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.
Johnson, Kaitlyn (2009). Hippocampal and Cognitive Changes in an Animal Model of Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus. Mentor: Dr. Aileen Bailey.
Abstract
Cognitive impairments have been recognized as a complication of Diabetes Mellitus (DM). This study examined the effect of DM on spatial cognition and neuronal activity in the hippocampus using Streptozotocin-treated animal models of DM. Water maze testing was used to examine changes in spatial cognition. C-fos immunohistochemical staining techniques were used to measure neuronal activity in the hippocampus. DM animals showed impairments in spatial recognition memory tests six weeks after diabetes was induced. C-fos staining results were inconclusive regarding neuronal activity in the hippocampus. The results support the hypothesis that DM animals will exhibit cognitive impairments after six weeks of induced DM.
