It  is  possible  that  the  EPM  and  open  field  tests  were  not  sufficiently  stressful  to  elicit  a  difference  in  the  expression  of  anxiety-­‐like  behavior.  However,  our  results  indicate  that  infusions  of  CORT  and  NORMET  into  the  DMH  reversibly  suppress  sexual  behavior.   The  effect  of  the  OCT3  antagonists  in  inhibiting  sexual  behavior  is  consistent  with  an  earlier  finding  that  CORT  increases  mediobasal  hypothalamic  5-­‐HT  in  steroid-­‐primed  females  and  that  5-­‐HT  in  the  hypothalamus  is  inhibitory  to  lordosis.     Support:  NSF  IOS  0921874  Email:  Joshua.rogers@coyotes.usd.edu  150    Shaydel  Engel  Lee  Baugh   102  The  role  of  corticotrophin  releasing  factor  in  mediating  dopamine  and  serotonin  in  the  nucleus  accumbens:  a  potential  mechanism  for  how  stress  may  impact  a  reward  system  S.  ENGEL,  J.  SCHOLL,  L.  BAUGH,  G.  FORSTER  University  of  South  Dakota   Stress-­‐induced  relapse  is  one  of  the  major  reasons  for  drug  relapse.  There  are  no  current  treatments,  because  the  mechanisms  are  not  fully  understood.  Corticotropin-­‐  releasing  factor  (CRF)  is  a  stress  hormone  that  causes  an  increase  in  the  release  of  the  neurotransmitter  serotonin  in  the  reward-­‐seeking  brain  region,  the  nucleus  accumbens  (NAc).  It  is  known  that  infusion  of  serotonin  into  the  NAc  leads  to  an  increase  in  the  reward-­‐related  neurotransmitter  dopamine  in  the  NAc.  High  levels  of  dopamine  are  related  to  drug  seeking  behavior  and  increased  cravings  during  withdrawal,  which  often  lead  to  relapse.  This  study  examined  whether  CRF-­‐induced  serotonin  results  in  increased  dopamine  levels  in  the  NAc,  testing  whether  a  neural  pathway  activated  by  stress  can  then  activate  a  neural  pathway  related  to  drug  seeking  and  relapse.  Monoamines  were  collected  from  a  probe  in  the  NAc  of  male  rats.  Samples  collected  from  the  probe  were  injected  into  a  high  performance  liquid  chromatogram  system  (HPLC)  to  measure  dopamine  and  serotonin.  After  baseline  levels  for  each  were  established,  a  vehicle,  or  CRF  (500ng)  and  vehicle  were  infused  via  cannula  in  the  serotonin  cell-­‐body  region,  the  dorsal  raphe  nucleus  (dRN).  When  CRF  was  infused  into  the  dRN,  serotonin  levels  increased  in  the  NAc  for  a  short  time  (20  min),  coinciding  with  a  larger  and  more  prolonged  increase  in  NAc  dopamine  levels.  These  results  suggest  that  stress-­‐related  increases  in  serotonin  within  the  NAc  may  increase  dopamine  in  this  region,  although  the  exact  mechanisms  need  to  be  explored  in  further  studies.  Overall,  these  findings  suggest  that  blocking  CRF  receptors  during  withdrawal  periods  may  help  minimize  cravings,  making  recovery  more  achievable.  Supported  by:  NIH  NIDA  grant  R25-­‐DA033674.  Email:  shaydie.engel@coyotes.usd.edu  151    Alexis  Tarter  Jennifer  Roxanne  Prichard   The  Invisible  Variable:  Sleepiness  and  suicidality  in  a  large  national  college  health  survey  A.N.  TARTER,  J.R.  PRICHARD  University  of  St.  Thomas   Introduction   Insomnia  is  both  comorbid  for  and  a  consequence  of  depression.  Longitudinal  studies  in  adults  with  PTSD  and  population  studies  with  school  aged  children  have  demonstrated  that  sleep  problems  are  also  independent  predictors  of  suicidal  thoughts  and  attempts.  More  research  is  needed  to  evaluate  the  interactions  between  poor  sleep  and  suicidality  in  emerging  adults,  a  vulnerable  population  who  is  at  high  risk  for  both  mood  disorders  and  profoundly  disturbed  sleep.  Our  study  evaluated  the  relationships  between  sleep  difficulties  and  self-­‐harm  behaviors  and  suicidal  thoughts  in  a  large  national  sample  of  college  students.   Methods   Data  from  the  Spring  2009  American  College  Health  Association  National  College  Health  Assessment-­‐II  were  analyzed  for  trends  in  daytime  sleepiness,  suicidality  (self-­‐
harm  behaviors,  suicidal  thoughts,  and  suicide  attempts  in  the  last  year)  among  undergraduate  students  (n  =  72,966)  with  diagnosed  insomnia,  with  probable  undiagnosed  insomnia,  and  without  major  sleep  initiation  and  maintenance  problems.  Results    Five  percent  of  the  total  poulation  had  been  dignosed  with  or  treated  for  insomnia  within  the  last  year.  Of  these  students,  71.3%  had  a  comorbid  anxiety  disorder  and  62.2%  had  a  comorbid  depression  diagnosis.  Students  with  diagnosed  insomnia  were  at  elevated  risk  for  self-­‐harm  behaviors  [O.R.  3.02,  C.I.  2.74-­‐3.34],  suicidal  ideation  [O.R.  3.28,  C.I.  2.99-­‐3.60]  and  suicide  attempts  within  the  last  year  [O.R.  5.89,  C.I.  5.01-­‐6.02].  Another  8.3%  of  the  population  had  probable  undiagnosed  insomnia  (defined  here  as  sleep  iniation  and  maintence  problems  >1.5  s.d.  from  the  mean;  trouble  falling  asleep  approximately  6  days/week  and  awakening  too  early  4  days/week.)  These  students  were  also  at  elevated  risk  for  self  harm  behaviors,  suidicidal  ideation  and  suicide  attempts  [O.R.  >  2.7,  for  all  cases].   Conclusion   College  health  professionals  can  provide  more  effective  and  targeted  interventions  for  students  by  understanding  the  elevated  risk  factors  for  self-­‐harm,  suicidal  ideation,  and  suicidal  attempts  in  those  with  insomnia.  103  Email:  tart4718@stthomas.edu  152    Samantha  Herdegen  Robert  Calin-­‐Jageman   Characterization  of  the  rapid  transcriptional  response  to   long-­‐term  sensitization  training  in  Aplysia  californica  S.  HERDEGEN,  G.  HOLMES,  A.  CYRIAC,   I.E.  CALIN-­‐JAGEMAN,  R.J.  CALIN-­‐JAGEMAN  Dominican  University   We  used  a  custom-­‐designed  microarray  and  quantitative  PCR  to  characterize  the  rapid  transcriptional  response  to  long-­‐term  sensitization  training  in  the  marine  mollusk  Aplysia  californica.   Aplysia  were  exposed  to  repeated  noxious  shocks  to  one  side  of  the  body,  a  procedure  known  to  induce  a  long-­‐lasting,  transcription-­‐dependent  increase  in  reflex  responsiveness  that  is  restricted  to  the  side  of  training.   One  hour  after  training,  pleural  ganglia  from  the  trained  and  untrained  sides  of  the  body  were  harvested;  these  ganglia  contain  the  sensory  nociceptors  which  help  mediate  the  expression  of  long-­‐term  sensitization  memory.   Microarray  analysis  from  8  biological  replicates  suggests  that  long-­‐term  sensitization  training  rapidly  regulates  at  least  81  transcripts.   We  used  qPCR  to  test  a  subset  of  these  transcripts  and  found  that  83%  were  confirmed  in  the  same  samples,  and  86%  of  these  were  again  confirmed  in  an  independent  sample.   Thus,  our  new  microarray  design  shows  strong  convergent  and  predictive  validity  for  analyzing  the  transcriptional  correlates  of  memory  in  Aplysia.   Fully  validated  transcripts  include  some  previously  identified  as  regulated  in  this  paradigm  (ApC/EBP  and  ApEgr)  but  also  include  novel  findings.   Specifically,  we  show  that  long-­‐term  sensitization  training  rapidly  up-­‐regulates  the  expression  of  transcripts  which  may  encode  Aplysia  homologs  of  a  C/EBPg  transcription  factor,  a  glycine  transporter  (GlyT2),  and  a  vacuolar-­‐protein-­‐sorting-­‐associated  protein  (VPS36).  http://authors.elsevier.com/a/1PabZ3qNa9iMVH  Email:  herdsama@my.dom.edu    153.1  Haley  Turner  Deanna  Buffalari   The  effect  of  social  interaction  on  ethanol  consumption  H.  TURNER,  D.  BUFFALARI  Westminster  College   Alcohol  use  has  been  defined  as  a  public  health  issue  in  the  United  States,  and  the  consumption  of  alcohol  has  increased  over  the  years  (Jones,  Chryssanthakis  &  Groom,  2014).  This  is  due  to  many  different  reasons,  including  social  acceptance  and  negative  peer  pressure  placed  on  individuals  by  the  media  and  peers  (Teunissen  et  al.,  2014).  Alcohol  is  often  viewed  as  a  coping  mechanism  for  social  anxiety  (Huot,  Thrivikaman,  Meaney  &  Plotsky,  2001).  Alcohol  is  sometimes  used  heavily  while  in  the  social  setting  because  it  relaxes  people,  masking  the  fear  of  social  interaction  that  many  individuals  feel.  Levels  of  consumption  also  increase  based  on  social  acceptance  (Huot,  Thrivikaman,  Meaney  &  Plotsky,  2001).  Presenting  an  intoxicated  familiar  rat  to  a  sober  one  increased  alcohol  intake  over  time  (Maldonado,  Finkbeiner,  &  Kirstein,  2008).  This  may  be  due  to  social  acceptance  and/or  social  anxiety  (Tomie  et  al.,  2005).  