Tuesday, November 28, 2023 4pm to 5pm
Neuroscience Seminar Series
4:00-4:30PM Presentation
Title: Validating Vagus Nerve Stimulation Cuff Implants in Mice
Speaker:
Chris Phillips - First Year Presentation
PhD Student, UT Dallas
Vagus Nerve Stimulation (VNS) is an FDA-approved therapeutic option used to treat epilepsy, cortical injuries, and depression. While VNS has been broadly studied in rats, very few labs have studied the efficacy of VNS in mice. Mice provide an array of useful genetic tools that can be leveraged to better understand healthy and various disease-relevant states. In this study, we aimed to establish a working VNS protocol in mice. We find that we can elicit Herring-Breuer responses at cuff implantation using miniaturized VNS cuff electrodes manufactured in-house. Next, we tested the long-term stability of chronically implanted VNS cuffs in mice. Finally, we attempt to verify whether we can detect cFos expression in the locus coeruleus (LC) following VNS delivery in anesthetized mice. Our preliminary results from these experiments suggest that modifications to the cuff design and to our surgical implantation protocols will be necessary for projects requiring long-term cuff function.
4:30-5:00PM Presentation
Title: The Role of Macrophages and iNOS in the Downstream Effects of CGRP in Migraine
Speaker:
Shiva Nematgorgani - First Year Presentation
PhD Student, UT Dallas
Migraine, a neurological condition, affects over 1 billion people worldwide. While various mechanisms may be involved in migraine pathophysiology, it is now well established that calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) plays an important role in the disorder. However, the mechanisms downstream of CGRP remain unclear. This study aimed to determine whether the effects of CGRP on migraine are mediated by iNOS in macrophages. Adult CD-1 female mice aged 4-8 weeks were subjected to intraperitoneal injections of clodronate liposomes (to deplete macrophages) or AR-C102222 hydrochloride (a selective iNOS inhibitor). Following these injections, the effect of CGRP as a dural stimulant was evaluated through dural injections of CGRP. Periorbital mechanical thresholds were measured using Von Frey filaments. Repeated administration of clodronate liposomes 24 h prior to CGRP injection significantly attenuated the facial hypersensitivity, suggesting that macrophages may block downstream effects of CGRP. The intraperitoneal injection of AR-C102222 hydrochloride one hour prior to CGRP administration significantly reduced facial allodynia. Therefore, inhibiting iNOS may effectively block the behavioral response to CGRP. Our study demonstrated a notable attenuation of behavioral responses by utilizing AR-C102222 hydrochloride and clodronate liposomes in a CGRP-induced preclinical migraine model. The evidence presented strengthens the concept that iNOS contributes to the downstream effects of CGRP in migraine.
On November 28 2023 at 4:00 - 5:00PM
In-person in RL 3.204.
Host: Benedict Kolber, PhD
This will also be available on MS Teams.
Meeting ID: 261 022 965 007
Passcode: fKcXFZ
RL 3.204
Undergraduate Students, Prospective Students, Graduate Students
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