RNT - Spring 2023 Issue

SPRING 2023 SPRING 2023

RICE UNIVERSITY RICE UNIVERSITY

NEUROTRANSMITTER NEUROTRANSMITTER

WELCOME TO NeuroTraNsmiTTer

Welcome to the fourth issue of Rice Neuro Transmitter (RNT), Rice’s first undergraduate neuroscience journal! We have a lot of exciting content to share with you today, and encourage all of you to check out our previous 3 issues, if you enjoy this one, on our website, https://riceneurotransmitt.wixsite.com/rice-neuro-transmitt.

Our journal aims to share neuroscience-themed articles written by undergrads with the Rice community and greater Houston area about any topic that may promote interest in neuroscience. These articles can range from case studies, to opinion pieces, to interviews and more!

In this issue, our undergrads covered a wide range of subjects that can appeal to anyone, from the professional researcher to someone not involved in STEM at all. Some articles cover disorder treatments, such as the role of music in preventing neurodegenerative disorders and a promising treatment option for OCD. Others include interviews, namely on the importance and progression of stroke research and on Rice students pursuing the neuroscience minor. Lastly, we delve into the more pernicious side of neuroscience, exploring how it explains potentially troubling behavior on the social media app Fizz and its dangerous role in popular pseudoscience.

In addition, we have two unique articles written by non-undergrads that have added a lot of value to this journal. One of these articles is written by a graduate student and covers how to determine if graduate school is right for you and how to approach the application process, especially with a career in neuroscience in mind. Our other article is written by a high school student whose article was determined to be the best out of dozens submitted in our yearly high school research proposal competition and offers a novel method for treating Alzheimer’s Disease.

We have also included a list of neuroscience courses that are being offered during the 2023 summer and neuroscience clubs that you can get involved with for you to view at your convenience! In addition, if you or someone you know is interested in pursuing the brand-new Neuroscience BS Degree, make sure to read our section covering what the BS entails and how to get involved!

If you enjoy our journal, share it with your friends so they can enjoy it too! We appreciate all the support.

Thank you,

Nick Gonzalez President

9-12

TABLE

Neuroscience BS Announcement

Find out some information regarding the latest Neuroscience Bachelor of Science Degree announcement

Summer Courses

See what the different neuroscience courses here at Rice have to offer,their prerequisites, and more!

Pursuing A Neuroscience Minor at Rice

Rice students share their experiences pursuing the neuroscience minor and explain how the neuroscience minor complements their academic and career goals.

13-16

The Neuroscience of Fizz

Looking at the social media app, Fizz, through a neuroscience lens

17-18

An Interview With Dr. Jaroslaw Aronowski and Dr. Xiurong Zhao

Interview with stroke researchers on current and future neurotechnology

19-22

Deep Brain Stimulation: A New Treatment for OCD

This article describes how DBS can help patients with neurological disorders

23-26

Beyond the Hedges: Tips for Success

Tips for applying to grad school, what to consider if grad school is an option for you, and how to approach grad school with neuroscience research in mind.

27-28

Neuroskepticism

This article will examine the benefits of employing neuroskepticism when reading neuroscience articles in order to stop falling for pseudoscience ideas.

29-30

Creative Brains: The CHROMA Project

How can music and art delay the prognosis of neurodegenerative disorders?

31-32

Using Binaural Beats as a Novel Auditory Stimulant to Mitigate Alzheimer’s Disease Pathology

Exploring how the long-term use of a novel auditory stimulant known as binaural beats may reduce beta-amyloid accumulation in mouse models of AD

BS Degree Announcement

Bachelor of Science (BS) Degree with a Major in Neuroscience and a Major Concentration in Molecular and Cellular Neuroscience

Non-Neuroscience Core

PHYS 125 General Physics (with lab)

PHYS 126 General Physics II (with lab)

Neuroscience Core

NEUR 310 Independent Research for Neuroscience Undergraduates

MATH 101 Single Variable Calculus I

MATH 102 Single Variable Calculus II

CAAM 210 Into to Engineering Computation OR

COMP 140 Intro to Computational Thinking

Statistics (Pick One)

STAT 305 Intro to Stats for Biosciences

STAT 310 Probability & Statistics

STAT 315 Statistics for Data Science

NEUR 383 Introduction to Neuroengineering: Measuring and Manipulating Neural Activity

NEUR 380: Fundamental Neuroscience Systems

BIOS 212 Intermediate Experimental Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience

BIOS 385 Fundamental of Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience

NEUR 362 Cognitive Neuroscience: Exploring the Living Brain

CHEM 121 - General Chemistry I with Lab (Chem 123)

BIOS 201 - Introductory Biology I

PSYC 203 - Introduction to Cog. Psych.

The BS is simply more structured for the specific sub-fields of neuroscience, and is suited for those that want to take a deeper dive into them. The BA is excellent for people who want a broader view of the overall field of neuroscience!

- Dr. Jonathan Flynn

Core Lab Electives

* pick one

BIOS 417 Experimental Cell and Molecular Neuroscience

Concentration Core

BIOS 341 Cell Biology

BIOS 344 Molecular Biology and Genetics

BIOS 415 Experimental Physiology

PSYC 366: Methods in Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience

PSYC 487: Neuroanatomy Lab

Concentration Capstone

* pick one

BIOS 441 Molecular Membrane Biology

BIOS 443 Developmental Neurobiology

BIOS 449 Advanced Cell and Molecular Neuroscience

CHEM 122 - General Chemistry II with Lab (CHEM 124)

CHEM 211 - Organic Chemistry I with Discussion (CHEM 213)

BIOS 301 - Biochemistry I

Concentration Electives

14 Concentration Electives are offered for the Neuroscience BS!

For concentration electives, please go to ga.rice.edu for more information!

