Cognitive flexibility, which can be measured with reversal learning, is the ability of an individual to alter their behavior in response to changing environmental conditions. Past studies have found that dopamine (DA) is released in the nucleus accumbens (NAc) during reversal learning (Radke et al., 2019, Klanker et al., 2017). The present study sought to […]
A54-P: Effects of Acute Early Life Stress and Maternal Buffering on Corticosterone Secretion and Adult Anxiety
In this study, we explore the effects of acute early life stress (ELS) on adult anxiety behaviors and anxiety-induced corticosterone (stress hormone) release in mice. Specifically, we are looking into the potential stress-mitigating effects of social buffering (interactions between the mouse pup and mother/littermates that can reduce negative effects of stressors). We used footshocks to […]
B24-P: Twitching for Psilocybin: Evidence for an Entourage Effect in Psilocybin Containing Mushrooms
Preliminary research with psilocybin has shown its potential therapeutic efficacy as a treatment for depression, anxiety, PTSD, and substance use disorders. However, we do not know much about the drug’s pharmacological mechanisms and if related tryptamines, like norbaeocystin, could have similar efficacy or better when administered alone. We also were curious as to if norbaeocystin […]
B26-P: A Novel Optical Method for Quantifying Neural Activity
Assessment of neural activity in awake and behaving animals is notoriously complex, and often challenging for undergraduate students to implement in their research. In the last two years, a new technology has emerged that has dramatically simplified the assessment of neural activity in awake behaving animals, called Fiber Photometry, making it potentially useful in an […]
A27-P: Examining Intersectional Identity Threats Among Black Women
Experiences with stigma-induced identity threats (SIIT) – threats of discrimination based on a marginalized social identity – are associated with a wide array of negative consequences, like drops in self-esteem or greater risk for anxiety. However, to date, SIIT research has not done enough to center our understanding of intersectionality, the theory that the individual […]
B11-P: Adding Insult to Injury: COVID-19 and Food-Insecure Households
As a public health major in KNH with a minor in global health, I wanted to research the impact of COVID-19 on food-insecure households. I was interested in better understanding how vulnerable populations have been impacted by food insecurity due to the pandemic. Therefore, my research question was: How has COVID-19 impacted households who were […]
A01-P: Different Barriers in Different Countries: A Global Health Case Study Investigating Vaccination Barriers in Countries of Varying Socioeconomic Status
The benefits of vaccination are demonstrated through the eradication and significant decrease in vaccine-preventable disease incidence, although the coverage of highly recommended vaccines is often below the threshold. This threshold is the minimum coverage required to eliminate the circulation of the virus and development in susceptible subjects. By not achieving the minimum coverage, cases will […]
C38-P: Role of β-Adrenergic Signaling in Infant Stress-Enhanced Fear Learning
Early life stress (ELS) produces an increased vulnerability for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). One of the hallmark characteristics of PTSD is an increase in fear responding over time (Elharrar et al., 2013). Using a well-established rodent model developed in our lab between early life adversity and the development of PTSD-like phenotype, which we call stress-enhanced […]
C39-P: Exploring Sex Differences in the Effects of Acute Early Life Stress on Reward Learning and Drug Sensitization in Adult Rats
Acute early life stress (ELS) has major behavioral and physiological implications later in life in mammals. In past experiments, the focus has been on chronic and not acute early life stressors. The literature is growing regarding the effects of ELS on drug-taking behavior later in life in both humans and rodent models. There is increased […]
C40-P: The Impact of Early Life Stress on the Development of Obesity and Anxiety Behavior in Adulthood
Individuals who experience early adversity are vulnerable to numerous somatic (e.g, obesity, heart disease) and psychological (e.g., anxiety, depression) health consequences later in life. Obesity affects one in six children and more than one-third of all adults in the United States. Current stress indicators range from absence of, or neglect by, the mother to a […]