The  current  study  examined  change  in  EtOH  consumption  over  time  after  no  social  interaction  or  social  interaction  with  a  novel  or  familiar  partner.  A  two  bottle  choice  limited  access  paradigm  will  be  used  for  voluntary  consumption  of  12%  EtOH.  Social  interaction  involved  20  minute  exposure  to  novel  or  familiar  partner  in  a  novel  environment.  It  is  hypothesized  that  after  exposure  to  social  interaction  with  familiar  partners,  rats  will  consume  more  EtOH  compared  to  rats  with  no  social  interaction  and  social  interaction  with  novel  partners.  This  research  is  important  in  understanding  the  relationship  between  social  acceptance  and  EtOH  consumption.  Support  was  received  from  the  Drinko  Center  at  Westminster  College.  104  Email:  turnhc22@wclive.westminster.edu    153.2  Anthony  Sloan  Deanna  Buffalari   Concomitant  effects  of  methylphenidate  and  ethanol  on  working  and  reference  memory  in  a  rat  model  of  ADHD  A.R.  SLOAN,  D.  BUFFALARI  Westminster  College   There  has  been  an  increase  in  the  number  of  college  students  who  have  reported  taking  Ritalin  while  they  are  drinking  alcohol.  Ritalin  and  alcohol  are  being  abused  by  people  who  are  diagnosed  with  ADHD  and  have  a  prescription  for  Ritalin  but  are  also  being  abused  by  people  who  do  not  have  a  prescription.  However,  not  much  work  has  examined  how  these  drugs  interact  to  affect  working  and  reference  memory.   The  purpose  of  this  research  was  to  examine  the  concomitant  effects  of  methylphenidate  (MPH)  and  ethanol  (EtOH)  on  working  and  reference  memory  in  a  rat  model  of  ADHD.  Twelve  rats  were  trained  on  the  Radial  Arm  Maze  task  and  tested  after  injections  of  saline,  MPH  alone,  EtOH  alone,  and  MPH  +  EtOH.  These  tests  were  given  before  and  after  a  6-­‐hydroxydopamine  lesion  to  the  medial  pre-­‐frontal  cortex,  which  was  used  to  model  ADHD.   Prior  to  surgery,  the  combination  of  MPH  and  EtOH  decreased  working  and  reference  memory  compared  to  other  conditions,  with  more  moderate  effects  of  EtOH  alone.   MPH  did  not  significantly  affect  working  and  reference  memory.  Additionally,  it  is  predicted  that  the  number  of  errors  following  surgery  will  be  higher  across  drug  treatments.   By  understanding  how  the  combination  of  Ritalin  and  alcohol  affects  memory,  we  can  better  educate  youth  on  the  dangers  of  taking  both  substances  simultaneously.   Research  Support:  Westminster  College  Drinko  Center,  Westminster  College  Psychology  Department  Email:  sloaar22@wclive.westminster.edu    153.3  Jacob  Pletz  Deanne  Buffalari   The  effects  of  methylphenidate  and  ethanol  on  impulsivity  in  a  rat  model  of  ADHD  J.D.  PLETZ,  D.  BUFFALARI  Westminster  College   The  percentage  of  adults  co-­‐abusing  ethanol  and  methylphenidate  has  increased  in  recent  years  as  adults  have  more  access  to  methylphenidate  through  others  with  a  prescription  (Darredeau,  Barrett,  Jardin,  &  Pihl,  2007).   The  coabuse  of  methylphenidate  and  ethanol  can  lead  to  impulsive  decisions  due  to  the  increases  of  catecholamines  and  the  cognitive  effects  of  ethanol.   Therefore  purpose  of  this  study  is  to  examine  the  effects  of  methylphenidate  (MPH)  and  ethanol  on  impulsivity  in  a  rat  model  of  ADHD.   Impulsivity  will  be  assessed  using  a  T-­‐maze,  which  will  ask  rats  to  choose  between  a  large  delayed  reinforcement  (correct  choice)  and  a  small  but  immediate  reinforcement  (incorrect  choice).   Animals  will  be  assessed  in  four  conditions:  MPH,  ethanol,  their  combination,  and  saline.   These  conditions  will  be  tested  before  and  after  a  6-­‐hydroxydopamine  lesion  to  the  mPFC.   This  study  will  enhance  our  understanding  of  the  interactions  of  MPH  and  ethanol  on  impulsivity  in  those  with  and  without  ADHD.   Preliminary  data  suggest  that  healthy  rats  injected  with  ethanol  are  more  impulsive  than  those  injected  with  the  combination,  methylphenidate  and  saline.   Drinko  Center  at  Westminster,  Westminster  College  Psychology  Department.  Email:  pletjd22@wclive.westminster.edu      105  154  Sahba  Seddighi  Matthew  Cooper   A  neurocognitive  study  of  second  language  learning:   learning  conditions,  memory  profiles  and  outcomes  S.  SEDDIGHI,  A.  BRITO,  M.  SARRETT,  H.  BOWDEN  University  of  Tennessee,  Knoxville   Though  it  is  often  assumed  that  immersive  experiences  are  more  effective  than  classroom  learning  in  the  acquisition  of  a  new  language,  the  underlying  neurocognitive  basis  of  implicit  and  explicit  learning  remains  an  important  topic  of  investigation.  In  this  project,  we  examine  the  effects  of  different  pedagogical  methods  on  brain  activity  in  the  acquisition  of  a  second  language  (in  this  case,  Latin).   While  utilizing  a  computer-­‐administered  program  to  train  and  test  participants  in  aspects  of  Latin,  we  compare  their  behavioral  and  neurocognitive  variations  in  linguistic  processing.  Participants  are  divided  into  two  groups:  those  who  are  taught  using  an  implicit  mode  of  instruction  (mimicking  immersion  learning)  and  those  taught  using  an  explicit  mode  (mimicking  classroom  learning).  The  resulting  linguistic  consolidation  is  assessed  via  a  battery  of  linguistic  tasks  and  through  the  use  of  electroencephalography  (EEG)  to  measure  event-­‐related  potentials  (ERPs)  elicited  by  the  learners’  brains  when  reading  sentences  that  are  either  correct  or  that  contain  a  grammatical  (syntactic)  or  lexical  (semantic)  violation.  In  addition,  we  are  interested  in  exploring  whether  how  well  a  second  language  is  learned  in  a  given  environment  correlates  with  participants’  relative  strengths  of  different  types  of  memory.  To  examine  this  question,  we  test  declarative  and  procedural  memory  strength  prior  to  language  training.  Thus,  we  can  examine  not  only  which  method  is  more  effective  overall,  but  also  whether  they  lead  to  different  neurocognitive  outcomes  as  reflected  by  ERPs.  In  addition,  we  can  assess  the  effect  of  learners’  memory  profiles  on  both  their  learning  in  those  conditions  and  their  neurocognition  of  the  newly  acquired  language.  We  predict  that  (1)  participants  will  show  different  ERP  signatures  while  reading  incorrect  syntactic  and  semantic  sentences  in  Latin,  that  (2)  the  method  of  instruction  will  affect  language  learning,  and  finally,  that  (3)  a  difference  in  neurocognitive  processing  and/or  Latin  proficiency  will  be  seen  with  participants’  varying  strengths  of  declarative  and  procedural  memories.  Email:  sseddigh@vols.utk.edu  155    Alex  Schultz  Meg  Waraczynski   Blocking  CaV1.3  channels  in  the  sublenticular  extended  amygdala  has  a  delayed  effect  on  MFB  self-­‐stimulation  A.V.  SCHULTZ,  M.  WARACZYNSKI  University  of  Wisconsin  -­‐  Whitewater   Past  research  done  in  our  lab  has  shown  that  the  sublenticular  central  extended  amygdala  (SLEAc)  has  a  role  in  the  reward  efficacy  of  medial  forebrain  bundle  (MFB)  stimulation.   Previous  work  has  shown  that  stimulating  D2  dopamine  receptors  in  the  SLEAc  impairs  MFB  self-­‐stimulation  more  than  D1  receptor  blockade  does.   Therefore,  we  are  currently  exploring  the  role  of  D2-­‐mediated  cellular  mechanisms  in  MFB  self-­‐stimulation.   D2  stimulation  indirectly  blocks  calcium  currents  through  CaV1.3  (L-­‐type)  somatodendritic  calcium  channels,  which  in  turn  challenges  neural  excitability.   If  D2  stimulation  acts  on  MFB  stimulation  reward  via  this  mechanism,  then  directly  blocking  these  channels  should  also  impair  MFB  stimulation  reward  efficacy.   Male  Long  Evans  rats  received  unilateral  stimulation  electrodes  aimed  at  the  MFB  and  bilateral  guide  cannulae  aimed  at  the  SLEAc.   CaV1.3  channels  were  blocked  ipsilateral  and  contralateral  to  the  stimulation  site  with  2.5µg  and  5µg  of  the  phenylalkylamine  verapamil  and  5µg  and  10µg  of  the  benzothiazepine  diltiazem.   Drug-­‐induced  changes  in  the  stimulation’s  reward  efficacy  were  measured  with  the  rate-­‐frequency  curve  shift  technique.   There  was  no  significant  effect  of  drug  condition  on  the  day  of  the  drug  injection.   However,  there  was  a  significant  and  substantial  increase  in  the  frequency  required  to  maintain  half-­‐maximal  responding  for  the  stimulation  (i.e.,  a  decrease  in  the  stimulation’s  reward  efficacy)  on  the  day  after  injection  of  10  μg  of  diltiazem  ipsilateral  to  the  stimulation  106  site.   No  other  drug  condition  produced  this  delayed  effect.   The  frequency  required  to  maintain  half-­‐