BS Degree Announcement

Bachelor of Science (BS) Degree with a Major in Neuroscience and a Major Concentration in Computational Neuroscience

Non-Neuroscience Core

PHYS 125 General Physics (with lab)

PHYS 126 General Physics II (with lab)

Neuroscience Core

NEUR 310 Independent Research for Neuroscience Undergraduates

MATH 101 Single Variable Calculus I

MATH 102 Single Variable Calculus II

CAAM 210 Into to Engineering Computation OR

COMP 140 Intro to Computational Thinking

Statistics (Pick One)

STAT 305 Intro to Stats for Biosciences

STAT 310 Probability & Statistics

STAT 315 Statistics for Data Science

NEUR 383 Introduction to Neuroengineering: Measuring and Manipulating Neural Activity

NEUR 380: Fundamental Neuroscience Systems

BIOS 212 Intermediate Experimental Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience

BIOS 385 Fundamental of Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience

NEUR 362 Cognitive Neuroscience: Exploring the Living Brain

CHEM 121 - General Chemistry I with Lab (Chem 123)

BIOS 201 - Introductory Biology I

PSYC 203 - Introduction to Cog. Psych.

Core Lab Electives

* pick one

BIOS 417 Experimental Cell and Molecular Neuroscience

Concentration Core

MATH 354/355 Linear Algebra OR

MATH 211 Ordinary Differential Equations

BIOS 415 Experimental Physiology

PSYC 366 Methods in Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience

PSYC 487 Neuroanatomy Lab

Concentration Capstone

* pick one

BIOS 442 Molecules, Memory, and Model Animals

BIOS 443 Developmental Neurobiology

BIOS 449 Advanced Cell and Molecular Neuroscience

ELEC 241 -Fundamentals of Electrical Engineering I with Lab (ELEC 240)

NEUR 415 - Theoretical Neuroscience: From Cells to Learning Systems

NEUR 416 - Neural Computation

Concentration Electives

* pick two

19 Concentration Electives are offered for the Neuroscience BS!

For concentration electives, please go to ga.rice.edu for more information!

Summer Courses

Utilize this section to consider some neuroscience courses to take during your time at Rice

CORE CLASSES

Introduction to Cognitive Psychology (PSYC 203)

An introduction to topics in cognitive psychology, including perception, attention, language, memory, and decision making. Required for psychology majors.

Fundamental Neurosystems (NEUR 380)

This course will provide a broad overview of the brain’s neural systems that subserve perception, learning, and behavior. The course will be highly integrative with thematic content including functional organization of the nervous system, neural encoding and decoding, sensory systems, motor systems, and high-level concept processing.

Memory (PSYC 308)

Critical review of traditional and contemporary approaches to the study of remembering and forgetting.

Perception (PSYC 308)

An introductory survey of sensation and perception, both human and animal. Covers all sensory systems but focuses on vision and audition. Includes the philosophy of perception; measurement and methods; neuroanatomy of visual and auditory systems; computational models of vision, motion, depth, and color; illusions and perceptual organization; and perceptual development.

LAB ORIENTED

Experimental Neuroscience (BIOS 212)

This course gives credit for independent research in Rice Neuroscience faculty laboratories (or other Texas Medical Center laboratories.) Students spend at least 3 hours per week in the laboratory for each semester hour of credit. If taken for 3 or more hours, counts as one required 300+ level lab course within the neuroscience major. Can be repeated once for 3 hours or more to count towards an elective credit within the neuroscience major. Requires a proposal abstract, weekly reports, and a final project that summarizes your activities in the lab. Students wishing to perform their research in an off-campus lab must submit a completed application to the NEUR 310 instructor at least 2 weeks prior to the start of classes. Students are strongly advised to secure research advisors and register for the class well in advance of the start of classes.

Corazón

Kirthi Chandra

PURSUING A NEUROSCIENCE MINOR RICE AT

WRITTEN BY HAYLEY JUE

EDITED BY TRINITY EIMER

Pursuing a college minor provides undergraduate students with a unique opportunity to diversify their study of the world within an academic environment. Students can develop new skills while studying topics that complement their academic goals, personally interest them, or both. At Rice, the neuroscience minor introduces students to the foundations of neuroscience while equipping them with the tools needed for success in a variety of careers.

Brown junior Alex Serrato is majoring in biosciences with a major concentration in cell biology and genetics. While making her four year plan, Serrato noticed that she had a lot of free space in her schedule. After browsing Rice’s various minors, she found that the neuroscience minor’s classes overlapped with her interests in neuroscience and psychology.

“Prior to coming to Rice, I thought neuroscience was an interesting topic, but had not been exposed to it as much as biology in high school…I was also not very interested in the computational or engineering classes in the neuroscience major, and preferred the neurobiological approach to neuroscience,” Serrato said. “I thought minoring would allow me to explore these new topics without having to commit to something I wasn’t as familiar with.”

Unlike Serrato, who discovered neuroscience at Rice, Brown sophomore Justin Hebert developed an interest in neuroscience in high school. He applied to Rice as a neuroscience major pursuing the pre-med track. Although he decided to major in computer science instead, he is still pursuing his interest in neuroscience via the minor.

All neuroscience minors must choose to specialize in one of two areas: Humanities and Social Science or Natural Sciences and

Engineering. Hebert has elected to specialize in Natural Sciences and Engineering; in particular, Hebert wants to take classes related to artificial intelligence—an interest located at the intersection of computer science and neuroscience.

“The thing I really like about the neuroscience minor is that it allows you to either take a concentration in humanities [and] social sciences or engineering [and] natural sciences,” Hebert said. “As a computer science major, I’m most interested in the engineering aspect of neuroscience, so I plan on taking some of the classes from that division like COMP 440 [Artificial Intelligence] and NEUR 383 [Introduction to Neuroengineering].”

However, Hebert wishes that more opportunities and events related to neuroengineering were advertised to students. Thus far, Hebert has noticed that the overwhelming

Design by Bryant Polanco

Justin Herbert, Brown sophomore

majority of Rice’s neuroscience information and events are designed for pre-med students.

