Date of Award
2016
Embargo Period
8-1-2024
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Master of Biomedical Science
Department
Neuroscience
College
College of Graduate Studies
First Advisor
Jacqueline F. McGinty
Second Advisor
John J. Woodward
Third Advisor
Antonieta Lavin
Fourth Advisor
William C. Griffin, III
Abstract
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and substance use disorder (SUD) affect a combined 30 million Americans as of 2014 (Hedden et. al., 2015). An individual who is diagnosed with one has a greatly increased risk of being diagnosed with the other later in life. This suggests some type of biological link between the two. Unfortunately, it is difficult to study the molecular underpinnings of either disease in humans because of ethical concerns. Therefore it would be prudent to develop an animal model that allows for a standardized examination of both disorders. This investigation was designed as an attempt to create an animal model that encompasses both the mammalian stress response as well as substance abuse. Specifically, in the first Aim we investigated the effects of the predator odor 2,5-dihydro-2,4,5-trimethylthiazoline (TMT) on the mRNA levels of several genes in the rodent medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC). In the second Aim we investigated TMT exposure’s ability to affect rodent cocaine self-administration (SA). In the former Aim, we exposed rats to TMT for 15 minutes a day for 5 consecutive days and then euthanized them for analysis of the mPFC by real-time PCR. In the latter Aim we exposed rats to TMT in a similar manner and then trained them on a cocaine SA paradigm. Following the SA the animals underwent extinction training and then a series of reinstatement tests in order to measure drug-seeking. Although the stressful nature of TMT exposure was validated in both Aims, the stress exposure had no effect on the transcription levels of genes of interest or on drug-seeking behavior.
Recommended Citation
Koerber, Jonathon Alan, "Effects of Predator Odor-Induced Stress on the Rodent Prefrontal Cortex and Cocaine Self-Administration" (2016). MUSC Theses and Dissertations. 403.
https://medica-musc.researchcommons.org/theses/403
Rights
All rights reserved. Copyright is held by the author.