maximal  responding  returned  to  baseline  levels  by  the  next  testing  session.   The  time  course  of  this  effect  suggests  that  blocking  Cav1.3  calcium  currents  in  the  SLEAc  ipsilateral  to  the  stimulation  site  may  trigger  a  delayed  but  transient  change  in  some  cell  signaling  mechanism  that  is  important  to  the  stimulation’s  rewarding  effects.   The  fact  that  the  effect  occurred  only  with  ipsilateral  injections  -­‐-­‐  whereas  we  have  observed  substantial  effects  of  other  drug  injections  contralateral  to  the  stimulation  site  –  supports  a  hypothesis  that  backpropagating  action  potentials  produced  by  the  MFB  stimulation  may  be  important  to  its  rewarding  effects.   This  work  was  supported  by  grant  #IOS  1050256  from  the  National  Science  Foundation  to  M.  Waraczynski  and  by  grants  from  the  UW-­‐Whitewater  Undergraduate  Research  Program  and  the  Biology  Research  Fund  to  A.  V.  Schultz.  Email:  schultzav03@uww.edu  156    Sneha  Gupta  Catherine  Marie  Davis   Behavioral  Effects  of  Dopaminergic  Drugs  in  Irradiated  Rats  S.R.  GUPTA,  C.M.  DAVIS,  R.D.  HIENZ  Washington  and  Jefferson  College   Previous  studies  have  shown  that  head-­‐only  proton  radiation  exposure  to  rats  results  in  performance  deficits  in  the  rat  Psychomotor  Vigilance  Test  (rPVT).  Two  groups  of  rats  emerged  based  on  rPVT  performances  following  exposure:  “radiation  sensitive”  rats  and  “radiation  insensitive”  rats.  More  specifically,  sensitive  rats  showed  changes  in  accuracy  and  premature  responding  on  the  rPVT,  while  insensitive  rats  performed  like  sham-­‐irradiated  control  rats.   Since  the  rPVT  generally  tests  sustained  attention,  integrity  of  the  dopaminergic  system  in  these  rats  was  subsequently  tested  using  methods  that  elicit  dopaminergic-­‐mediated  behaviors.  Dopaminergic  receptor  agonist-­‐induced  yawning  occurs  following  activation  of  the  dopamine  D3  receptor;  activation  of  the  dopamine  D2  receptor  inhibits  this  yawning  response.  Thus,  a  dopamine  D2/D3  receptor  agonist,  Quinpirole  (0.01-­‐1.0  mg/kg)  was  used  to  assess  D3-­‐induced  yawning  and  its  inhibition  by  concurrent  activation  of  D2  receptors.  A  dopamine  D2  receptor  antagonist,  L-­‐741,626,  was  used  to  assess  changes  in  D2  receptor  levels  in  radiation  sensitive  or  insensitive  rats.   The  two  drugs  were  used  in  combination  to  produce  dose  response  curves,  which  were  compared  within  groups  of  sensitive  and  insensitive  rats.  Email:  guptasr@jay.washjeff.edu  157    Quentin  Richardson  Chris  Goode   Method  for  analyzing  c-­‐Fos  colocalization  in  vasopressin  and  oxytocin  cells  within  the  PVN  Q.  RICHARDSON,  M.  PAUL,  G.  DE  VRIES  Georgia  State  University   Social  play  behavior  in  juvenile  animals  has  been  shown  to  have  a  significant  impact  on  the  development  of  adult  social  skills.  By  studying  social  play  behavior  in  juveniles,  we  can  get  a  better  understanding  of  social  skill  development,  and  a  better  understanding  of  social  development  disorders  such  as  autism  spectrum  disorder  and  attention  deficit  hyperactive  disorder.  However,  little  is  known  about  what  neural  systems  regulate  social  play  behavior  in  juveniles.  In  this  study,  we  investigate  the  periventricular  nucleus  of  the  hypothalamus  (PVN)  of  juvenile  rats  to  see  if  it  plays  a  role  in  social  play  behavior  in  juveniles.  In  this  experiment,  we  devised  a  method  using  fluorescent  confocal  microscopy  to  analyze  the  PVN  of  juvenile  rats.  Prior  to  this  experiment,  juvenile  rats  had  social  play  interaction,  then  their  brain  tissue  was  stained  for  vasopressin,  oxytocin,  and  c-­‐Fos,  which  is  an  indication  for  neural  activation.  With  the  use  of  practice  tissue,  a  standard  exposure  was  determined  for  each  fluorescent  staining.  Furthermore,  a  method  107  for  analyzing  and  counting  vasopressin  and  oxytocin  cells,  as  well  as  confirming  if  these  cells  are  colocalized  with  c-­‐Fos  has  been  determined.  Based  on  our  standard  exposure  for  each  staining,  the  oxytocin  and  vasopressin  cells,  as  well  as  c-­‐Fos  colocalization  can  be  distinguished  through  tissue.  Currently,  micrographs  of  experimental  tissue  are  being  analyzed.  In  conclusion,  we  developed  a  procedure  to  be  ideal  for  unbiased  analysis  of  the  experimental  tissue  using  fluorescent  confocal  microscopy.  Analysis  of  experimental  tissue  is  not  complete,  but  possible  outcomes  are  the  PVN  plays  a  role  in  social  play  behavior  in  juvenile  rats,  or  the  PVN  does  not  play  a  role  in  social  play  behavior  in  juvenile  rats.  If  the  PVN  does  play  a  role  in  social  play  behavior,  future  studies  would  be  to  manipulate  the  PVN.  158    Damaris  Pop  Shane  Perrine   Changes  in  brain  norepinephrine  and  serotonin  levels  in  an  animal  model  of  posttraumatic  stress  disorder  D.E.  POP,  R.J.  KOHLER,  M.J.  LISIESKI,  M.G.  BAUER,  A.L.  EAGLE,  S.A.  PERRINE  Wayne  State  University   Posttraumatic  Stress  Disorder  (PTSD)  is  a  debilitating  condition  that  is  characterized  by  re-­‐experiencing  the  traumatic  event,  avoidant  behavior,  hyper-­‐arousal,  and  negative  cognition  and  mood.  Although  extensive  pre-­‐clinically  and  clinically  research  has  been  done  exploring  PTSD,  its  neurobiology  remains  to  be  fully  understood.  The  aim  of  this  study  was  to  examine  the  effects  of  single  prolonged  stress  (SPS),  an  animal  model  of  PTSD,  on  monoamine  levels  in  the  brain.  Male  Sprague-­‐Dawley  rats  were  exposed  to  SPS  treatment,  consisting  of  a  consecutive  series  of  stressors  (2  h  restraint,  20  min  group  forced  swim,  and  ether  exposure  until  unconsciousness)  followed  by  a  7  d  incubation  period.  Both  SPS  and  control  rats  were  decapitated  after  the  incubation  period  and  their  brains  dissected  for  analysis  of  monoamines  (norepinephrine,  NE;  serotonin,  5-­‐HT)  using  high  pressure  liquid  chromatography  (HPLC).  Regions  of  interest  involved  in  PTSD  were  examined:  dorsal  hippocampus  (dHC),  intermediate-­‐ventral  hippocampus  (i-­‐vHC),  and  amygdala.  Results  showed  significant  increases  in  5-­‐HT  within  the  dHC  and  i-­‐vHC  and  NE  within  the  i-­‐vHC.  There  were  no  SPS-­‐induced  differences  in  the  amygdala.   These  data  indicate  that  SPS  alters  NE  and  5-­‐HT  levels  in  key  brain  regions  involved  in  regulating  emotional  states  in  response  to  environmental  stimuli.  Email:  damarisepop@gmail.com  159    Eileen  Cho  Virginia  Quinan   Color  categorization  in  macaque  monkeys.  E.  CHO,  E.LEE,  B.  CONWAY  Wellesley  College   Color  categorization  differs  between  languages.  However,  common  color  classifications  across  many  languages  suggests  the  existence  of  innate  color  categories.  To  investigate  the  nature  of  categorization  without  the  effect  of  language,  we  will  implement  two  different  paradigms  to  see  whether  macaque  monkeys,  a  model  for  human  color  vision,  have  innate  color  categories.  Furthermore,  we  will  investigate  how  monkey  categories  compare  to  human  categories.  Our  first  paradigm  is  modeled  after  studies  in  infants.  Subjects  will  detect  a  colored  target  stimulus  on  a  differently  colored  background.  The  varying  colors  of  the  target  and  the  background  will  be  equally  sampled  between  two  colors  in  an  isoluminant  hue  circle  in  DKL  color  space  (Derrington  et  al.  1984).  The  target  detection  time  will  be  measured  as  an  indicator  of  categorization.  Subjects  will  react  faster  to  the  target  if  two  colors  are  of  different  categories  than  of  same  categories.  Thus,  a  significant  drop  in  reaction  time  will  illustrate  the  categorical  boundaries  between  the  two  colors.  Our  second  paradigm  is  modeled  after  adult  human  studies.  Subjects  will  be  108  shown  sets  of  four  colors,  also  sampled  in  DKL  space  in  the  same  manner  as  the  first  experiment.  In  each  set,  subjects  will  pick  out  the  color  that  appears  different  from  the  rest.  Based  on  response  and  reaction  times,  we  will  derive  the  color  category  boundaries.  