“I initially wanted to be involved in the neuroscience club, but it felt like a lot of the events were geared towards people interested in research or medicine, and I didn’t really fall into either of those categories,” Hebert said.

Serrato has a different critique of the neuroscience program. While researching and comparing potential majors, Serrato felt that the neuroscience major provided students with fewer opportunities to explore various topics.

“Since the major is still very new, I think there is still a lack of diversity of classes compared to other majors. Creating more elective classes could help expose students to certain topics that they might be interested in learn-

ing more about. This would give students the flexibility of focusing on a more niche topic, or choosing to be more well-rounded and taking a myriad of different courses,” Serrato said. Although she ultimately decided to pursue the biosciences major, Serrato’s interest in neuroscience has continued to grow at Rice. This year, she has been involved in Rice Neuroscience Society, Brain Bee, Brain Awareness Week and BrainSTEM. After graduating from Rice, Serrato hopes to attend a neuroscience or neurobiology graduate program.

“As I started taking more biology and neuroscience classes, I began to become more interested in pursuing neurobiology or neuroscience research in graduate school,” Serrato said. “More specifically, I really enjoyed learning about prions in BIOS 300 and how sensation is connected to brain systems in NEUR 380.I was able to do neuroscience research for a summer REU at UT Southwestern last year where I had the opportunity to attend a few neuroscience research presentations at the school. The research I did there, combined with the presentations I attended, further confirmed my interest in pursuing a career in neuroscience.”

In total, the neuroscience minor requires six courses: one core course, four courses from one area of specialization, and one course from the other area of specialization to provide breath in the field of neuroscience. Hebert said that the neuroscience minor’s breadth requirement provides an opportunity to learn something new.

“The only advice I have is to not be afraid to experiment and take classes that are outside of your comfort zone. For the minor, you have to take at least one class from both of the divisions anyway, and doing so may help you find a new interest.”

Moreover, Serrato emphasizes that the Rice neuroscience community has positively

Alex Serrato, Brown junior

contributed to her experience as a neuroscience student. She recommends that her neuroscience peers engage in student organizations and events to build community with others also interested in neuroscience.

“Minoring in neuroscience has…introduced me to the neuroscience community at Rice, through which I have met other students interested in the same kind of research as me,” Serrato said. “Through [neuroscience] organizations I have also been introduced to neuroscience and leaders and [business] owners outside of Rice, from whom I have learned different avenues one can take for neuroscience post-graduation.”

For both Serrato and Hebert, pursuing the neuroscience minor means that they can explore the intersection of two subjects they are passionate about. As Rice’s neuroscience department continues to grow and develop, we may find that students increasingly find ways to incorporate neuroscience into their learning. From studying the effects of neurotransmitters on biological systems to advancing artificial intelligence or beyond, neuroscience will not only provide us with insights about the brain, but will also inform our understanding of other subjects for many years to come.

Neuroscience Minor

CORE

Fundamental

NEUR 380

Neuroscience Systems

HUMA/SOC SCI CONCENTRATION

NEUR 362

Cognitive Neuroscience: Exploring the Living Brain

NAT SCI/ENGI CONCENTRATION

BIOS 385

Fundamentals of Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience

ELECTIVES

PSYC 308

PSYC 310

BIOS 415

BIOE 497

Memory

Psychology of Aging

Experimental Physiology

Sensory Neuroengineering

For more information on the neuroscience minor please refer to tinyurl.com/riceneuroscience

Design by Bryant Polanco

Youmadeapostthatreceivedover50FizzUps!Andthecrowdgoeswild.The first time I read that notification, I felt a sense of social validation that got me hooked onto Fizz. Fizz is a social media app only available to college students, and users can only access their college’s community. At Rice, over 2,000 students use the app to anonymously post their feelings, jokes, complaints, and more. Fizzner, the highest ranked user on the app, even describes it as “a creative outlet” for himself and others. As I have continued to use the app throughout the year, I have grown to love the funny and light-hearted posts that populate the “Fizzin’” page. However, there have also been many troubling instances of fatphobia, racism, classism, and bullying. This disconnect from the inclusive culture that Rice aims to foster is extremely concerning and raises three central questions.

This was most famously studied by Zimbardo. In 1969 he performed an experiment in which women who wore hoods that maintained their anonymity were more likely to press a button to “shock” (it was a fake shock) a “victim” (actor) in another room. Then, in 1971 he conducted the Stanford Prison Experiment in which Stanford students volunteered to be prisoners and prison guards. While this experiment is controversial, it revealed that stripping an individuals’ identity and making them a deindividualized “prison guard” makes them more likely to abuse “prisoners”. These patterns of behavior are not only limited to lab settings, though. Zimmerman (2016) found that anonymous competitors in an online, team-based word unscrambling game were much more likely to be aggressive towards team members after failure than non-anonymous competitors. Clearly, anonymity is a major factor contributing to the negative behavior found on Fizz, which begs the question …

An Interview With Dr. Jaroslaw Aronowski & Dr. Xiurong Zhao

written by Nelson Mills

Dr. Jaroslaw Aronowski has always been curious. As he grew up, this curiosity transformed into a passion for neuroscience research.

“My major interest was always the brain and its serendipity,” Dr. Aronowski said.

Perseverance led Dr. Aronowski to pursue neuroscience at UTHealth, where he now serves as Vice Chair for Research and Roy M. and Phyllis Gough Huffington Chair in Neurology.

For Dr. Xiurong Zhao, neurology research is personal. Her family’s history of hypertension and hemorrhagic stroke piqued her interest in vascular cerebral diseases. Her lab at UTHealth is one of the most advanced in this field, specifically the pathology of intracerebral hemorrhagic stroke (ICH), a serious neurological condition for which effective treatment does not currently exist.

