Category: Neuroscience

The Role of Electrical Stimulation on Neurite Development and Applications towards Neuroregeneration in Complete Traumatic Spinal Cord Injury Patients

July 17, 2023 Sandra Zhi
Sandra Zhi Background: After a devastating spinal cord injury, it has been shown that glial signals are responsible for the inhibition of axonal regeneration and functional recovery. There exist two classes of axonal growth inhibitors in the Central Nervous System (CNS): membrane-associated myelin-associated inhibitors (MAIs) and matrix-associated chondroitin sulfate proteoglycans.1The…
Neuroscience

Treatment of Phantom Limb Pain Associated with Amputations Using Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation Techniques: A Review

June 23, 2023 Hannah Reckmeyer
Hannah Reckmeyer Background:  Phantom limb pain (PLP) is a condition that has been recognized for centuries, yet its pathophysiology has remained poorly understood. Fortunately, research in recent decades has shed light on this debilitating condition and its treatment methods, including transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS). PLP is defined as the…
Engineering Medicine Neuroscience Orthopedics

Novel Antiepileptogenic Therapy Biomarkers

June 22, 2023 Anthony Eshareturi
Anthony Eshareturi Background:  The growing incidence of epilepsy has spurred research on therapies for epileptogenesis. While there are several promising small compounds being targeted as epileptogenic therapies, a prominent roadblock prevents the translation of research into clinical trials. The heterogenous nature of epilepsy in terms of its mode of initiation…
Engineering Medicine Neuroscience

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

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

Utilization of Mesenchymal Stem Cells for Treatment of Disc Degeneration by Modulation of the WNT Signaling Pathway

June 22, 2023 Val Lumani
Val Lumani Background:  Intervertebral disc degeneration is a leading cause of back pain worldwide2. Its underlying molecular mechanisms consists of a myriad of pathways, one of the main ones being degeneration of the nucleus pulposus and it’s extracellular matrix2. The nucleus pulposus (NP) consists of type II collagen and proteoglycans,…
Neuroscience Orthopedics Stem Cells

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