Since  perception  of  colors  depends  not  only  on  hue  but  also  on  luminance  and  saturation,  further  experimentation  is  needed  to  explore  those  effects  on  the  categorization  of  color  in  both  humans  and  monkeys.   Acknowledgements:   Wellesley  College   Harvard  Medical  School   Claudine  Malone  '63  Summer  Science  Research  Scholars  Gift   Sherman  Fairchild  Foundation  Email:  echo4@wellesley.edu  160    Melissa  Gorham  Janet  Finlay   Effects  of  NMDA  receptor  dysfunction  in  ventral  medial  prefrontal  cortex  on  a  delayed  spatial  reference  memory  radial  maze  task  in  adult  mice  M.  M.  GORHAM,  T.  V.  NGUYEN,  R.  M.  WESTON,  A.  M.  SCHILLER,  T.  V.  NGUYEN,  ,  R.  F.  KYDD,  M.  J.  MANA,  R.W.  GREENE,  J.M.  FINLAY  Western  Washington  University   Dysfunction  of  glutamate  N-­‐methyl-­‐D-­‐aspartate  (NMDA)  receptors  may  contribute  to  cognitive  deficits  in  schizophrenia.  In  the  present  study,  we  examined  the  effects  of  chronic  NMDA  receptor  dysfunction  in  the  ventral  medial  prefrontal  cortex  (VmPFC)  on  acquisition  of  a  spatial  reference  memory  radial  maze  (SRM)  task  as  employed  by  Niewoehner  et  al.  (2007).  Localized  NR1  gene  deletions  were  induced  in  the  VmPFC  of  floxed  NR1  mice  (DEL,  n=10)  using  an  AAV-­‐Cre  vector;  Control  mice  (CON,  n=10)  received  sham  deletions.  In  the  SRM  task,  food  was  placed  in  3  arms  of  a  6-­‐arm  radial  maze  at  the  start  of  each  trial;  the  location  of  the  food  was  consistent  for  each  mouse  across  all  trials,  but  randomly  varied  between  mice.  At  the  start  of  each  trial,  each  mouse  was  placed  in  the  central  chamber  of  the  maze  and  allowed  to  enter  any  of  the  6  arms;  once  an  arm  was  visited  and  a  mouse  returned  to  the  central  chamber,  the  entrance  to  each  of  the  6  arms  was  blocked  for  10  sec.  At  the  end  of  each  10  sec  timeout,  the  arms  that  had  not  yet  been  visited  during  the  trial  were  made  accessible  and  a  mouse  could  choose  to  enter  one  of  the  remaining  unvisited  arms.  Thus,  this  task  only  assessed  reference  memory  errors  (RME);  that  is,  entries  to  arms  that  were  never  baited.  Mice  were  tested  in  4  trials/each  daily  session.  We  found  that  NMDA  receptor  dysfunction  in  the  VmPFC  had  no  effect  on  acquisition  of  the  SRM  task.  There  were  no  differences  in  behavior  observed  in  the  first  session  (mean  arms  visited,  DEL  =  5.3  arms  and  CON  =  5.2  arms;  mean  baited  arms  visited  DEL  and  CON  =  3.0;  mean  unbaited  arms  visited,  DEL  =  2.3  arms  and  CON  =  2.2  arms).  Mice  in  both  the  groups  acquired  the  SRM  task  over  24  sessions  (mean  arms  visited,  DEL  =  3.5  arms  and  CON  =  3.6  arms;  mean  baited  arms  visited  DEL  and  CON  =  3.0;  mean  unbaited  arms  visited  (that  is,  RME),  DEL  =  0.5  errors  and  CON  =  0.6  errors).  After  the  24-­‐session  Acquisition  Phase,  we  rotated  the  extra-­‐maze  spatial  cues  to  confirm  the  use  of  such  cues  in  SRM  performance  by  both  groups  (mean  RME  during  the  Rotation  session,  DEL  and  CON  =  1.8  errors).  The  lack  of  significant  between-­‐group  differences  in  the  SRM  task  in  our  study  contrasts  with  recent  reports  that  Grin1DGCA1  mice  with  NMDA  receptor  deletions  in  the  dentate  and  CA1  regions  of  the  hippocampus  show  impaired  acquisition  in  this  task  (Bannerman  et  al.,  2013),  reflecting  different  contributions  of  the  VmPFC  and  hippocampus  in  the  task.  Given  the  well-­‐known  contribution  of  the  PFC  to  working  memory,  we  are  currently  assessing  PFC  NR1-­‐deleted  mice  in  a  working  memory  variant  of  this  task.  Email:  gorhamm@students.wwu.edu  161    Edwin  Glueck  Jeff  Grimm   Abstinence  and  environmental  enrichment  related  changes  in  Fos  expression  in  rats  responding  for  a  sucrose-­‐paired  cue  E.  GLUECK,  J.  W.  GRIMM,  J.  BARNES,  J.  KOERBER,  D.  GINDER,  J.  HYDE,  L.  EATON  109  Western  Washington  University   Exposure  to  environmental  enrichment  (EE)  profoundly  reduces  sucrose  seeking  by  rats.   The  present  experiment  was  conducted  to  examine  whether  brain  Fos  levels  correlate  with  levels  of  cue-­‐reactivity  in  rats  exposed  to  either  acute  or  chronic  EE.   The  experiment  also  included  rats  tested  for  cue-­‐reactivity  after  either  1  or  30  days  of  forced  abstinence  to  examine  whether  EE  and/or  Fos  effects  would  vary  with  the  incubation  of  sucrose  craving.  METHODS:   Fos  expression  was  examined  in  18  regions  of  rat  brain  following  10  d  (2h/d)  of  sucrose  self-­‐administration  and  a  2h  cue-­‐reactivity  test  on  a  subsequent  day.   Prior  to  this  test,  rats  experienced  either  1  or  30  d  of  forced  abstinence  and  either  overnight  (acute)  or  29  d  (chronic)  EE.   EE  consisted  of  3  rats  housed  in  a  large,  multi-­‐level  cage  with  novel  toys  exchanged  3  times  a  week.   Controls  were  returned  to  single  housing.   Regions  sampled  across  the  rostral-­‐caudal  extent  of  the  brain  included  several  cortical  regions  including  the  hippocampus,  divisions  of  the  striatum,  and  midbrain  regions  including  the  VTA.   Fos  was  identified  in  brain  slices  using  immunohistochemistry.   Immunolabeled  cells  were  counted  using  NIH  Image  J  at  10X  magnification  within  a  250  micrometer  square  sample  of  regions  identified  using  an  atlas  of  the  rat  brain.  RESULTS:   Fos  expression  generally  paralleled  the  amount  of  cue-­‐reactivity.   That  is,  Fos  levels  were  higher  in  most  regions  after  30  d  of  forced  abstinence  (“incubation  of  Fos  expression”)  and  were  decreased  in  most  regions  by  either  acute  or  chronic  EE.   One  interesting  dissociation  was  observed  between  striatal  sub  regions  where  acute  EE  just  prior  to  the  first  day  of  forced  abstinence  reduced  Fos  expressed  in  the  dorsolateral  striatum  but  not  in  the  core  or  shell  of  the  nucleus  accumbens.   CONCLUSION:   Further  correlational  analyses  of  these  data  may  yield  patterns  of  connectivity  predictive  of  cue  reactivity  following  exposure  to  control  or  EE  living  conditions  and/or  in  either  early  or  late  forced  abstinence.  Supported  by  NIH  DA016285-­‐03  Email:  gluecke@students.wwu.edu    162.1  John  Georgino  Kelly  Weixel   Utilizing  Neurotropic  Viruses  to  Define  Circuit  Architecture  in  Rodent  Brain  J.R.  GEORGINO,  J.P.  CARD  Washington  and  Jefferson  College   An  understanding  of  neural  circuitry  is  crucial  in  the  analysis  of  healthy  brain  function.   A  neural  circuit  is  a  structural  unit  of  interconnected  neurons  that  work  together  to  maintain  homeostasis.   When  comparing  neural  circuit  tracing  techniques,  transneuronal  viral  tracing  is  superior  to  classic  tracing  techniques  due  to  the  virus’  ability  to  cross  synapses.   To  characterize  the  invasiveness  of  an  Alpha  herpesvirus,,  a  rodent  model  was  sterotaxically  injected  into  the  well-­‐documented  striatal  circuit  with  a  novel  strain  of  Herpes  Simplex  Virus  (HSV)  that  spreads  retrogradely  through  a  neural  network.  .   These  viruses  are  DNA  viruses  whose  preferred  host  are  neurons,  and  cause  encephalitis  in  humans.   Rats  were  then  perfused  and  prepared  for  immunohistochemistry  to  identify  the  infection.   Results  from  this  experiment  indicated  that  the  substantia  nigra  pars  compacta  was  severely  infected  while  the  globus  pallidus  external  segment  was  intermediately  infected.  Infection  of  the  nuclei  were  then  scored  as  moderate,  intermediate,  or  severe  depending  on  parameters  such  as  dendritic  labeling,  density,  and  presence  of  nuclear  invaginations.   Understanding  the  invasiveness  of  a  retrograde  tracer  such  as  this  one  can  make  it  possible  to  perform  dual  injection  studies  concerning  an  anterograde  tracer  and  a  retrograde  tracer.   Studies  were  also  conducted  using  this  tracing  technology  to  examine  the  functional  organization  of  the  suprachiasmatic  nucleus  (SCN).   HSV  was  injected  into  the  dorsomedial  subfield  of  the  SCN  and  perfusions  and  immunohistochemistry  was  performed  following  a  48  hr  infection  period.   Analysis  of  these  images  revealed  the  dense  commisural  projections  between  the  injection  site  and  the  contralateral  dorsomedial  subfield  as  well  as  projections  between  the  ventrolateral  subfields  along  with  efferent  projections  to  the  subparaventricular  zone,  networks  which  are  poorly  characterized.   Contralateral  paraventricular  nuclear  labeling  was  also  identified  in  these  studies,  indicating  the  potential  presence  of  efferent  networks.   