On March 7, 2023, I had the opportunity to interview Dr. Aronowski and Dr. Zhao to learn more about their research interests and relationship with the Houston community.

Dr. Aronowski and Dr. Zhao serve different roles within the Neurology Department at UT Health. Dr. Aronowski mainly spends his day working on papers, mentoring students in the lab, reviewing grants, and staying up to date on medical literature. Passionate about bench work, Dr. Zhao spends her time performing experiments, writing proposals, and performing data analysis. Both Dr. Aronowski and Dr. Zhao employ a variety of models in their research. Among other projects, Dr. Aronowski utilizes in vivo animal studies to research the exchange

Dr. Jaroslaw Aronowski

of mitochondria between astrocytes and neurons. Based on mice’s positive reaction to younger mitochondrial injections, Dr. Aronowski believes that this therapy may be used clinically to improve patients’ cognitive performance.

“When you take mitochondria that are being released by [mice] cells and inject them into animals, the younger mitochondria can actually improve cognitive performance of the animals,” said Dr. Aronowski.

Dr. Zhao recently received NIH funding to study the role of aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) and bilirubin (BrB) in hematoma dissolution after intracerebral hemorrhagic stroke (ICH). After ICH, the subsequent hematoma formation can lead to severe neurological deficits that continue long after the hematoma resolves.

“AhR activation alone or in combination with nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2

(Nrf2) by blood-derived BrB could provide effective protection to microglia/macrophages (MF) for effective hematoma cleanup after ICH. Therefore, activation of AhR could be a novel therapeutic target for ICH,” believes Dr. Zhao.

Both Dr. Aronowski and Dr. Zhao recognize the importance of collaboration in medicine. The Texas Medical Center helps foster this collaboration.

“Having access to a variety of medical science expertise is very useful for generating creative neuroscience research. I believe [the Texas Medical Center] is a great place,” said Dr. Aronowski.

The Texas Medical Center also promotes the formation of relationships between medical institutions and students. Dr. Aronowski and Dr. Zhao view mentoring future generations as an important part of the job, and they have a long history of working with undergraduates (including Rice students), medical students, and research fellows.

To Rice students curious about pursuing neuroscience research, Dr. Aronowski said, “ The best way to recognize [passion for neuroscience] is when it comes naturally. What’s important is that you don’t have to work and you feel that this is part of you.”

Dr. Aronowski’s parting words to young neuroscientists: “Good luck!”

Dr. Zhao’s: “All the best!”

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a chronic and disabling condition that affects over two and a half million people worldwide (NIH). It is characterized by intrusive, repetitive thoughts and behaviors that can cause significant distress and impair daily functioning. Although there are several treatments available for OCD, such as medication and psychotherapy, some individuals do not respond to these treatments. Even worse, they experience intolerable side effects such as the emergence of new symptoms, personality disorders, and suicidal thoughts. In recent years, deep brain stimulation (DBS) has emerged as a promising treatment option for severe and treatment-resistant OCD.

DBS is a surgical procedure that involves implanting electrodes in specific brain regions that are thought to be involved in OCD, such as the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) and the ventral striatum (VS). The electrodes are connected to a pulse generator that is implanted under the skin in the chest or abdomen. The electrical impulses delivered by the

electrodes correct the activity of the targeted brain regions, which can reduce the severity of OCD symptoms.

Several clinical trials have investigated the use of DBS for OCD, with encouraging results. One of the most significant studies was conducted by the National Institute of Mental Health in the United States, which involved 16 participants with severe and treatment-resistant OCD. The study found that DBS significantly reduced the severity of OCD symptoms in all participants, with an average improvement of 40% on the Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale (YBOCS), a widely used measure of OCD severity. The effects of DBS were sustained over a long-term follow-up period of up to 10 years, with no significant adverse effects reported (Anholt). Another study conducted in the Netherlands found that DBS effectively reduced OCD symptoms in all six participants, with an average improvement of 46% on the

Design by Kate Hilton

Fig. 1 - Deep Brain Stimulation is the implantation of the electrode into the brain, where stimulation is provided by a pacemaker located in the chest.

YBOCS. The study also found that DBS improved the participants’ quality of life and reduced their anxiety and depression symptoms (Tastevin).

As deep brain stimulation becomes a more prominent approach to OCD, it is important to note that quality of life increases with the approach, making it more convenient than other approaches. Research in our own Houston community is working towards improving the safety and longevity of DBS. Dr. Eric Storch of Baylor College of Medicine reported that “of 352 patients. 66% of patients fully responded to the DBS in the follow-ups” (Gutierrez). Here at Rice, the Neuroengineering Initiative investigates non-invasive deep brain stimulation for multiple psychiatric disorders such as depression and OCD, using computational modeling to see how the stimulation pulses in biological media such as regions of the brain.

While we do not yet know the full story of how DBS treats OCD, it is thought to change the activity of specific neural circuits that are involved in OCD. The ACC is a brain region that is involved in the processing of cognitive and emotional information, and its hyperactivity is thought to contribute to the persistent and distressing nature of OCD symptoms. The VS is part of the brain’s reward system, which is implicated in motivation and pleasure, and its hyperactivity is thought to contribute to the compulsive and repetitive nature of OCD behaviors. Through electric neuromodulation, DBS is thought to change the activity of these areas to a more neurotypical state. Thus, DBS can reduce the severity of OCD symptoms and improve the individual’s quality of life.

Despite the promising results of DBS for OCD, it is still considered an experimental treatment, and its effectiveness and safety are still being evaluated. The surgical procedure carries the risk of bleeding, infection, and other complications, and the electrical stimulation can cause side effects such as headaches, nausea, and cognitive changes. DBS also requires specialized surgical and neuroimaging equipment, as well as a team of experienced clinicians and researchers, making it an expensive and resource-intensive treatment that may not be accessible to all individuals who could potentially benefit from it. Yet, DBS is particularly useful for individuals with severe and treatment-resistant OCD who have not responded to other treatments or who experience intolerable side effects from medication.

