Current Projects:
Mia and Harika-- Long-Term Effects of Postnatal Clomipramine Exposure on Aminergic Systems in a Sprague-Dawley Rat Model of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
Obsessive-compulsive disorder is an anxiety disorder characterized by difficulty controlling thoughts and impulses, and it disproportionately affects postpartum women and current treatments for OCD in adult humans includes clomipramine, a tricyclic antidepressant. However, male rodent models of postnatal clomipramine administration show development of OCD-like behavior in adulthood. Low central serotonin (5-HT) and dopamine (DA) levels are associated with OCD, as both neurotransmitters are important for mood stabilization and cognitive ability; OCD is also associated with decreased hippocampal volume. We hypothesize that administering clomipramine to female postnatal rodents causes decreased adult postpartum 5-HT and DA levels in the hippocampal region compared to controls. During postnatal days 9-16, 30 Sprague-Dawley rats received intraperitoneal injections of either 0.9% saline (control) or 15 mg/kg clomipramine (experimental) twice daily. We are utilizing high performance liquid chromatography to assess levels of 5-HT and DA in the hippocampus from brains. We expect to see decreased 5-HT and DA in the hippocampus in clomipramine-treated mothers vs. controls. Decreased adulthood amine levels will provide evidence that drug exposure during a sensitive developmental period results in long-term biobehavioral changes.
Gracie and Aneesah--Baseline Oxytocin Levels Within and Between Foster and Biological Family Units
Oxytocin is a hormone that plays a crucial role in mammalian mother-offspring bonding and is often referred to as the "love hormone", however we know it to be so much more than that. Previous literature indicates a positive relationship between baseline OT and mother-infant synchrony and sensitivity. Foster mothers, similar to their biological counterparts, show increased OT levels when exposed to their foster children. However, there is a lack of literature on baseline OT levels regarding foster mother-offspring pairs. We aim to measure the social and neurobiological differences between biological and foster family units by comparing the baseline OT levels between mammalian biological and foster mother-offspring pairs via non-invasive biological samples collected with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Our previous studies demonstrate congruent social behaviors between foster and biological family units. We hypothesize that baseline oxytocin levels positively correlate with social bonding, and therefore follow patterns of measured congruence.