Neuroscience

Chloe Robles, Chloe_Robles1@baylor.edu
Baylor University, with Dr. Joaquin Lugo

Examining the Impact of Early Life Stress and Seizures on Depression and Anxiety in Mice
Depression and epilepsy are frequently comorbid, with early-life experiences playing a critical role in their development. This study investigates the interactive effects of early-life stress (ELS) and seizures on long-term behavioral outcomes in a mouse model. C57BL/6J mice will undergo a limited bedding and nesting (LBN) paradigm from postnatal day (PD) 2 to PD9 to induce ELS. On PD10, a subset of mice will receive kainic acid (2.0 mg/kg, i.p.) to induce status epilepticus, while control animals receive saline. Seizure severity will be assessed using a modified Racine scale, and seizure susceptibility will be quantified by measuring latency to behavioral arrest and forelimb clonus.  At adulthood (PD90), mice will undergo a 4-week behavioral test battery to assess depression- and anxiety-like behaviors. Tests include the Open Field Test (locomotion and center exploration), Elevated Plus Maze (anxiety), Splash Test (apathy), Novelty-Suppressed Feeding (motivation and anxiety), Nest Building Test (fatigue), and Sucrose Preference Test (anhedonia). Ultrasonic vocalizations will also be recorded on PD11 to assess early communicative behavior, with data analyzed using DeepSqueak software. All testing will be conducted by observers blinded to group assignments.  This project aims to identify how environmental stress and neurological injury in early life influence emotional and motivational behavior in adulthood. Understanding these interactions may provide insights into the neurodevelopmental basis of depression-epilepsy comorbidity and inform future therapeutic approaches.
 

Abby Zavala, abby_zavala1@baylor.edu
Baylor University, with Dr. Cory Dungan

Restoring Growth and Muscle Integrity in Pediatric Mice Following Chemotherapy-Induced Cachexia
Pediatric cancer survivors often face the long-term side effects of chemotherapy, including growth failure due to cachexia. Cachexia is a debilitating condition characterized by severe muscle wasting significantly impacting quality of life and survival rates, particularly in cancer patients. The goal of this study was to model chemotherapy-induced cachexia in pediatric mice to investigate muscle loss and evaluate a potential therapeutic intervention of increasing muscle mass using CEP-701 (lestaurtinib). The first experimental group received a CHOP regimen which is a combination of chemotherapy treatments (Cyclophosphamide (100mg/kg), Doxorubicin (6mg/kg), Vincristine (0.1 mg/kg), and Prednisone (0.2 mg/kg)) via intraperitoneal injections to mimic the clinical experience of pediatric cancer patients. The second experimental group received CEP followed by a chemotherapy CHOP regimen. The third experimental group received CEP followed by CHOP regimen twice. The control group received the equivalent volume of (IP) Phosphate Buffer saline injections as the experimental groups. We found that CEP demonstrated its ability to increase satellite cell activation and support muscle regeneration in mice. Throughout the study, changes in body weight, muscle mass, and body composition were measured to quantify chemotherapy-induced cachexia. The effects of CEP intervention were assessed through histological analysis, muscle function tests, molecular markers of muscle growth, and development. By identifying a potential treatment, this study aims to introduce therapies that could support pediatric cancer survivors recover lost muscle mass and achieve their full growth potential. Findings from this research could pave the way for targeted clinical interventions, improving long-term health outcomes for pediatric cancer patients.
 

Linda Calderon, linda.calderon@my.utsa.edu
University of Texas San Antonio, with Dr. Edward Golob

Impact of Non-Invasive Electrical Stimulation of Ventral Attention Network (VAN) on Vigilance and Fatigue
Neuroimaging and lesion studies suggest the temporoparietal junction (TPJ) and inferior frontal gyrus (IFG) in the right hemisphere are vital for maintaining vigilant attention over time (Ventral attention network, VAN). Prior work identified cortical oscillations in the theta band (4-8 Hz) that may index coordination between TPJ and IFG. Maintaining vigilance can be accompanied by increased mental workload, cognitive fatigue, and may impact mood. Prior research identified that transcranial AC stimulation of 5hz of the right TPJ and IFG improved performance on an auditory spatial task (p< .01). Although performance improved through stimulation of the VAN, it’s unclear if it influences workload, cognitive fatigue, and mood. To investigate this question, we propose a study where participants will receive either 5hz tACS of the VAN or sham stimulation. Cognitive fatigue, workload, and mood will be measured before and after an auditory psychomotor vigilance task (auditory PVT). During the auditory PVT, participants listen for occasional tones presented in continuous white noise. The auditory PVT lasts 12 min, and strongly increases cognitive fatigue, and decreases energy and positive mood. We expect to find that after performing the auditory PVT the tACS group will experience significantly less fatigue and have greater energy and positive mood, relative to the sham controls. If confirmed, the findings would show that the VAN influences the conscious experience of sustaining vigilance, in addition to contributing to good performance. Applications include using tACS to mitigate fatigue-related impairments, which are common across a variety of neurological, autoimmune, and medical disorders.