Deep Brain Stimulation is a promising treatment option for severe and treatment-resistant OCD that offers a new approach to modulating specific neural circuits that are involved in the disorder. Although it is still an experimental treatment with potential risks and limitations, the available evidence suggests that it can significantly reduce the severity of OCD symptoms and improve the individual’s quality of life. As research in this field continues to advance, it is hoped that DBS will become a more widely available and effective treatment for individuals with OCD.

Anholt GE, van Oppen P, Cath DC, Smit JH, den Boer JA, Verbraak MJ, van Balkom AJ. The yalebrown obsessive-compulsive scale: factor structure of a large sample. Front Psychiatry. 2010 Jul 15;1:18. doi: 10.3389/fpsyt.2010.00018. PMID: 21423429; PMCID: PMC3059660.

Anholt GE, van Oppen P, Cath DC, Smit JH, den Boer JA, Verbraak MJ, van Balkom AJ. The yale-brown obsessive-compulsive scale: factor structure of a large sample. Front Psychiatry. 2010 Jul 15;1:18. doi: 10.3389/fpsyt.2010.00018. PMID: 21423429; PMCID: PMC3059660.

Gutierrez, G. (n.d.). Study finds DBS increasingly viable option for treatment-resistant OCD. Baylor College of Medicine. Retrieved April 9, 2023, from https:// www.bcm.edu/news/study-finds-dbs-increasing ly-viable-option-for-treatment-resistant-ocd

Gutierrez, G. (n.d.). Study finds DBS increasingly viable option for treatment-resistant OCD. Baylor College of Medicine. Retrieved April 9, 2023, from https://www.bcm.edu/ news/study-finds-dbs-increasingly-viable-option-for-treatment-resistant-ocd

Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research. (2021, September 3). Deep Brain stimulation. Mayo Clinic. Retrieved April 9, 2023, from https://www.mayoclinic. org/tests-procedures/deep-brain-stimulation/about/ pac-20384562#dialogId45616182

Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research. (2021, September 3). Deep Brain stimulation. Mayo Clinic. Retrieved April 9, 2023, from https:// www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/ deep-brain-stimulation/about/pac-20384562#dia logId45616182

Non-invasive deep brain stimulation for various disorders. Behnaam Aazhang. (n.d.). Retrieved April 9, 2023, from https://aaz.rice.edu/deepbrainstimulation/

Non-invasive deep brain stimulation for various disorders. Behnaam Aazhang. (n.d.). Retrieved April 9, 2023, from https://aaz.rice.edu/deepbrainstimula tion/

Tastevin M, Spatola G, Régis J, Lançon C, Richieri R. Deep brain stimulation in the treatment of obsessive-compulsive disorder: current perspectives. Neuropsychiatr Dis Treat. 2019 May 15;15:1259-1272. doi: 10.2147/NDT.S178207. PMID: 31190832; PMCID: PMC6526924.

Tastevin M, Spatola G, Régis J, Lançon C, Richieri

R. Deep brain stimulation in the treatment of obsessive-compulsive disorder: current perspectives. Neuropsychiatr Dis Treat. 2019 May 15;15:1259-1272. doi: 10.2147/NDT.S178207. PMID: 31190832; PMCID: PMC6526924.

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (n.d.). Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). National Institute of Mental Health. Retrieved April 9, 2023, from https://www. nimh.nih.gov/health/statistics/obsessive-compulsive-disorder-ocd

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (n.d.). Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) National Institute of Mental Health. Retrieved April 9, 2023, from https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/sta tistics/obsessive-compulsive-disorder-ocd

Design by Kate Hilton

BEYOND THE HEDGES: tips for Grad School

WRITTEN BY FERNANDA MORALES

EDITED BY ROY PHILLIPS & MANWAL HARB

Applying to graduate school can be an overwhelming process. It is crucial to understand the requirements, expectations, and opportunities available so that you can make an informed decision about your career goals. Through this article, I will try to provide a guide to help potential doctoral applicants navigate the PhD application process.

Once you’ve made the decision to apply to graduate school, the first step is to identify programs and faculty that align with your research interests. It is crucial to give yourself time to research what programs and opportunities exist. As you begin preparing applications, you’ll soon realize that the amount and diversity of graduate programs offered can seem endless. This is especially true in the field of neuroscience, where even labs in different departments and programs within the same institution could be doing research that interests you.

In general, the summer the year before you plan on starting your Ph.D. program is a good time to start looking. This is also a good time to start preparing your general application materials such as academic C.V. and studying and presenting tests such as the GRE (and English Language exams if you are a non-native speaker). Each school will have different requirements, so make sure to keep track of each one in order to stay organized.

If you are unsure which program or department is best for you, think about what you want or need from your degree. Some programs might be a better fit based on your career aspirations. Additionally, investigate the doctoral program requirements. What classes will you have to take? Do they seem interesting and appropriate for your research focus?

Is the program a rotational one where you’ll get to experience the lab culture and their daily research routine before making a decision? Or is it a direct-admit program, where

you’ll be able to start in the lab and perform research from day one? No program or department is a one-size-fits-all, and either can have its pros or cons, so consider what would be beneficial for you. One thing to keep in mind is that neuroscience research specifically can take longer (5+ years) than other fields w ithin science and engineering. So you want to choose a place where you will feel welcomed and inspired to produce research for an extended period of time.

To get started, I suggest reviewing the websites of labs and universities of interest or by looking up the authors of research papers in scientific journals you f ound f ascinating. Once you have identified programs and faculty members of interest, reach out to them via email and express your interest in working with them. While this might not be standard practice in all institutions, this has opened a lot of opportunities for people such as myself. In-clude your CV and a short message indicating your interest in working with them. Ask if they are recruiting potential graduate students for the upcoming year and ask if they are available for a quick call to discuss their research.

