Date of Award
2015
Degree Name
Biological Sciences
College
College of Science
Type of Degree
M.S.
Document Type
Thesis
First Advisor
Brian Antonsen
Second Advisor
Marcia Harrison-Pitaniello
Third Advisor
David Mallory
Abstract
The lateral giant neuron in the crayfish is a neuron that controls the reflexive escape response; the context and experience-dependent tuning of this response is critical for survival. Serotonin modulates synaptic responses in this neuron, and social experiences (stress) changes the modulatory role of serotonin. I investigated the mechanisms of induced synaptic response changes and serotonergic modulatory changes after silver nanoparticle exposure to ask if 1) contaminant induced stress changes serotonergic modulation in a manner consistent with social stress and 2) shed light on potential neurotoxic effects of widely used, but poorly understood nanomaterials. Our data show that stress induced by exposure to silver nanoparticles changes excitability of this neuron. Integrating these data concerning environmental stress with prior knowledge of behavioral and electrophysiological correlates of social stress we can ask if changes induced in synaptic responses and modulation induced by stressors of different kinds are generalizable.
Subject(s)
Crayfish culture.
Electrophysiology.
Recommended Citation
Adkins, Samantha N., "The effect of silver nanoparticles on synaptic responses in the lateral giant escape circuit of the crayfish" (2015). Theses, Dissertations and Capstones. 943.
https://mds.marshall.edu/etd/943
Included in
Aquaculture and Fisheries Commons, Neuroscience and Neurobiology Commons, Toxicology Commons
