THEUWMPOST est. 1956
November, 12, 2012
The Student-Run Independent Newspaper
Rupees,The Autumn EP page 10
Issue 11, Volume 57
Fantasy Football page 5
Bookstore theft page 2
Rats in Rehab UWM researchers discover ways to regulate cocaine-seeking behavior
Photo by Zak Wosewick
By Kamisha Harris Staff Writer News@uwmpost.com University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee researchers are conducting a study looking into behavior surrounding the need for cocaine. The study uses a conditioned place preference paradigm, in which one chamber is paired with cocaine and another chamber is paired with saline, the placebo. The rats learn the association of each chamber. After the conditioning/learning phase, they are placed in the center of three chambers with access to the cocaine side as well as the saline chamber. This particular research about the effects of cocaine withdrawals began during the fall of 2009. James Otis is a doctoral student at UWM, he previously attended UW-Stout for Neoscience and psychology. Devin Mueller is an assistant professor of psychology. They collaborate upon many projects with their team and up to five or six research projects on cocaine. They discovered that the rats will spend more time in the region of the cocaine, which is how cocaine seeking behavior is measured in this model, known
as exposure therapy. In order to inhibit cocaine seeking behavior the rats must be continuously exposed to the cocaine chamber, known as extinction learning. Take for example a person who has a fear of snakes, with frequent exposure of snakes, the fear can be abolished like a drug addiction. “The interest here is not to get the rats to start using the drug, it is to get them to stop seeking out the drug,” said Otis. Multiple tests are given when the rats seek out the drug in the chamber. To facilitate this action, NR2B Antagonist blocks the 2B subunit of the NMDA receptor in the brain, which controls memory and they can longer learn the extinction learning. The NR2B receptor is stimulated to see if the extinction can be accelerated. “We don’t want to inhibit extinction in humans, we want to accelerate it because inhibiting extinction will accelerate relapse rates,” Otis stated. Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor is responsible for enhancing NR2Bs. Therefore when the BDNF is given, extinction will be enhanced. There are not any drugs currently available to stimulate NR2Bs but they act on receptors which may modify to be signaled. If the TrkB receptor is given an an-
Photo by Zak Wosewick
tagonist, it will enhance extinction. Another method, TrkB receptor is given, but blocked NR2Bs. The TrkB antagonist enhances the extinction TrkB and BDNF are working together to enhance extinction. With the use of what is known as “Patch Clamp Electrophysiology,” tubes for brain fluid and artificial cerebral spinal fluid are oxygenated. The fluid flows through a bath and this allows a whole living brain cell from a rat to be removed and kept alive. Synaptic Activity is how the brain communicates. A small pipette tip that is barely visible is used to inject the drugs into the cell. The cells are recorded this way. The number of action potentials that neurons fire before and after the drug is given is measured in this form too. Otis, Mueller and their team are not looking into getting things FDA approved because they do not work in the clinic and they do not work with human patients. As the research comes out, clinicians may potentially become interested in this. FTY720 is used currently for MS, Multiple Sclerosis, which is FDA approved and has the capability of increasing the extinction level.
Photo by Zak Wosewick
The Panthers got two big wins this week but there is much to be seen out of this group.
Jury still out on Panther basketball
Men’s basketball week in review By Tony Atkins and Sam Secor Sports Editor and Special to the Post sports@uwmpost.com Last week was a good one for both UW-Milwaukee’s men’s and women’s basketball programs. Both dominated in their season openers but the men’s team was on their heels as they pulled out a one-point win in their exhibition game. University of Mary Following an unexpected one-point exhibition win over UW-Parkside, the UW-Milwaukee men’s basketball team officially kicked off its 2012-13 regular season at home against the University of Mary. The Panthers took control of the second half Friday night and went on to dominate 76-46. Milwaukee shot a combined 43 percent from the field and was as efficient from beyond the arc Friday to cruise past Mary. Hot hands shooting the ball weren’t the only thing that gave Milwaukee the edge; the team’s defense was outstanding holding the opponent to 33 percent from the field and an ugly three for twenty-one from beyond the arc. “Our guys did a nice job of running them off the line and making them take tough two-pointers,” said Coach Rob Jeter. “I think playing that game, for the first time, we recognized the speed of the game.” Kyle Kelm led all scorers with 15 points and was an integral part of the Panthers long-range attack, draining three of four from outside. Kelm was a huge part for the Panthers coming off of the bench. “I felt like the offensive flow was
better tonight and that why I got some open looks,” said Kelm. The backcourt duo of Jordan Aaron and Thierno Niang also helped guide their team to victory with Aaron scoring 12 points with 7 assists while Niang chipped in 11 for the Panthers in place of the injured Paris Gulley. The Panthers began to run away with this opener when after taking a 26-16 lead with four minutes left in the first half. Although it may have seemed the other way, Milwaukee had a slight edge on the glass tonight recording 36 rebounds, just one more then Mary. Milwaukee led by as many as 31 points en route to their 30 point victory. South Carolina Following the win over Mary, Milwaukee didn’t have much time to celebrate as they flew down to South Carolina to take on the Gamecocks. When they got there, there wasn’t a need to celebrate anymore, losing 75-82. The Panthers had a big afternoon from junior college transfer Jordan Aaron, who fouled out of his breakout game late with 28 points and 6 assists. Throughout the game, the Panthers seemed to lack that inside presence that the SEC’s South Carolina is used to facing in its opponents. Instead, the Panthers lived by the three, making fourteen FGs from long range. During the three-point onslaught in the first half, the Panther struggled mightily with their free throws. These free throws could have potentially been the difference between a win or a loss for the Panthers heading back to Milwaukee. With the Gamecocks reeling, the MEN’S BASKETBALL continued on page 5
INDEX
NEWS SPORTS
1-2 3-5
FRINGE EDITORIAL
7-11 12-13
COMICS PUZZLES
14 15
uwmpost.com
�
The Door Issue