Skip to Main Content
 

Global Search Box

 
 
 
 

Files

File List


ksuhonors1304360430.pdf (2.72 MB)

ETD Abstract Container

Abstract Header

Prepulse Inhibition of the Startle Reflex in Forebrain Oxytocin Receptor Knockout Mice

Swonger, Jessica M.
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ksuhonors1304360430

Abstract Details

2011, BS, Kent State University, College of Arts and Sciences / Department of Biological Sciences.
Oxytocin (Oxt) is a nine amino acid neuropeptide that has been studied for its role in social cognition and social behavior across species. To date, a single subtype of Oxt receptor, the Oxtr, has been identified. Oxt has also been implicated in several neuropsychiatric disorders including schizophrenia. One characteristic of schizophrenia is impaired sensorimotor gating, which is the ability to properly filter or “gate” sensory information. Across species, deficits in sensorimotor gating are measured using prepulse inhibition (PPI) of the startle reflex. PPI is the reduction in startle magnitude when a startling pulse is preceded by a smaller prepulse. In the current study we used conditional Oxtr knockout mice, where the disruption was specific to forebrain Oxtr (Oxtr FB/FB). Based on previous work in Oxt knockout mice, which have increased phencyclidine (PCP)-disrupted PPI, we hypothesized that treatment with psychotomimetics would result in greater PPI disruption in Oxtr FB/FB mice compared to wildtype (Oxtr +/+) controls. We used male and female Oxtr +/+ and Oxtr FB/FB mice and tested their PPI following treatment with the psychotomimetics: amphetamine (Amp), apomorphine (Apo), and PCP. We found that Oxtr FB/FB mice did not have significant differences in the disruption of PPI compared to Oxtr +/+ mice. This lack of effect cannot be attributed to an overall genotypic difference in PPI, as baseline testing found no differences in PPI between Oxtr +/+ and Oxtr FB/FB mice. In conclusion, our data suggest that Oxt signaling in the forebrain does not interact with PPI circuitry.
Heather Caldwell, PhD (Advisor)
Eric Mintz, PhD (Committee Member)
Manfred van Dulmen, PhD (Committee Member)
Chi-Hua Chiu, PhD (Committee Member)
55 p.
Neurosciences
prepulse inhibition; startle reflex; forebrain knockout; oxytocin

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Swonger, J. M. (2011). Prepulse Inhibition of the Startle Reflex in Forebrain Oxytocin Receptor Knockout Mice [Undergraduate thesis, Kent State University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ksuhonors1304360430

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Swonger, Jessica. Prepulse Inhibition of the Startle Reflex in Forebrain Oxytocin Receptor Knockout Mice. 2011. Kent State University, Undergraduate thesis. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ksuhonors1304360430.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Swonger, Jessica. "Prepulse Inhibition of the Startle Reflex in Forebrain Oxytocin Receptor Knockout Mice." Undergraduate thesis, Kent State University, 2011. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ksuhonors1304360430

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

ksuhonors1304360430
739
© 2011, all rights reserved.
This open access ETD is published by Kent State University Honors College and OhioLINK.