This will allow you to: 1) Know if the spe-cific faculty member you are interested in will be recruiting graduate students the upcoming cycle, 2) Get to know about their current and future research projects (some professors do not update their websites), 3) understand funding packages, fees and institutional requirements for the program, and 4) understand what is needed to get startedonyourapplicationprocess.

The best time to reach out to potential faculty members is July to September the year before you plan on starting grad school. That is when most of them know if they will be taking more Ph.D. students and will be able to answer your questions. This can however change, as some professors with pending grants will know

Design by Bryant Polanco

what their budget is later on. Although reaching out early is advised, feel free to reach out after these dates if a professor crosses your radar closer to the application deadline; even if your chances of connecting aren’t as good you have nothing to lose.

If a potential advisor does not respond or say they are unavailable to meet, don’t feel discouraged. You can follow up your initial email within a week of sending it, If urgent, you can do it within three days. Even if they don’t respond, some might remember your email when looking through your application and go back to see what you said at the moment; some might be extremely busy but will still look through your materials. Professors get hundreds of emails per day, so your email can get lost in the pile.

Another essential thing to consider is funding opportunities. Knowing that you can study and do research for free sounds like an extremely exciting idea, nonetheless, considering funding opportunities when applying is essential. Some programs offer full funding, including tuition and stipends; while others may require students to secure their funding. Research and teaching assistantships as well as fellowships are common opportunities for graduate students. Discuss with the faculty

members you are interested in working with what these would entail. Additionally, consider the cost of living in the city where the institution you are applying to resides. $30,000 will get your further in some cities compared to $44,000 in others.

My personal advice to prospective students is that you should focus on people over research projects and university prestige: You’ll be working with a P.I. and your fellow lab mates for 5+ years (and beyond your PhD) while your project will last a finite amount of time (once you publish it, you’re done with it usually). Think about mentoring styles of your potential professors, talk to both the professor and their lab members (the latter of whom will be able to give you an idea of how you’ll be working in the lab).

Once you have identified programs of interest, the next step is to prepare your application materials, which typically include a personal statement, transcripts, test scores (if required), and letters of recommendation. Preparing your application materials with ample time will allow you to revise and perfect them as well as tailor them for each of your institutions of interest.

IMPORTANT ELEMENTS

1.) Your personal statement should highlight your research experience, academic achievements, and future career goals. It is of the utmost importance to demonstrate how your own interests align with the program, faculty members and university you are applying to. This is why tailoring each application to your school of interest is essential, but this does take up time. My suggestion is to craft a narrative that builds around your research experience to reflect your personal research goals. Admissions committees will look for applicants who have a strong research background.

2.) If you are currently thinking of going to graduate school and have no research experience, you can look for opportunities working as a research assistant during your undergraduate or post-bac years. Additionally, presenting at undergraduate-oriented conferences or symposia is an excellent chance to polish your CV and get relevant skills. RURS and GCURS are two excellent examples. Participating in summer research programs (many of which have funding) is also an invaluable opportunity to gain experience and network with graduate students and faculty members. You can look up some REU sites here!

3.) Ask for letters of recommendation (LOR), reach out to your recommenders with enough time. The usual guideline is 2 weeks in advance but try to give them a month initial heads up with reminders built in at the 2-week and 1-week mark as professors get busy Choose your LOR authors carefully. The ideal recommender is a professor or individual who has been involved in your previous education and research activities. Personal acquaintances or authors who do not know you well are not good choices. When reaching out, it’s good to

include a brief summary of work with the LOR author. For example, “My experience doing X,Y, and Z in your lab inspired me to continue my research career.”

4.) Remember to give your recommenders context on the programs you are applying to and remind them of deadlines as these approach. Many will ask for your statements of purpose and application essays as well as your CV, so make sure you have those ready when reaching out to your recommenders. Your application will not be complete if your recommenders do not submit their LORs, so check in with them to ensure that they do. Finally, ask for application fee waivers! Grad school applications are expensive. You will be paying for standardized tests, official transcripts, translators, and application fees. Many schools offer application fee waivers to candidates who fulfill specific requirements. Others of fer fee waiver “weeks” i.e. submitting your application during a particular week will waive your fee. Be sure to ask whether this is an option when attending information sessions or when emailing department coordinators.

In summary, there is no one way to approach doctoral programs and their applications, as not all of these are one-size-fits-all. Applying to graduate school requires careful planning, preparation, research, and time. Identifying programs and labs that align with your research interests, gaining research experience and preparing strong application materials will increase your chances of getting accepted into a doctoral program. Good luck!

Design by Bryant Polanco

Neuroscience has been a topic of recent media fascination, especially since the advent of functional neuroimaging over 30 years ago, which has allowed us to visualize and calculate the brain’s activation. Neuroimaging gave people hope that much more could be revealed about the mind than was possible, which resulted in an overanalysis and misapplication of neuroimaging data.

Currently, many acclaimed news sources have health and psychology sections which frequently publish articles that seem to reveal a new aspect of the brain every day. In O’Connor et al., a study examined the headlines and contents of neuroscience articles published on large news sites.

“Research has shown that keeping the mind agile is just as important as keeping fit in the battle to stay young. In fact, by stretching the brain with regular crossword and sudoku puzzles, you can make your brain appear up to 14 years younger.” (Daily Mail, September 13, 2005)

“Under stress or pressure, a woman sees spending time talking with her man as a reward, but a man sees it as an interference in his problem-solving process. She wants to talk and cuddle, and all he wants to do is watch football. To a woman, he seems uncaring and disinterested and a man sees her as annoying or pedantic. These perceptions are a reflection of the different organisation and priorities of their brains.” (Daily Mail, January 16, 2008)

These articles often push ways to optimize brain function or cite irreparable biological divisions between groups of people. While sometimes we can recognize these articles as misleading, it’s difficult to always be able to make this identification as a lay person and not as a neuroscience expert.