However,  further  studies  need  to  be  done  to  analyze  these  contralateral  projections,  which  could  be  revealed  by  alternative  viral  tracing  tools.     Wojaczynski,  G.J.,  Engel,  E.A.,  Steren,  K.E.,  Enquist,  L.W.,  Card,  110  J.P.  (2014)  The  neuroinvasive  profiles  of  H129  (herpes  simplex  virus  type  1)  recombinants  with  putative  anterograde-­‐only  transneuronal  spread  properties.  Brain  Struct  Funct.  Email:  georginojr@jay.washjeff.edu    162.2  Leah  Vaughan  Kelly  Weixel   Adolescent  high-­‐fructose  diet  alters  metabolism  and  the  HPA  axis  without  exacerbating  behavior  following  adult  ischemic  stroke  L.E.  VAUGHAN,  C.S.  HARRELL,  G.N.  NEIGH  Washington  &  Jefferson  College   The  recent  surge  in  fructose  consumption  parallels  the  rise  in  obesity,  metabolic  syndrome,  and  cardiovascular  disease.   High-­‐fructose  diets  (HFD)  are  associated  with  insulin  resistance,  hyperglycemia,  and  visceral  adiposity  in  animal  models,  but  the  effects  on  neurological  disease  and  behavior  remain  poorly  understood.   Preliminary  research  from  this  lab  has  revealed  altered  metabolism  and  stress  responses,  including  elevated  basal  corticosterone,  amongst  rats  fed  a  HFD  throughout  puberty.   This  altered  stress  response  could  be  associated  with  neuroinflammatory  and  cerebrovascular  changes  that  have  the  potential  to  affect  outcomes  after  neurological  injury.   Thus,  this  study  sought  to  determine  the  extent  to  which  consumption  of  a  high-­‐fructose  diet  throughout  adolescence  compromises  adult  ischemic  stroke  outcomes.   We  hypothesized  that  a  HFD  will  exacerbate  the  effects  of  ischemic  stroke  to  exaggerate  altered  stress  responses  and  impair  neurological  and  affective  behaviors.   Adult  male  rats  were  fed  either  standard  chow  or  55%  high-­‐fructose  diet  from  two  days  post-­‐weaning  through  adulthood.  Rat  food  consumption,  blood  glucose,  and  weight  gain  were  tracked  regularly  for  all  animals,  fat  pad  weight  was  collected  from  a  non-­‐surgical  cohort  after  10  weeks  on  the  diet.   As  expected,  HFD  increased  blood  glucose,  caloric  efficiency,  and  fat  pad  mass.   Middle  cerebral  artery  occlusion  (MCAO)  or  sham  surgeries  were  then  performed  on  two  cohorts  of  rats  after  8  (cohort  1)  or  10  (cohort  2)  weeks  on  the  diet.   Neurological  testing  (open  field,  sticky  dot,  rotorod,  and  grip  strength)  was  performed  prior  to  surgery  and  again  three  days  post-­‐surgery.   While  MCAO  did  worsen  performance  in  the  open  field,  sticky  dot,  and  rotorod,  no  additional  effect  of  HFD  was  apparent.   Tests  of  affective-­‐like  behavior  (open  field,  social  interaction,  elevated  plus  maze,  forced  swim)  were  performed  two  weeks  post-­‐surgery.    HFD  significantly  reduced  grooming  behavior,  while  both  MCAO  and  HFD  significantly  altered  social  interaction  behavior.   However,  the  effects  of  MCAO  and  HFD  did  not  appear  to  be  additive  to  exacerbate  effects  in  the  social  interaction  test  or  other  tests  of  affective-­‐like  behavior.  Analysis  of  corticosterone  levels  at  baseline  and  following  a  forced  swim  test  (FST)  by  enzyme-­‐linked  immunosorbant  assay  indicated  that  while  HFD  significantly  increased  baseline  corticosterone,  there  was  no  interactive  effect  of  HFD  and  MCAO  on  corticosterone  at  baseline  or  after  HFD.   Ongoing  studies  are  assessing  the  impact  of  HFD  on  additional  outcomes  after  MCAO,  including  infarct  size,  cerebrovascular  remodeling,  blood-­‐brain-­‐barrier  permeability,  and  neuroinflammation.  Email:  vaughanle@jay.washjeff.edu  163    Chad  Wagner  Kevin  Crisp   Development  of  wireless,  passive  electrophysiological  technologies  C.L  WAGNER,  A.W.  BIGELOW,  C.J.  STEWART,  K.M.  CRISP  St.  Olaf  College   Modern  techniques  for  electrophysiological  stimulation  require  that  an  organism  either  be  tethered  to  a  long  wire  (Anderson  et  al.,  2006)  or  carry  a  battery  (Zhang  et  al.,  2011)  to  power  the  stimulator.  Wires  limit  mobility,  while  batteries  can  be  large,  generate  excess  heat,  and  occasionally  need  to  be  replaced.  These  techniques  also  risk  injury  and  infection,  making  them  suboptimal  to  study  natural  animal  111  behaviors.  We  are  trying  to  create  a  wireless,  battery-­‐free,  electrophysiological  stimulator  that  could  be  implanted  in  an  animal  to  provide  a  controllable  stimulation  to  a  signal  neuron  or  ganglia.    We  developed  a  resonant  circuit  that  could  receive  a  signal  from  a  near-­‐field,  radio  frequency  source  and  deliver  a  measurable  stimulus  to  an  L.terrestris  (common  earth  worm).  While  effective,  our  circuit  must  still  be  miniaturized,  and  a  higher  efficiency  tuned  antenna  must  be  developed.  We  must  also  create  our  stimulator  in  a  manner  that  does  not  interfere  with  tissue  or  cause  an  immune  response.  One  way  we  seek  to  accomplish  this  is  with  development  of  self-­‐sealing,  bio-­‐invisible  cuff  electrodes  (Korivi  et  al.,  2011).  Our  cuff  electrodes  were  not  only  able  to  record  neural  impulses  non-­‐invasively  and  with  high  fidelity,  but  were  also  able  to  aid  in  the  deliverance  of  an  isolated  stimulus.    If  we  can  miniaturize  our  antenna,  stimulator  circuit,  and  cuff  electrodes,  it  would  allow  us  to  wirelessly  stimulate  select  neurons  while  affording  the  organism  freedom  of  motion.  This  accomplishment  would  provide  greater  accuracy  (Arfin  et  al.,  2009)  when  performing  studies  on  animal  behavior  and  could  serve  as  a  first  step  towards  the  development  of  an  advanced  era  of  microscopic  medical  devices  Email:  wagnerc@stolaf.edu  164    Evan  Meiman  Lora  A.  Becker   Behavioral  effects  of  magnesium  oxide  versus  magnesium  L-­‐threonate  diet  in  adolescent  sprague  dawley  rats  E.J.  MEIMAN,  M.A.  ERMLER,  L.A.  BECKER,  R.  WAWORUNTU,  B.  BERG  University  of  Evansville   Magnesium  is  an  essential  mineral  that  serves  as  an  intracellular  cofactor  in  enzymatic  reactions  and  has  an  important  regulatory  role  of  gating  of  the  N-­‐methyl-­‐D=aspartate  receptor  which  is  involved  in  learning  and  memory  processing).     The  purpose  of  this  study  was  to  assess  the  impact  of  Magnesium  Oxide  (MgO)   versus  Magnesium  L-­‐Threonate  (MgT)  during  normal  early  postnatal  development  on  anxiety-­‐related  behaviors  in  rodents.   Newly  weaned  Sprague-­‐Dawley  rats,  postnatal  day  (PD)21,  were  fed  a  diet  that  either  contained  0.1%  MgO  or  0.1%  MgT.   No  significant  differences  were  found  for  body  weights  or  food  intake  across  the  study.   Open  field  (OF)  exploration  of  PD28  or  PD35  rats  resulted  in  a  Diet  X  Gender  interaction  (F=  9.46,  p  <  0.05)  wherein  female  rats  on  MgO  spent  more  time  moving  around  the  OF  but  female  rats  fed  MgT  displayed  more  rearing  frequency  (F=4.11,  p<0.05)  and  duration  (F=3.83,  p<0.05).   There  was  a  interaction  of  Diet  X  Age  X  Area  within  the  OF  Arena  (F=2.66,  p0.05)  wherein  rats  fed  MgT  spent  more  time  sitting  away  from  the  walls  than  rats  fed  MgO,  which  increased  from  PD28  to  PD35.   Preliminary  analysis  of  behavior  in  an  acoustic  startle  (AS)  chamber  suggests  that  rats  fed  MgT  tended  to  have  a  faster  habituation  curve  to  the  startle  stimulus  and  lower  velocity  of  startle  than  rats  fed  MgO.    Overall,  MgT  fed  rats  performed  more  investigative-­‐like  behavior  and  less  anxiety-­‐like  behavior  in  the  OF  arena  than  rats  fed  MgO.       Mead  Johnson  Pediatric  Nutrition  Institute  grant  to  Lora  Becker  Email:  em162@evansville.edu  165    Galen  Chuang  Bevil  Conway   Processing  and  displaying  fMRI  data  by  color  selectivity.  G.  CHUANG,  B.R.  CONWAY  Wellesley  College   Functional  magnetic  resonance  imaging,  or  fMRI,  measures  brain  activity  over  time  by  detecting  increased  blood  flow  to  certain  areas.  Processing  involves  motion  correction,  registration  of  functional  data  to  anatomical  MRI  scans,  smoothing,  creating  contrasts,  and  upsampling.  The  functional  data  can  then  be  mapped  computationally  onto  high  resolution,  three-­‐dimensional  surfaces.  After  processing,  fMRI  data  is  typically  displayed  based  on  significance  values  from  statistical  t-­‐tests;  these  show  the  probability  that  the  112  same  results  could  be  obtained  again.  