Seminars & Events
Monday, February 11, 2013: Dr. Daphne Soares (University of Maryland College Park) will speak on "The Sensory World of Cavefishes" at 4:45 pm in Goodpaster Hall 195.
Monday, March 4, 2013: Dr. Joe Cheer (University of Maryland Baltimore) will speak on "Endogenous Cannabinoids and the Pursuit of Reward" at 4:45 pm in Goodpaster Hall 195.
Friday, April 12, 2013: Dr. Jill McGaughy (University of New Hampshire) will speak on "The Role of Cortical Norepinephrine in the Ontogeny of Executive Function" at 3:00 pm in Schaefer Hall 106.
Alumni Highlight
Dr. Erin Johnson '02 recently received her Ph.D. in Neuroscience from the University of Rochester School of Medicine, and was inducted as an alumni member of Nu Rho Psi.
SMP Spotlight
Ron Saul, "Chronic activation of the substantia nigra nociceptin/orphanin receptor induces motor deficits similar to Parkinson's disease," 2008. Saul, the 2008 winner of the Neuroscience Award, infused a drug into the substantia nigra of rats and measured the resulting motor behaviors, mood disturbances, and cognitive abilities.
Konka, Kimmie (2010). Investigating the Effects of Postnatal Exposure to Prozac on Adult Rat Motor and Emotional Behavior. (Mentor: A. Bailey) Winner of a Sigma Xi Grant-in-Aid of Research
Abstract
Women diagnosed with post-partum depression are often treated with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) drugs. These drugs can readily pass through the mother’s breast milk to the infant during breast feeding. There have been no long-term studies on the physical and emotional side effects these drugs can have on the infants as adults. In this study, male rat pups were exposed to fluoxetine (Prozac) through dam’s milk from PD 8 to PD 21. Rats were allowed to mature undisturbed until adulthood when they underwent behavioral and emotional testing. Results showed that fluoxetine exposed rats were less anxious in the elevated plus maze by spending significantly less time in the closed arms than control rats. It was also found that fluoxetine exposed rats had significantly lower latency to fall times on the rotarod test. These results indicate that postnatal exposure to fluoxetine has long-term emotional and motor side effects and should be avoided during lactation.
