Major
Bioinformatics
Anticipated Graduation Year
2025
Access Type
Open Access
Abstract
This presentation will describe the sex differences in the synapse of the hippocampus and cognitive behavior. Estrogen impacts the expression of AMPA-type receptors and has been shown to impact dendritic spine density. Over the 2023 Fall semester and 2024 spring, we tested the hypothesis that males and females have differing levels of cognitive function due to differences in synaptic morphology and glutamatergic expression in the CA1 of the hippocampus. We used structural analysis methods and behavioral tests to test this hypothesis. This work has the potential to identify novel targets for the development of drugs that enhance cognitive performance.
Faculty Mentors & Instructors
Tristam Buck, B.S., Department of Molecular Pharmacology & Neuroscience, Loyola University Chicago; Michael McCarthy, M.S., MBBS, Department of Molecular Pharmacology & Neuroscience, Loyola University Chicago; Monsheel S. Sodhi, PhD, Department of Molecular Pharmacology & Neuroscience, Loyola University Chicago
Supported By
Funded by the CVRI and MPN
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 License.
Sex differences in synapse of the hippocampus and cognitive behavior
This presentation will describe the sex differences in the synapse of the hippocampus and cognitive behavior. Estrogen impacts the expression of AMPA-type receptors and has been shown to impact dendritic spine density. Over the 2023 Fall semester and 2024 spring, we tested the hypothesis that males and females have differing levels of cognitive function due to differences in synaptic morphology and glutamatergic expression in the CA1 of the hippocampus. We used structural analysis methods and behavioral tests to test this hypothesis. This work has the potential to identify novel targets for the development of drugs that enhance cognitive performance.