However,  our  project  sought  to  display  fMRI  data  with  selectivity  indices,  or  which  stimulus  each  voxel  responds  to  the  most  strongly.  By  manipulating  the  fMRI  processing  stream,  we  developed  techniques  to  calculate  selectivity  indices  and  display  them  on  a  cortical  surface.  Our  final  goal  is  to  display  the  selectivity  index  of  each  voxel  using  the  color  that  voxel  was  most  selective  toward,  allowing  spatial  patterns  and  groupings  of  colors  to  be  more  easily  detected.  Once  implemented,  this  may  give  clues  to  understanding  the  hierarchal  organization  and  evolution  of  the  visual  cortex.  Email:  gchuang@wellesley.edu  166    Dana  Cobb  Leslie  Sargent  Jones   The  value  of  the  IMPULSE  experience  for  non-­‐neuroscience  majors.  D.  COBB,  E.  ARTZ,  H.  JOHNSON,  B.  MANSKY,  A.  ROSSI,  D.  RUSSELL,  C.  ESTER,  T.  SASSER,  R.  SLEDGE,  W.  STEVENS  Appalachian  State  University   The  journal  IMPULSE  was  created  over  a  decade  ago  to  provide  undergraduates  with  an  opportunity  for  an  authentic  experience  reviewing  original  neuroscience  submissions,  as  well  as  to  serve  as  an  outlet  for  publishing  undergraduate  research.  While  initially  designed  with  the  neuroscience  major  in  mind,  many  of  the  students  working  with  the  journal  are  not  in  neuroscience  or  related  majors.  For  example,  of  the  21  reviewers  at  one  of  the  Reviewer  Training  Sites,  four  are  targeting  neuroscience  careers,  seven  are  pre-­‐
medical В students, В while В the В other В majors В are В math В (3), В geology В (2), В journalism В (1), В religious В studies В (1), В and В undecided В (3). В They В all В joined В to В learn В how В to В review В and В write В science В papers; В they В were В indifferent В to В the В discipline В of В the В vehicle В used В for В that В training. В In В support В of В this В are В results В from В a В survey В conducted В in В 2012-­‐13 В with В previous В journal В participants, В indicating В the В value В of В the В experience В to В non-­‐neuroscience В majors. В As В reported В on В the В data В from В that В survey, В the В majority В of В respondents В felt В it В was В useful В for В their В professional В writing В and В literature В research В skills, В and В that В this В applied В to В their В long-­‐term В goals В regardless В of В their В field. В While В the В outreach В to В recruit В participants В has В historically В highlighted В the В relevance В of В the В journal В experience В for В students В pursuing В careers В in В neuroscience, В the В past В decade В has В shown В that В other В majors В are В benefiting В from В this В opportunity В and В that В it В should В be В extended В intentionally В to В students В in В other В fields. В 167 В В В Leanne В Harris В Page В Baluch В В Engaging В students В in В brain В awareness В through В hands В on В science В L. В HARRIS, В A. В GONZALES, В J.J. В FAUST, В I. В SINAKEVITCH, В D.P. В BALUCH В Arizona В State В University В В Engaging В a В student’s В interest В in В STEM В education В requires В not В only В great В В mentorship В but В activities В that В can В capture В their В attention В and В stimulates В В their В interest В to В learn В more. В Hands В on В Science В is В an В annual В event В held В at В В Arizona В State В University В which В encourages В young В scientists В to В pursue В a В В career В in В STEM В fields В such В as В neuroscience В by В giving В them В the В opportunity В В to В experience В cutting В edge В research В in В a В university В environment. В Students, В В especially В women, В minorities В and В those В with В disabilities, В are В invited В to В В attend В this В one В day В event В to В tour В various В labs В at В ASU В and В participate В in В В hands В on В activities В ranging В from В investigating В crime В scenes В using В DNA В В fingerprinting, В engaging В in В alternative В energy В experiments В using В anaerobic В В chambers, В observing В insect В behavior В studies, В viewing В meteorites В and В В images В taken В by В the В Lunar В Reconnaissance В Orbiter В camera В to В mounting В В slides В and В scanning В images В of В neurons В with В laser В based В microscopes. В The В В W.M. В Keck В Bioimaging В lab, В within В the В School В of В Life В Sciences, В specifically В В focuses В on В the В Brain В Awareness В portion В of В the В event В by В providing В multiple В В stations В that В give В students В the В opportunity В to В learn В how В image В based В В neurobiology В materials В can В be В made В accessible В to В the В visually В impaired, В В how В behavioral В neuroscientists В trace В neurons В to В observe В changes В in В В В plasticity В in В response В to В 113 В stress, В and В how В fluorescently В labeled В brain В В sections В and В neural В cultures В are В imaged В using В instrumentation В such В as В the В В laser В scanning В confocal В microscope. В Students В share В their В microscope В В images В online В at В the В ASU В Hands В on В Science В Facebook В page В В (www.facebook.com/ASUhandsonscience) В which В provides В a В portal В for В В ongoing В education В and В gives В them В the В opportunity В to В share В their В В experience В with В friends В and В family. В https://www.awis-­‐caz.org/hos.html В Email: В lmwillis@asu.edu В 168 В В В Hillary В Blakeley В Hillary В Blakeley В В Effects В of В a В gamified В classroom В on В student В self-­‐efficacy. В H.J. В BLAKELEY, В B.J. В BLAKELEY В Merrimack В College В В Gamification В refers В to В the В use В of В game В mechanics В in В a В non-­‐game В settings. В Though В commonly В misunderstood В as В using В games В in В the В classroom, В gamification В has В been В used В extensively В in В business В and В marketing В as В well В as В in В education. В It В often В contains В components В like В achievements, В badges,  “leveling В up,” В reward В points, В and В specific В tasks В or В challenges В to В be В met. В This В poster В reflects В the В author’s В experience В teaching В a  “gamified” В Honors В Introduction В to В Psychology В class, В designed В as В a В series В of В levels В that В students В progressed В through В as В the В semester В proceeded. В В Each В level В had В to В be В passed В by В successfully В completing В a В task, В and В tasks В differed В throughout В the В semester В generally В becoming В more В demanding В of В time, В effort, В and В skill. В Students В were В explicitly В told В that В they В might В have В to В attempt В a В task В multiple В times, В but В that В there В was В no В penalty В regardless В of В how В many В failures В preceded В the В successful В attempt. В Final В grades В in В the В course В were В determined В entirely В by В what В level В the В student В attained В by В the В end В of В the В semester. В Because В gamification В has В been В associated В with В higher В student В self-­‐regulation, В the В authors В used В the В MSLQ В as В a В pre-­‐ В and В post-­‐test В measure В for В motivation. В By В the В end В of В the В semester, В students’ В scores В on В self-­‐efficacy В for В learning В and В performance, В one В of В the В sub-­‐scales В of В the В MSLQ, В had В increased В significantly В from В pre-­‐test В levels В (p<.01). В This В suggests В that В classroom В gamification В may В empower В students В to В take В control В of В their В own В success В and В progress В through В the В course. В This В work В was В supported В by В a В Merrimack В College В Faculty В Development В Grant. В Email: В blakeleyh@merrimack.edu В 169 В В В Nicholas В Hardy В Ellen В M. В Carpenter В В UCLA В neuroscience В outreach В to В LA В schools В N.F. В HARDY, В D. В ALEXANDER, В M. В DESALVO, В R. В ROMERO-­‐CALDERON, В C.A. В GHIANI, В W. В GE, В C.E. В EVANS, В J.B. В WATSON, В E.M. В CARPENTER В University В of В California В Los В Angeles В В UCLA's В Interdepartmental В Program В in В Neuroscience В and В the В Brain В Research В Institute В conduct В major В outreach В activities В throughout В the В year В through В Project В Brainstorm В and В Brain В Awareness В Week. В В Both В of В these В activities В aim В to В promote В an В interest В in В neuroscience В and В higher В education В to В underserved В schools В around В the В greater В Los В Angeles В Area. В В Project В Brainstorm В (PB) В is В an В outreach В course В offered В to В 3rd В and В 4th В year В undergraduate В majors В in В neuroscience В at В UCLA. В В The В course В offers В undergraduates В an В opportunity В to В design В and В implement В an В interactive В classroom В lesson В on В neuroscience В with В the В objective В of В providing В K-­‐12 В students В a В framework В in В neuroscience В including В brain В structure, В features В of В a В neuron, В and В basic В principles В of В synaptic В communication. В В In В the В first В part В of В the В course, В students В select