Weisberg et al. conducted an influential study where they set up an experiment to determine if adding neuroscience jargon into good and bad psychology explanations would influence how good people rated the quality of the explanations. They found that bad explanations were largely boosted in perceived credibility when unnecessary neuroscience facts were added, essentially fooling people into thinking that they received a good scientific explanation when they did not. This study brings up the issue with the influx of bad neuroscience research published by the media that is largely being accepted by the general public.

Thus, experts are increasingly encouraging people to employ neuroskepticism, where neuroscience technologies and conclusions should be questioned to a reasonable degree. Not only is this relevant to the everyday person, but neuroscience research can influence policy decisions and legal decisions as well.

For example, a study concluded that there existed a “Mozart effect” where newborns listening to classical music had better mental development. As a result, the state of Georgia proposed a budget plan that would allow every child in the state to be given their own classical music tape.

Additionally, O’Connor et al. mentioned how certain individuals are promoting neuroimaging to influence politics.

“Daniel Amen, a psychiatrist and owner of a chain of private brain-scanning clinics, has suggested in the US press that all presidential candidates should have their grey matter probed. This, he suggests, would help to steer clear of a future Adolf Hitler (cursed with ‘faulty brain wiring’) or Slobodan Milosevic (who suffered ‘poor brain function’).” (Times, January 7, 2008)

Ensuring that neuroscience research that extends beyond the scientific community is well-studied is essential before making any wide-scale changes in our social structures.

Design by Kate Hilton

Creative Brains: The CHROMA Project

Written by: Priyanka Patel

Our brains are intrinsically sensitive to music. When a stereo system emits vibrations that travel through the air and oscillate inside the ear canal, these vibrations tickle the eardrum. They are then rapidly transmitted into an electrical nerve impulse that travels through the auditory nerve to the brain, where they are reassembled into something we perceive as music. Music engagement has been shown to be beneficial to cognitive health and social-emotional well-being, including that of the elderly who may be experiencing cognitive decline.

The Cognitive Health Research On Musical Arts (CHROMA) Project at the Rice Behavioral Mechanisms Explaining Disparities (BMED) lab seeks to quantify this effect and better understand how music engagement such as listening to and composing music can prevent decline of cognitive abilities in the elderly. Recruited participants over the age of seventy, some of which were diagnosed with mild cognitive impairment (MCI), partake in an intensive music creativity course at Rice University in which they are given the chance to learn and compose their own music as well as meet other people from the Houston community. A number of health measures are collected before the course begins, including neuroimaging of brain functional activity, cognitive performance, inflammatory markers, heart rate variability, perceptions of stress, and social support. These measures are reassessed after the music course and compared to those from a control group that does not participate in the course. The goal is to quantify the cognitive and general health benefit from participating in creative arts, specifically musical composition. This article seeks to highlight the positive impact the CHROMA project has made on not only its participants but also on its research team.

Project Coordinator Russell Ku shares his experience working on the project and the positive impact it has had on himself. As project coordinator, he mainly oversees the day-to-day tasks for the study. This can include going over study details with participants, screening them for eligibility, or giving a variety of assessments before and after each music class which involve psychological questionnaires, behavioral assessments, blood draw, and an MRI.

Participants are provided with a “simplified version of music notation which is easy to understand for everyone” despite cognitive impairments or simply a lack of musical knowledge. Russell says one of his favorite parts is when, “at the end of each music intervention, the participants put on a concert and show their friends and family what they’ve been working on and have the chance to present a piece of music that they composed.” Seeing the fruition of their hard work motivates the seniors to partake in more creative activities.

Ciel Price, a retired environmental lawyer of forty plus years, is an active participant in the CHROMA project and feels the same way. She says the course has “helped to maintain a positive mental state.” Ms. Price, a music fanatic, has been an active listener of music all her life. She is a regular visitor of the Houston opera, Mercury performances, and an ardent fan of Bob Dylan. Ms. Price’s favorite part of the project was “having the ability to score a musical piece without having a graduate degree in composition.” She enthusiastically talked about a piece she scored or composed herself using the simpler notation and shared it with other participants. She liked that they could read and understand each other’s notes thanks to the exemplary instruction. “[The instructor was] able to communicate pretty…complicated musical theories to a bunch of old knuckleheads and we understood,” she asserts jokingly.

As for quantitative data, assessment results from the study have not been entirely processed and analyzed as of now; however, the positive impact the CHROMA project has on its participants and research team is evident. Through this project, the research team provides seniors the opportunity to score their own music and share it with their peers, which in turn is rewarding for both the research team and the students. Engaging in such creative activities can activate unique parts of the brain that may prevent neurodegeneration.

References

“Project CHROMA.” Biobehavioral Mechanisms Explaining Disparities Lab, https:// bmed.rice.edu/project-chroma/.

“Project CHROMA Personnel III.” Arches Initiative, https://arches.rice.edu/tag/project-chroma/.

Mitagating Alzimer’s Disease Through

Binacural Beats

Written by: Ana Beatriz Costa Augusto Contrucci

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a severe neurodegenerative disorder that leads to difficulty in performing tasks, memory loss, and a decline in attention span. Studies agree that the common indicator of AD is the aggregation of amyloid-beta (Aβ) peptides in the brain (Murphy & LeVine, 2010). AB accumulation triggers constant activation of microglia, the immune cells of the central nervous system, which initiates neurotoxic events and leads to the neurodegenerative state (Iaccarino et al., 2016; Zhang et al., 2020). Reduced gamma (20-50 Hz) neural oscillations strongly correlate to AB peptide buildup, so the encouragement of gamma brain activity to mitigate AB is a target for AD therapy research (Iaccarino et al., 2016).

