The aim of this study is to lay the foundation for the development of a novel paradigm to study the effects of corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) released from the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNST) on fear and anxiety responses in rodents. The BNST is a stress-responsive, sexually dimorphic brain region and repeated, low-level activation […]
B20: Role of Mu-Opioid Receptor expression on FoxP2 neurons in Aversion-Resistant Drinking
Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is an issue facing many Americans, and many neural mechanisms can lead to the development of this disorder. The present study aimed to characterize the development of AUD behaviors using a new transgenic line of mice with their mu-opioid receptors (MORs) genetically deleted on intercalated (ITC) cells. MORs are the most […]
B25: Effects of Adolescent Lorazepam Exposure on Alcohol Drinking Behavior in Adulthood
My general research area is adolescent drug exposure and its long-term consequences. For this study, I investigated the effects of adolescent exposure to benzodiazepines (BZDs) on alcohol intake, preference, and neural response to alcohol in adulthood. This is important for the field because although adolescent alcohol exposure has been thoroughly researched, the long-term effects of […]
B09: Indicators of Hepatic and Renal Health after Psychedelic Treatment in Rats
Clinical trials on the use of psilocybin (PSL) to treat depression are promising, but still in preliminary stages. Additionionally, they are confounded by the presence of hallucinations, which may not be necessary for its clinical effectiveness, but create challenges when designing experiments. Results from our lab have also indicated potential antidepressant efficacy for a number […]
B10: Behavioral Effects of N,N,N-Trimethyltryptamine and Possible Receptor Mechanisms
In the McMurray Lab, we study the behavioral and molecular effects of hallucinogenic drugs on serotonergic systems, namely the 5-HT2a receptor. Common antipsychotic drugs and hallucinogens used for mental health treatment are known to bind to the 5-HT2a receptor, and activation of this receptor is believed to lead to a downstream improvement of behavioral and […]
B13: Effects of Morphine Withdrawal on FMOR Mice
Due to problems caused by the opioid crisis in the United States, it is necessary to find solutions for both prevention and treatment of opioid abuse. This study looks at manipulation of the FoxP2 gene in regards to changes in withdrawal symptoms with the opiate morphine. This was done by removing the mu-opioid receptors from […]
A56: Effectiveness of Psilocybin in Females Depends on Estrous Stage
The tryptamine psilocybin exerts its hallucinogenic effects primarily through agonism of 5-HT2A receptors. 5-HT2A receptor expression fluctuates across the estrous cycle, driven by variation in estradiol level. Therefore, it is likely that the hallucinogenic effects of the drug may also vary across the estrous cycle. The head twitch response, also called wet dog shake, can […]
B08: Effects of GASP-1 Protein on Binge-like and Aversion Resistant Drinking in C57 Mice
In the RAD lab, I currently work as an Undergraduate Research Assistant, where we look at the neural pathways involved in addiction. In this study, we look at the effects of knocking out a gene found in the X chromosome in female and male rodents. Previous studies have shown that female rodents drink more alcohol […]
A53: Effects of Diet on the Gastric Mill (Chewing) Behavior in the Crab Cancer borealis
Central pattern generators (CPGs) are neuronal circuits that underlie rhythmic movements including breathing and chewing. CPGs are capable of producing complex, rhythmic outputs in the absence of input signals, but are also capable of modifying the pattern in response to sensory feedback. Therefore, investigating the interplay between sensory-regulated and intrinsically controlled output is crucial in […]
A25: Aligning statistics teaching and statistics usage in undergraduate neuroscience education
Statistics in the field of neuroscience is crucial for comparing brains from distinct populations, studying variability in the structure of the brain, and wrangling data on the large scale that it is gathered today. Requirements for statistics differ when submitting work to various journals, however the common denominator is that you must be prepared to […]