Category: Featured Abstracts

Nucleus Accumbens (NAc) Dopaminergic D1 Receptor (D1R)-Expressing Medium Spiny Neurons (dMSNs) and their Role in Inducing Reward-Seeking Actions in Opioid Use Disorder

June 22, 2023 Yasamin Yazdani
Yasamin Yazdani Background: The opioid crisis has been a challenging one to tackle, and deaths from opioid overdose continue to rise.1 Addiction to opioids is centered around firing of dopaminergic (D1/D2) medium spiny neurons (MSNs) in the nucleus accumbens (NAc) after opioid firing of Mu opioid receptors (MORs). 4 Patients…
Featured Abstracts Neuroscience Psychiatry

Overexpression of TGF-β1 by Glioblastoma Stem Cells Under the Influence of 2-Microglobulin Drives Mechanism of MGMT Mediated Temozolomide Resistance

June 22, 2023 Will Hlavinka
Will Hlavinka Background: Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is the most common primary intracranial malignancy in adults.1 GBM is a grade IV astrocytoma with a dismal mean survival time and two-year survival rate of 9-15 months and less than 10%, respectively.2,3,4,5 The current standard of care for GBM is surgical resection followed…
Cancer Featured Abstracts

Statistical Comparisons of Individual Glioblastoma Samples Can Reveal Molecular Subtypes with Clinical Phenotypes

June 22, 2023 Wengler James
Wengler James Background: Glioblastoma (GBM) is a malignant tumor of astrocytes that occurs in approximately 3.22 per 100,000 people1. Unfortunately, the underlying pathophysiology is poorly understood and physicians lack targeted treatments to offer patients1. In recent years, there has been a push to further classify GBM into discrete subtypes that…
Cancer Featured Abstracts

Enhancing Insomnia Treatments by Modifying Drug Interactions with GABA-A Ions Channels Subunits

June 22, 2023 Veronica Nguyen
Veronica Nguyen Background: Insomnia is a sleep disorder with 33% of adults in the general population reporting symptoms.1 Characterized by difficulties with initiating and maintaining sleep, both acute and chronic insomnia can precipitate cognitive challenges, fatigue, irritability, and increased risk of accidents.1,2 Pharmacological approaches usually target GABA-A ion channels (GABA-ARs),…
Featured Abstracts Neuroscience

Variance in Interferon-Gamma Levels Due to Genetic and Epigenetic Mutations Impacts Tuberculosis Susceptibility

June 22, 2023 Tucker Boyd
Tucker Boyd Background: Tuberculosis is a globally prevalent disease responsible for over 10 million infections each year caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis and greatly impacts impoverished areas.1,2 Tuberculosis results from infection and ineffective clearance by alveolar macrophages in the respiratory tract and presents in patients with chronic coughing, dyspnea, and fever.3…
Featured Abstracts Microbiology

CHD8 Mutations in Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) – Aberrant Wnt signaling; Partial Rescue by SSRIs

June 22, 2023 Thomas (TJ) Egeland
Thomas (TJ) Egeland Background: Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder affecting approximately 1 in 44 children in the US. ASD is characterized by a core triad of sociocommunicative deficits, repetitive behaviors, and restricted interests1. The disorder is highly heritable with multifactorial genetic, epigenetic, and environmental contributions. Chromodomain-helicase-DNA-binding protein…
Featured Abstracts Neuroscience

The Role of Serotonin Transporter (SERT) SLC6A4 Gene Modifications and Its Relation to Depression

June 22, 2023 Taylor Shantz
Taylor Shantz Background: Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) is a mental health disorder characterized by diminished quality of life and limitations on psychological and social functioning.1 MDD is an illness affecting one in five people in their lifetime and is the greatest form of depression diagnosed that involves recurrent depressive episodes.1…
Featured Abstracts Neuroscience Psychiatry