Browsing by Author "Brown, Jennifer"
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Item Alpha synuclein functions as a sex-specific modulator of cognition and gene expression(2022-12) Brown, JenniferNeurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s impact large portions of the population. Though such diseases have distinguishing features, they also often share pathology and symptomology. Alpha synuclein (αSyn; gene SNCA) is a protein commonly found in a range of neurodegenerative conditions. αSyn can interact with tau and amyloid-beta to modulate disease phenotypes, but its normal functions remain incompletely characterized. To explore the contribution of αSyn to Alzheimer’s disease, I first asked whether reducing αSyn in a mouse model of Alzheimer’s would improve cognition. Using a translationally relevant strategy, the reduction of αSyn reveled a sex-specific effect whereby male, but not female, mice showed improved spatial memory. Follow-up studies with constitutive SNCA knockout mice revealed a previously unreported female-specific deficit in spatial learning and memory. Next, we utilized electrophysiology, immunofluorescence imaging and transcriptomics to elucidate potential mechanisms underlying this effect. Results revealed a novel impairment in long-term potentiation, as well as differential expression of genes related to learning and immune function in female mice in response to SNCA ablation. These results not only describe a novel sex-specific function of αSyn, but provide translationally-relevant information regarding the potential effects of using αSyn reduction as a therapeutic strategy for neurodegenerative conditions.Item Marcy-Holmes Neighborhood Environmental Profile.(1994) Brown, JenniferItem Relationship between a pig’s temperament and handling experience, and measures of stress at slaughter and meat quality(2008-09-22) Brown, Jennifer; Mandell, Ira; deLange, Cornelius; Purslow, Peter; Robinson, J. A.; Squires, James; Widowski, Tina