LanguageTerm (authority = ISO 639-3:2007); (type = text)
English
Abstract (type = abstract)
Maternal immune activation (MIA) is implicated in neurodevelopmental and psychiatric disorders such as Autism Spectrum Disorder and schizophrenia. MIA is induced by immune challenge during pregnancy and can cause long-term changes in the brain and behavior of offspring. Much of the literature is focused on induction of innate immune responses, despite the adaptive immune system being the main target for many immune threats, including Staphylococcus aureus. Prior studies revealed that treatment with the T cell superantigen, Staphylococcal Enterotoxin A, induces a maternal T-cell response in the adaptive immune system, and subsequent abnormalities in offspring behavior. Our objective is to use this model of MIA to assess whether these behavioral changes are linked to changes in microglial cell function or dendritic spine plasticity. We predict that microglia will have a hyperactive response to MIA, and dendritic spines will develop abnormally. If these effects are observed, the results would indicate the importance of an adaptive immunity model of MIA and its importance in early brain development.
Subject (authority = LCSH)
Topic
Microglia
Subject (authority = RUETD)
Topic
Psychology
RelatedItem (type = host)
TitleInfo
Title
Rutgers University Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Identifier (type = RULIB)
ETD
Identifier
ETD_11431
PhysicalDescription
Form (authority = gmd)
InternetMediaType
application/pdf
InternetMediaType
text/xml
Extent
1 online resource (v, 55 pages) : illustrations
Note (type = degree)
M.S.
Note (type = bibliography)
Includes bibliographical references
RelatedItem (type = host)
TitleInfo
Title
School of Graduate Studies Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Identifier (type = local)
rucore10001600001
Location
PhysicalLocation (authority = marcorg); (displayLabel = Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey)
I hereby grant to the Rutgers University Libraries and to my school the non-exclusive right to archive, reproduce and distribute my thesis or dissertation, in whole or in part, and/or my abstract, in whole or in part, in and from an electronic format, subject to the release date subsequently stipulated in this submittal form and approved by my school. I represent and stipulate that the thesis or dissertation and its abstract are my original work, that they do not infringe or violate any rights of others, and that I make these grants as the sole owner of the rights to my thesis or dissertation and its abstract. I represent that I have obtained written permissions, when necessary, from the owner(s) of each third party copyrighted matter to be included in my thesis or dissertation and will supply copies of such upon request by my school. I acknowledge that RU ETD and my school will not distribute my thesis or dissertation or its abstract if, in their reasonable judgment, they believe all such rights have not been secured. I acknowledge that I retain ownership rights to the copyright of my work. I also retain the right to use all or part of this thesis or dissertation in future works, such as articles or books.