It has been found that more women in the United States have depression than men. Several studies have been conducted looking into possible explanations for this occurrence. One such topic of study has been the effects of hormonal birth control on depression in women. Studies have been conducted in an assortment of different countries and […]
A13: The Effect of Education Level on HPV Immunization Status in the United States: A Cross-sectional Study
The Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine effectively prevents up to 90% of HPV related cancers, including most cervical, oropharyngeal, anal, penile, vaginal, and vulvar cancers in the United States. Despite the proven efficacy of the HPV vaccine, only around 50% of eligible youth have been vaccinated. Multiple previous studies found that parental education achievement was an […]
A14: Racial and Ethnic Disparities Regarding Food Stamp Usage in United States Households
In 2021, 10.2% of US households and 12.5% of US households with children were deemed food insecure with specific racial and ethnic groups having higher rates of food insecurity. Indeed, the risk of experiencing food insecurity is significantly higher for Black and Hispanic households. The objective of this study is to better understand how race […]
A15: Depression and Sleep Disorders in Adults Aged 20+: A Cross-Sectional Study
Sleep disorders are the second most common cause of depression in the United States. When prolonged, sleep disorders not only cause psychiatric disorders, but also hypertension, heart attacks and strokes. Currently, there are no studies confirming the relationship between sleep disorders and depression using the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) data from 2017-2018. […]
A18: Enzymatic Conversion of Psilocybin and Related Tryptamines by Alkaline Phosphatase and Monoamine Oxidase A
The McMurray lab is a behavioral neuroscience lab that focuses on the study of tryptamines commonly found in “magic” mushrooms. The main tryptamine found in these mushrooms is psilocybin, and this has been extensively studied as a therapeutic because of its promising antidepressant effects. The leading theory for why psilocybin possesses this antidepressant efficacy is […]
A19: The Role of the Paraventricular Nucleus of the Thalamus in the Expression of Safety Learning
An estimated 70% of the population experiences a traumatic event at some point in their life, and up to 20% of these individuals go on to develop posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). PTSD is a debilitating condition that significantly reduces the quality of life and alters an individual’s ability to regulate fear and safety cues. Rodent […]
A20: Examining Ohio House Bill 436: Screening and Intervention for Children with Dyslexia
This presentation critically examines the implications of Ohio House Bill 436, commonly referred to as, “The Dyslexia Law,” and its impact on pre-service teachers, districts, and students. Students with dyslexia usually experience difficulties with other language skills such as spelling, writing, and pronouncing words (Moats & Dakin, 2020). The purpose of this presentation was to […]
A21: Amygdala Intercalated Neuron Contributions to Alcohol Drinking Behavior
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and alcohol use disorder (AUD) have a high rate of comorbidity. While this comorbidity is well documented, its neural correlates are still poorly understood. Recent studies have shown that anxiety disorders and AUD are similarly characterized by altered amygdalar structure and activity but less is known about the specific circuits within […]
A22: Impact of Nicotine and Alcohol Individually and Concurrently in ChAT-MOR Knockout Mice
Alcohol and nicotine are common substances that impact individuals individually and concurrently. This project aims to investigate the impact of nicotine and alcohol in ChAT-MOR mice individually and concurrently. Nicotine and ethanol both affect dopamine release through different mechanisms. We are specifically studying the impact of cholinergic interneurons on dopamine release within the striatum. CHAT-MOR […]
A23: The Effects of Lead Exposure During Early Development on Fentanyl Addictive Behavior in Mice
This study investigates a potential causal relationship between developmental lead (Pb) exposure and fentanyl addictive behavior with male and female mice in a Drinking in the Dark (DID) paradigm. Developmental Pb exposure and fentanyl use disorder (FUD) are critical issues in public health. With similar underlying neurological and demographical characteristics between Pb exposure and FUD, […]