Talks
Presentation Type
Oral Presentation
Discipline Track
Translational Science
Abstract Type
Research/Clinical
Abstract
Background: Midbrain dopaminergic neurons have been associated with substance use disorders (Blaess & Ang, 2015). Understanding their neurodevelopment during early stages of life is fundamental for innovating preventive care treatments. The animal model Monodelphis domestica has been proposed as an excellent candidate to study neurodevelopmental changes due to the ease of access to see changes in their embryonic development (Mate et al., 1994). The purpose of our study is to inform how brain cells, including and especially dopaminergic neurons, mature by quantifying their number during early development. Additionally, the study aims to compare different midbrain areas and track neurodevelopmental changes across early development.
Methods: Monodelphis brains were collected at different developmental times points, brains were sliced, and brain sections processed following standard immunohistochemistry and other staining protocols to visualize different protein markers. ImageJ and Zen software were used to conduct area analysis and neuronal quantification. A modified stereological approach developed by our lab was utilized for precise neuronal quantification. A descriptive analysis was utilized to compare anatomical and neuronal numerical differences across different developmental stages. Inter-rater reliability was utilized to reduce bias during the neuronal quantification process.
Results: A preliminary analysis from a previous study (Perez et al., 2021) revealed anatomical differences in area and volume across three different stages, embryonic day 14 (area= 27260.36 μm, m= 381.376, V=81781.0735 um^3), postnatal day 1 (49917.28 μm, m= 404.12, V= 149751.827 μm^3), and postnatal day 6 (81866.66 μm, m=166.016, V= 245599.9853 μm^3). Neuronal and area differences from the stages of postnatal day 21, 30, 8 weeks and 23 weeks will be included once inter-rater reliability is established.
Academic/Professional Position
Graduate Student
Academic/Professional Position (Other)
Doctoral
Mentor/PI Department
Neuroscience
Recommended Citation
Perez, Ismael; Vandeberg, John; and Gil, Mario, "A neurodevelopmental perspective to improve innovation in preventive treatment of substance use disorders" (2023). Research Symposium. 12.
https://scholarworks.utrgv.edu/somrs/2022/talks/12
Included in
Biological Psychology Commons, Cells Commons, Nervous System Commons
A neurodevelopmental perspective to improve innovation in preventive treatment of substance use disorders
Background: Midbrain dopaminergic neurons have been associated with substance use disorders (Blaess & Ang, 2015). Understanding their neurodevelopment during early stages of life is fundamental for innovating preventive care treatments. The animal model Monodelphis domestica has been proposed as an excellent candidate to study neurodevelopmental changes due to the ease of access to see changes in their embryonic development (Mate et al., 1994). The purpose of our study is to inform how brain cells, including and especially dopaminergic neurons, mature by quantifying their number during early development. Additionally, the study aims to compare different midbrain areas and track neurodevelopmental changes across early development.
Methods: Monodelphis brains were collected at different developmental times points, brains were sliced, and brain sections processed following standard immunohistochemistry and other staining protocols to visualize different protein markers. ImageJ and Zen software were used to conduct area analysis and neuronal quantification. A modified stereological approach developed by our lab was utilized for precise neuronal quantification. A descriptive analysis was utilized to compare anatomical and neuronal numerical differences across different developmental stages. Inter-rater reliability was utilized to reduce bias during the neuronal quantification process.
Results: A preliminary analysis from a previous study (Perez et al., 2021) revealed anatomical differences in area and volume across three different stages, embryonic day 14 (area= 27260.36 μm, m= 381.376, V=81781.0735 um^3), postnatal day 1 (49917.28 μm, m= 404.12, V= 149751.827 μm^3), and postnatal day 6 (81866.66 μm, m=166.016, V= 245599.9853 μm^3). Neuronal and area differences from the stages of postnatal day 21, 30, 8 weeks and 23 weeks will be included once inter-rater reliability is established.