В a В topic В and В develop В their В presentations В while В receiving В feedback В from В a В group В of В faculty, В staff, В graduate В students, В and В their В peers. В В This В year's В topics В included В reflexes, В the В visual В system, В pain В perception, В motor В movement, В and В olfaction. В В The В undergraduates В are В then В invited В into В classrooms В primarily В in В Title В 1 В K-­‐12 В schools В in В the В Los В 114 В Angeles В (LA) В area В to В present В their В lesson В plans В and В engage В younger В students В in В a В variety В of В interactive В neuroscience В activities. В В UCLA's В Brain В Awareness В Week В (BAW) В is В an В annual В event В that В brings В students В from В LA В schools В to В campus В for В a В day В of В neuroscience В related В activities. В В The В event В is В organized В by В graduate В students В from В the В Neuroscience В Interdepartmental В Ph.D. В program В and В is В staffed В with В over В 60 В volunteers В from В the В graduate В and В undergraduate В neuroscience В programs, В the В David В Geffen В School В of В Medicine, В and В UCLA В faculty. В В Over В the В course В of В the В week, В we В hosted В 300 В students В between В 4th В and В 12th В grade В from В five В LA В schools. В В Each В day В began В with В the В visiting В students В rotating В through В the В following В six В interactive В stations: В 1) В Brain В anatomy, В 2) В Homunculus В mapping, В 3) В Vision-­‐altering В goggles, В 4) В Human В brain В specimens, В 5) В Animal В brain В specimens В and В evolution, В and В 6) В Brain В injury. В В Students В then В participated В in В lab В tours В that В included В hands-­‐on В demonstrations В such В as В extracting В DNA В from В cheek В cells В and В viewing В aplysia В or В drosophila В and В in В campus В tours. В В To В evaluate В the В efficacy В of В BAW В and В PB В in В increasing В neuroscience В knowledge В and В inspiring В an В interest В in В science В in В the В students В we В administered В pre-­‐ В and В post-­‐evaluation В forms В for В the В students В to В complete. В В Preliminary В data В analysis В indicates В that В students, В across В all В age В groups, В knew В significantly В more В basic В neuroscience В after В their В BAW В and В PB В experiences В than В before. В В Further, В many В students В indicated В a В more В positive В attitude В toward В science В after В their В visit. В Email: В nhardy@mednet.ucla.edu В 170 В В В Rylie В Hightower В Elba В Serano В В MICAL2: В A В necessary В ectoderm В development В modulator В В R. В HIGHTOWER, В E. В BATES В New В Mexico В State В Univ. В В During В embryonic В development, В ectoderm В differentiates В into В external В tissues В and В structures В of В a В developed В human, В such В as В skin, В hair, В nails, В and В teeth. В The В CNS В also В develops В from В differentiating В ectoderm. В Currently, В ectodermal В dysplasia В (ED) В is В considered В a В hereditary, В congenital В disorder В that В results В in В abnormalities В of В those В external В tissues В and В structures. В The В analysis В of В one В specific В family В shows В that В some В members В have В ED В and В some В members В have В autism. В MICAL2 В is В a В gene В that В has В shown В to В be В mutated В in В each В family В member В that В has В ED В or В autism. В Previous В work В shows В MICAL2 В is В needed В for В axon В guidance В and В actin В depolymerization. В This В study В was В to В determine В the В role В MICAL2 В plays В in В ED В and В Autism. В Site-­‐directed В mutagenesis В is В being В used В to В clone В and В replicate В the В affected В family В members’ В mutation. В Further В work В will В use  “Knockdown” В and  “Rescue” В methods В to  “knockdown” В MICAL2 В function В in В wildtype В cells В where В cell В function В can В then В be В assessed. В We В predict В that В normal В cell В developmental В function В will В occur В with В a В wildtype В MICAL В 2 В rescue В but В normal В cell В development В will В cease В with В a В mutant В MICAL2 В rescue. В The В exact В abnormalities В that В will В occur В on В the В cellular В level В with В the В mutant В MICAL2 В rescue В are В unknown В and В will В be В assessed В at В the В time В of В observation. В Email: В swimmer1@nmsu.edu В 171 В В В Kathryn В Sanchez В Elba В Serano В В Amyloid В beta В truncated В fragments: В Relevance В for В Alzheimer's В disease В pathogenesis В K. В SANCHEZ, В J. В GHISO В New В Mexico В State В Univ. В В Alzheimer’s В disease В (AD) В is В the В most В common В form В of В dementia, В which В currently В affects В 5 В million В Americans. В Amyloid В beta В (Abeta) В is В the В main В component В of В parenchymal В plaques В and В vascular В deposits, В two В of В the В major В neuropathological В lesions В of В AD. В In В addition В to В full-­‐length В Abeta В species, В biochemical В and В proteomic В analysis В of В AD В deposits В reveal В high В degree В of В Abeta В heterogeneity В at В both В N-­‐and В C-­‐terminal В ends В likely В resulting В from В the В local В action В of В multiple В proteolytic В enzymes. В Interestingly, В many В of В these В fragments В -­‐particularly В those В truncated В at В the В C-­‐terminus-­‐ В are В also В normal В components В of В cerebrospinal В fluid В and В have В biophysical В properties В supporting В their В association В with В brain В clearance В mechanisms. В 115 В Conversely, В very В little В is В known В about В the В role В of В N-­‐terminally В truncated В fragments, В which В we В postulate В are В contributors В to В the В disease В pathogenesis. В To В better В understand В their В properties В and В evaluate В their В potential В association В with В the В brain В lesions, В we В generated В antibodies В specifically В recognizing В N-­‐terminal В epitopes В and В performed В biochemical В and В immunohistochemical В analyses. В The В tendency В of В N-­‐terminal В truncated В species В to В rapidly В aggregate В and В fibrillize В together В with В their В topographic В localization В at В the В core В of В amyloid В plaques В in В mouse В transgenic В models В support В the В notion В of В their В participation В in В the В mechanism В of В amyloidogenesis. В В Email: В ktsanch@nmsu.edu В 172 В В В Tiffany В Faull В Mary В Morrison В В Purkinje В neuron В developmental В markers В in В vivo В and В in В vitro. В T.N. В FAULL, В L.M. В ROBERTSON, В A.R. В DEMCHAK, В M.E. В MORRISON В Lycoming В College В В The В cerebellum В coordinates В movement В and В balance. В It В is В composed В of В only В a В few В cell В types В including В Purkinje В neurons, В whose В dendrites В receive В inputs В via В synapses В from В granule В cell В parallel В fibers В and В olivary В climbing В fibers. В В The В Purkinje В neurons В integrate В these В inputs, В calculate В motor В error, В and В send В corrective В signals В through В their В axons В which В synapse В onto В the В deep В cerebellar В nuclei. В The В early В development В of В Purkinje В neuron В axons В and В dendrites В is В the В subject В of В this В study. В В The В growth В of В Purkinje В neurons В in В the В mouse В can В be В divided В into В several В stereotyped В stages. В In В the В prenatal В stage, В the В Purkinje В cells В are В arranged В in В masses В within В the В cerebellar В anlage. В From В postnatal В day В 0 В to В postnatal В day В 3 В in В vivo, В the В cells В extend В numerous, В very В simple В processes. В В As В the В cell В continues В to В develop В during В the В first В two В postnatal В weeks, В these В processes В recede В back В into В the В cell, В and В apical В dendrites В begin В to В appear. В By В the В second В or В third В postnatal В week, В the В Purkinje В neurons В have В a В highly В branched В dendrite В studded В with В spines. В В This В series В of В developmental В changes В is В recapitulated В in В cell В cultures В made В from В neonatal В mouse В cerebella, В with В a В slight В time В delay В of В a В few В days В as В the В cells В recover В from В the В cell В dissociation В process. В В Knowing В more В about В the В nature В of В the В early В Purkinje В cell В processes В could В help В in В the В design В of В treatments В to В support В Purkinje В cell В regeneration В after В injury В or В in В the В face В of В cerebellar В ataxias. В Our В goal В is В to В characterize В the В primitive В processes В of В Purkinje В cells В in В early В postnatal В mice В and В in В cerebellar В cultures В derived В from В these В mice: В В are В they В axonal, В dendritic, В both, В or В neither? В В In В this В study, В immunohistochemistry В of В cryostat В sections В and В immunocytochemistry В of В cultured В cerebellar В cells В was В used В to В establish В the В locations В of В several В proteins В in В developing В Purkinje В neurons, В including В calbindin В D28k, В MAP2 В (a В dendritic В marker), В and В neurofilament В H В (an В axonal В marker). В Email: