Session D: 3:30PM – 5PM
Sciences. Session D – Oral Presentations, East Ballroom, Union
SESSION D (3:30-5:00PM)
Location: East Ballroom, A. Ray Olpin University Union
GABA cell characterization in the Ventral Tegmental Area
Kaj Anderson, Brigham Young University
Derek Fairbanks, Brigham Young University
Faculty Mentor Jeff Edwards, Brigham Young University
SESSION D 3:30-3:45PM
East Ballroom, Union
Science and Technology
91,799 Americans died from a drug overdose in 2020 – an increase of 21,000 deaths compared to the previous year. With overdose numbers climbing, it is imperative to invest resources into the study of addiction. Addictions are mediated by the ventral tegmental area (VTA) of the brain. It is composed of primarily dopamine neurons and Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) neurons. When a drug is taken, the connections between neurons in the VTA are either strengthened through long-term potentiation (LTP) or weakened through long-term depression (LTD). While dopamine neurons have been extensively studied, GABA neurons in the VTA have been neglected. It has recently been discovered that some disinhibitory GABA neurons cause LTD when fired, while others cause LTP. In order to see if there is a genetic difference between these two populations, GABA cells that synapse with other GABA cells will be isolated from the VTA of a mouse brain, and then characterized using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) techniques. It will show if GABA neurons that induce LTD are genetically different from those that induce LTP. This is the next step in understanding the reward circuit and discovering solutions for addiction.
The Effect Of The Ketogenic Diet On Long-term Potentiation In The Hippocampus
Bryson Reed Brigham Young University
Jared Weight, Brigham Young University
Faculty Mentor Jeff Edwards, Brigham Young University
SESSION D 3:50-4:05PM
East Ballroom, Union
Science and Technology
Four in ten Americans claim to follow a specific diet regime, with 12.9 million Americans electing to follow the ketogenic diet annually [1]. The ketogenic diet has rapidly established itself as one of the most popular fad diets in the United States over the past decade due to short-term weight loss success. It utilizes ketones, such as beta-hydroxybutyrate (BHB), as the body’s primary energy source instead of the typical source, glucose. Little research has been performed regarding the cognitive effects of the ketogenic diet. We aim to understand the effects of a ketogenic diet on formation and consolidation of memory, which is measured with long-term potentiation (LTP) in the hippocampus. Recalling and acting upon prior experiences uses LTP by strengthening neuron synapses (elevates their activation), which leads to a long-lasting increase in signal transmission between neurons [2]. Every time we recall an event, we strengthen the synapses involved in forming that memory. By measuring LTP in the hippocampus, we can determine if the ketogenic diet impacts cognitive ability to f