Behavioral Science
Chemogenetic Inhibition of the Perirhinal Cortex Impairs Object Recognition in Rats
Citlali I. Galvan
California State University, Sacramento
Declarative memory allows humans to consciously recall facts and past events. It heavily depends on the collaboration of various brain structures in the medial temporal lobe memory system. One of these regions, the perirhinal cortex (PER), helps differentiate between familiar and novel objects and supports the integration of sensory features into unitized and meaningful representations. The PER is among the first areas to be affected by neurofibrillary tangles in Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Thus, understanding how it supports recognition memory has important implications for identifying how and why memory processes break down. Although decades of lesion work, using traditional techniques like permanent lesions, have shown that the PER is essential for object recognition, permanent damage makes it difficult to determine when and how the PER contributes to the memory process. Despite growing use of chemogenetic techniques, studies applying Designer Receptors Activated by Designer Drugs (DREADDs) to examine the PER’s role in object memory remain scarce. In the present study, inhibitory DREADDs were used to inhibit PER activity during a spontaneous object recognition (SOR) task. Rats were administered deschloroclozapine (DCZ) to activate inhibitory receptors prior to testing. Consistent with our hypothesis, chemogenetic inhibition of the PER significantly impaired object recognition performance under DCZ administration. This work provides further evidence that intact PER function is critical for novelty discrimination and offers a relevant approach for studying memory impairment associated with neurodegenerative disease.
Uniform Policies, Diverse Messaging: A Cross-Institutional Study of Title IX Resource Design
Anna Mayorga
Our Lady of the Lake University
Supporting survivors of sexual assault in colleges and universities is an important issue because survivors need resources not only to survive, but to thrive academically and personally. Supportive measures are critical to survivors in higher education because chances of withdrawal from school are higher. These supportive measures are offered through the Title IX offices of the institutions. Despite the importance of institutional support, limited research has examined the content and messaging of Title IX physical materials distributed to students on college campuses. Specifically, little attention has been given to whether these materials are designed to support and inform survivors on all resources available or if the materials only serve the university’s legal compliance. This study investigates how Title IX-related physical materials differ across colleges and universities in San Antonio, Texas in terms of legal compliance and supplementary educational or cultural messaging. Using qualitative content analysis, the study collected and analyzed physical Title IX materials distributed by institutions throughout San Antonio. The analysis examined language use (e.g., legalistic versus supportive tone), the inclusion of required Title IX elements, accessibility, institutional framing, and the presence of additional survivor-centered resources or messaging. Findings of this study will help institutions improve Title IX communication strategies and highlight gaps between legal compliance and the lived experiences of students and survivors.
Internal Locus of Control as a Mediator Between Cognitive Flexibility and Undergraduate Belonging
Cassidy George, A.A
Previous research has found positive relationships among cognitive flexibility, internal locus of control, and students’ sense of belonging. However, little research has examined how these variables work together, specifically whether internal locus of control helps facilitate the relationship between cognitive flexibility and belonging among undergraduate students. Grounded in Self-Determination Theory, this study investigates whether internal locus of control mediates the relationship between cognitive flexibility and sense of belonging. Participants included 339 students enrolled at a private Christian liberal arts university in the south-central United States during the Fall 2025 and Spring 2026 semester. Students completed the Internal Locus of Control Short Scale-4 (IE-4), the 12-item Cognitive Flexibility Scale (CFS), and the 11-item Departmental Sense of Belonging Scale (DSBS). Data were analyzed through three simple regressions and a mediation analysis. Results revealed significant relationships among all three variables. Internal locus of control significantly predicted sense of belonging, cognitive flexibility significantly predicted sense of belonging, and cognitive flexibility significantly predicted internal locus of control. The mediation analysis revealed that internal locus of control partially mediated (10.9%) the relationship between cognitive flexibility and belonging. These findings suggest that students who are better able to adapt their thinking are more likely to feel connected within their university, partly because they believe they have control over their experiences and outcomes. These results can encourage universities and faculty to foster students’ sense of belonging by building both cognitive flexibility and sense of personal agency.