В fautiff@lycoming.edu В 173 В В В Kofi В Boateng В James В Dearworth В В The В Red-­‐eared В Slider В Turtle: В A В model В for В neurodegenerative В disease В and В conservation В biology В K. В BOATENG, В R. В LAROSA, В J. В DEARWORTH, В M. В ROTHENBERGER В Lafayette В College В В The В red-­‐eared В slider В turtle В (Trachemys В scripta В elegans), В originating В from В the В Mississippi В River В Basin, В is В an В invasive В species В present В in В the В Lehigh В Valley В of В Pennsylvania В and В around В the В world. В В Possible В reason В for В its В success В is В possession В of В a В tolerant В nervous В system В that В can В function В under В environmental В extremes В such В as В anoxia. В This В study В examined В turtle В populations В and В the В environment, В while В measuring В environmental В parameters, В to В determine В if В the В amount В of В oxygen В in В water В could В be В responsible В for В making В the В red-­‐eared В slider В so В successful В compared В to В other В species. В Water В sampling В and В trapping В were В conducted В at В sixteen В locations В from В May В 2013 В to В August В 2014 В within В various В parts В of В Pennsylvania В 116 В (including В a В pristine В conservation В site), В Maryland, В and В Michigan. В В Environmental В measures В collected В included В oxygen В levels, В pH, В air В and В water В temperature, В salinity, В total В dissolved В solutes, В nitrate, В phosphorous, В turbidity, В and В conductivity. В В Turtles В were В captured В by В hooped В nets В and/or В photographed В at В sites В to В confirm В their В identities. В В Data В were В analyzed В using В non-­‐metric В multidimensional В scaling В (MDS) В ordinations В using В PC В ORD В version В 5.0 В software. В В The В distance В between В samples В in В MDS В plots В reflected В relative В similarities В in В environmental В and В turtle В species В compositions; В r2 В cutoff В value В equal В to В 0.2 В was В used В to В detect В vectors В of В significance В for В environmental В gradients; В and В r2 В cutoff В value В equal В to В 0.1 В was В used В to В detect В significance В for В turtle В species В compositions. В В Analysis В of В the В data В showed В that В red-­‐eared В sliders В were В most В frequent В when В oxygen В concentrations В in В water В were В low. В Turtles В also В were В most В visible В when В air В temperature В was В higher В than В temperature В of В water. В В Of В the В sites В surveyed В in В Pennsylvania, В few В turtles В were В seen В or В caught В at В locations В having В high В oxygen В concentrations В and В low В saline В levels В (e.g., В Bushkill В Creek, В Pennsylvania, В 40.695251Лљ, В -­‐75.211126Лљ). В В Data В suggest В that В environmental В parameters В do В indeed В impact В species В distribution В and В the В ability В of В red-­‐eared В sliders В ability В to В thrive. В В Sites В with В greater В abundance В of В red-­‐eared В sliders В have В lower В oxygen В levels, В higher В conductivity, В and В more В solutes В dissolved, В which В may В explain В tolerance В of В physiology В and В environmental В adaptability В of В red-­‐eared В sliders. В В The В findings В support В use В of В the В nervous В system В of В the В red-­‐eared В slider В as В model В for В study В on В how В to В improve В the В tolerance В levels В of В human В nervous В tissue В to В anoxic В conditions В that В might В occur В during В neurodegenerative В diseases В (e.g., В stroke). В Email: В boatengk@lafayette.edu В В В В В 117 В В Althoff, В Alyssa. В 67.2 В Amato, В Michele. В 128 В Anderson, В Maxwell. В 141 В Andrews, В Leigh. В 127 В Annand, В Kathryn. В 100 В Austin, В Paul. В 53 В Ayabe, В Asia. В 46.1 В Barlow, В Molly. В 20 В Barnard, В Elyse. В 68 В Barnes, В Hensley. В 124 В Barrientos, В Alicia. В 74.2 В Behling, В Stuart. В 98 В Bisnauth, В Subrina. В 79 В Blakeley, В Hillary. В 168 В Boateng, В Kofi. В 173 В Brockway, В Emma. В 140.1 В Buck, В Jordan. В 143 В Buirkle, В Julia. В 108 В Burnham, В Veronica. В 21 В Campbell, В Brett. В 147 В Candal, В Raquel. В 131 В Childs, В Ariel. В 102.3 В Cho, В Eileen. В 159 В Christensen, В Jennifer. В 115 В Chuang, В Galen. В 165 В Claudel, В Sophie. В 59 В Cobb, В Dana. В 119 В Cobb, В Dana. В 166 В Comfort, В Nicole. В 132 В Cone, В Katherine. В 104 В Connell, В John. В 142 В Cottrell-­‐Cumber, В Sarah. В 11 В Crawford, В Samuel. В 66.1 В Cruz, В Jayson. В 114 В Curran, В Maura. В 107 В Curtiss, В Sally. В 85 В Dairaghi, В Leigh. В 109.1 В Day, В Marilyn. В 41 В DeSouza, В Andre. В 103 В Dixon, В Paul. В 62.1 В Dominah, В Gifty. В 72 В Dominguez, В Michelle. В 64 В Doring, В Monica. В 137 В Duncan, В Spencer. В 33 В Dunkerson, В Jacob. В 90 В Ealey, В Ashley. В 25.1 В Eck, В Samantha. В 129.2 В First В Author В Index В (Last, В First. В Board) В Engel, В Shaydel. В 150 В Faull, В Tiffany. В 172 В Feinstein, В Max. В 135 В Ferro, В Austin. В 80.2 В Fettinger, В Natalie. В 82 В Fish, В Kyle. В 31 В Foster, В Benjamin. В 34.1 В Fraser, В Kurt. В 17 В Freedman, В Jason. В 138 В Gehring, В Bradley. В 40.1 В Gentchev, В Monica. В 91 В Georgino, В John. В 162.1 В Gerlach, В Matthew. В 121 В Ghoweri, В Adam. В 69 В Gifford, В Janace. В 120 В Glassman, В Caleb. В 44 В Glueck, В Edwin. В 161 В Goldstein, В Jenna. В 145 В Gorham, В Melissa. В 160 В Grisham, В Alanah. В 25.2 В Gupta, В Sneha. В 156 В Hamilton, В Kelly. В 122.2 В Hamitlon, В Sarah. В 58.2 В Hanten, В Brandon. В 144 В Hardy, В Nicholas. В 169 В Harmon, В Katherine. В 12 В Harris, В Brianna. В 112.2 В Harris, В Leanne. В 167 В Hathaway, В Kathryn. В 146 В Hazim, В Manuel. В 54.2 В Herdegen, В Samantha. В 152 В Hewes, В Kelly. В 81 В Hightower, В Rylie. В 170 В Hossain, В Mir В Shanaz. В 29 В Huang, В Johnny. В 19 В Huffman, В Heather. В 36 В Huffman, В Lucas. В 10 В Hughes, В Elizabeth. В 30 В Huynh, В Kimberly. В 101 В Hyde, В Alec. В 70 В Jackson, В Kelsey. В 50.2 В Jang, В Eric. В 22 В John, В Caitlin. В 136 В Juras, В J. В Anna. В 60 В Kalidindi, В Anisha. В 112.1 В Kay, В Yuni. В 46.2 В Kechner, В Megan. В 8 В 118 В Kelly, В Kaela. В 118.2 В Kershberg, В Lauren. В 66.2 В Kim, В Juyun. В 61 В Kish, В Eszter. В 106 В Knabe, В Melina. В 86 В Laufmann, В Rachel. В 75 В Laurenzo, В Will. В 62.2 В Lefevre, В Anna. В 105.2 В Lemma, В Eyerusalem. В 116 В Leonard, В Joshua. В 28 В Lewis, В Arille. В 43.2 В Li, В Ranran. В 43.1 В Liao, В David. В 111 В Lincoln, В Cassie. В 24 В Lopez, В Ariel. В 15 В Lozier, В Nicholas. В 40.2 В Luckett, В Kathleen. В 49 В Luu, В Dan. В 96.1 В Lyons, В Ashley. В 105.1 В Mahajan, В Ashley. В 37.2 В Mathur, В Nirav. В 67.1 В McDonnell, В Bobby. В 27.2 В McDowell, В Lana. В 129.1 В McNamara, В Tanner. В 110 В Meiman, В Evan. В 164 В Melendez, В Keyshla. В 77.2 В Melendez, В Zahra. В 77.1 В Menosky, В Megan. В 57 В Miller, В Dylan. В 92 В Minnick, В Kyle. В 83 В Mitchell, В Bridget. В 102.1 В Moctezuma, В Cloe. В 140.2 В Moncion, В Jenny. В 74.1 В Monuszko, В Karen. В 58.1 В Mootz, В John. В 130 В Mortimer, В Emily. В 134 В Moyer, В Andrew. В 34.2 В Necarsulmer, В Julie. В 65.2 В Newton, В Scott. В 47 В Niro, В Biagio. В 37.1 В Oliver, В Khallyl. В 71.2 В Ordoobadi, В Alexander. В 84 В Pandian, В Ashvini. В 123 В Pearce, В Mary. В 126.1 В Pham-­‐Lake, В Camille. В 71.1 В Phan, В Jessica. В 14 В Phillips, В Matthew. В 113 В Pletz, В Jacob. В 153.3 В Pop, В Damaris. В 158 В Powers, В Emily. В 5 В Pritchard, В Amy. В 94 В Quesada, В Pompeyo. В 39 В Redwine, В McKenna. В 54.1 В Rice, В Sharena. В 26 В Richardson, В Quentin. В 157 В Risi, В Cristina. В 50.1 В Roberge, В Kayla. В 27.1 В Rogers, В Josh. В 149 В Rojas, В Jennifer. В 52 В Rose, В Melissa. В 139 В Ross, В Deanna. В 99.2 В Rotolo, В Renee. В 9 В Rus, В Susan. В 95 В Russo, В Craig. В 1 В Sajjad, В Sana. В 78 В Sakong, В Tae-­‐Hyun. В 51 В Salois, В Garrick. В 48 В Sanchez, В Kathryn. В 171 В Sangaard, В Simon. В 148 В Santos, В Maribel. В 35 В Sautter, В Dana. В 55 В Schlussel, В Maura. В 23 В Schultz, В Alex. В 155 В Schultz, В Joseph. В 99.1 В Schurter, В Brandon. В 73 В Seamon, В Kimberly. В 102.2 В Searles, В Madeleine. В 89 В Seddighi, В Sahba. В 154 В Sewell, В Emily. В 88 В Shoats, В Michael. В 42 В Sloan, В Anthony. В 153.2 В Smallwood, В Melissa. В 38 В Smith, В Sarah. В 96.2 В Sosnowik, В Shayna. В 97 В Srinivasan, В Vinay. В 65.1 В Stafford, В Jacob. В 3 В Stone, В Sophia. В 118.1 В Strand, В Helen. В 109.2 В Stubbeman, В Bobbie. В 16 В Swygart, В David. В 13 В Szolusha, В Kerri. В 18 В В 119 В Tarter, В Alexis. В 151 В Thibault, В Mackenzie. В 7 В Thompson, В Cort. В 93 В Tibbets, В Lila. В 125 В Tishler, В John. В 122.1 В Toker, В Nick. В 80.1 В Turano, В Alexandra. В 126.2 В Turner, В Haley. В 153.1 В Upright, В Nick. В 6 В VanDerhoef, В Daniel. В 2 В Vaughan, В Leah. В 162.2 В Vinzant, В Nate. В 76 В Voigt, В Thomas. В 45 В Wadia, В Varun. В 87 В Wagner, В Chad. В 163 В Wakim, В Kathryn-­‐Mary. В 56 В Wetherell, В Joseph. В 32 В White, В Alexandria. В 4 В White, В Cassidy. В 133 В Willner, В Megan. В 63 В Wise, В Bradley. В 117 В В