Current studies indicate that gamma entrainment (the inducement of neural oscillations) via 40 Hz light stimulation reduces AB buildup in the visual cortex of mouse AD models, leading to learning and memory improvements (Figure 1) (Adaikkan et al., 2019). However, current methods of visual stimulation tested on human patients have poor efficacy, indicating that humans would require a prolonged or different treatment to significantly alter AB load (Ismail et al., 2018). Although visual stimulation has limited benefits, auditory stimulation may prove to be a better form of treatment. Gamma frequency auditory stimulation reduces AB plaques in the auditory cortex of AD mice, but long-term research on auditory stimulation and its ability to induce a corresponding neuro-regenerative response is minimal (Martorell et al., 2019).

Inducing gamma neural oscillations through light stimulation in mouse models of AD (CK-p25 mice) can prevent neuronal loss. Source: https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/ pnas.2013084117

Figure 1 - Gamma Visual Stimulation Prevents Neuronal Loss in AD Mouse Models

This study proposes that the long-term use of a novel auditory stimulant known as binaural beats may reduce AB accumulation in mouse models of AD. When two different auditory tones are presented in each ear, the brain perceives a single tone at the difference of the two stimulant frequencies defined as the binaural beat (Figure 2). Studies implementing binaural beats have shown unique progress in promoting gamma entrainment and enhancing cognitive functions like working memory and attention in human studies (Rakhshan et al., 2022). Therefore, this proposal seeks to determine if long-term 40 Hz binaural beat or light stimulation treatment is more effective in reducing AB plaques in the brain of AD patients by entraining gamma frequency neural oscillations.

The difference in the frequencies represents the frequency of the binaural beat and the frequency of entrainment. Source: https://www.ennora.com/about-binaural-beats/

2 - Brainwave Entrainment through Binaural Beat Stimulation

Experiments to explore this proposal should stimulate mice models of AD with 40 Hz binaural beats to promote gamma oscillations in the auditory cortex, hippocampus, and medial prefrontal cortex, as these regions are most affected by AD and stimulant sites (Martorell et al., 2019). To determine whether gamma entrainment is in effect after repeated exposure to the stimulant, the mice should be implanted with a multi-electrode probe at the target sites to record long-term local field potentials. Further, AB levels before and after treatment can be evaluated using immunohistochemical techniques. The extent of AB accumulation and gamma entrainment of AD mice with this treatment would be compared to mice treated with 40 Hz light stimulation and a control group.

Design by Kirthi Chandra

Figure

It is hypothesized that long-term 40 Hz gamma binaural beat sensory stimulation will entrain gamma neural oscillations and therefore reduce AB levels throughout these target regions significantly more compared to light stimulation. It will be necessary to observe the differences in the extent of entrainment in the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex; given the heightened entrainment properties of binaural beats, auditory stimulation will likely be more effective than the visual stimulation in both regions. Theoretically, greater entrainment due to binaural beats would reduce AB plaques in all sites.

Completion of this study will provide information on the effectiveness of gamma binaural beats as a valid therapeutic method to mitigate the driving factor of AD. Binaural beat stimulation is much more comfortable, affordable, and safer than many existing treatment options (McLaughlin et al., 2010). Overall, binaural beat therapy could replace or work complementary to current AD sensory stimulation therapies, leading to more successful treatments for patients.

References

Adaikkan, C., Middleton, S., Marco, A., Pao, P., Mathys, H., Kim, D., Gao, F., Young, J., Suk, H., Boyden, E., McHugh, T., & Tsai, L. (2019). Gamma Entrainment Binds Higher-Order Brain Regions and Offers Neuroprotection. Neuron, 102(5), 929-943. doi: 10.1016/j.neuron.2019.04.011

Iaccarino, H., Singer, A., Martorell, A. Rudenko, A., Gao, F., Gillingham, T., Mathys, H., Seo, J., Kritskiy, O., Abdurrob, F., Adaikkan, C., Canter, R., Rueda, R., Brown, E., Boyden, E., & Tsai, L. (2016) Gamma frequency entrainment attenuates amyloid load and modifies microglia. Nature 540, 230–235. doi: 10.1038/nature20587

Ismail, R., Hansen, A. K., Parbo, P., Brændgaard, H., Gottrup, H., Brooks, D. J., & Borghammer, P. (2018, July 30). The effect of 40-Hz light therapy on amyloid load in patients with prodromal and clinical Alzheimer’s disease. International Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease. doi: 10.1155/2018/6852303

Martorell, A. J., Paulson, A. L., Suk, H. J., Abdurrob, F., Drummond, G., Guan, W., Young, J., Kim, D., Kritskiy, O., Barker, S., Mangena, V., Prince, S., Brown, E., Chung, K., Boyden, E., Singer, A., & Tsai, L. (2019, March 14). Multi-sensory gamma stimulation ameliorates Alzheimer’s-associated pathology and improves cognition. Cell, 177(2), 256-271. doi: 10.1016/j.cell.2019.02.014

Murphy, M. P., & LeVine, H. (2010). Alzheimer’s Disease and the B-Amyloid Peptide. Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease, 19(1), 311-323. doi: 10.3233/JAD2010-1221

Rakhshan, V., Hassani-Abharian, P., Joghataei, M., Nasehi, M., & Khosrowabadi, R. (2022).

Effects of the alpha, beta, and Gamma Binaural beat brain stimulation and short-term training on simultaneously assessed visuospatial and verbal working memories, Signal Detection Measures, response times, and Intrasubject response time variabilities: A within-subject randomized placebo-controlled clinical trial. BioMed Research International. doi: 10.1155/2022/8588272

Zhang, H., Longfei, J., & Jianping, J. (2020, July). Oxiracetam Offers Neuroprotection by Reducing Amyloid β-Induced Microglial Activation and Inflammation in Alzheimer’s Disease. Frontiers in Neurology, 11, 623. doi: 10.3389/fneur.2020.00623

Acknowledgments

The Rice Neurotransmitter team would like to thank Dr. Flynn and Dr. Lefeldt for their support in producing this issue, and the team for their contributions to the journal.

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