BIO

Zoe is a Neuroscience major from Polk County Florida. She aspires to become a Psychiatrist, with a specialty in rural medicine. Her interest in research stems from her belief that one must first understand the research behind procedures used before practicing medicine. Aside from her medical interests, Zoe would love to research the effects of theatrical performance on the brain; her dream project would study the long-term psychiatric effects of intensive theatre/dance training in childhood.

Tracing Melanin Concentrating Hormone in Mouse Olfactory Bulbs

Abstract

The olfactory bulb contains the preliminary neurological structures responsible for the perception of scent. These structures utilize the communicatory nature of several neuropeptides; however, the majority of these are largely unstudied. Previous research within this lab has explored the neural pathways of the neuropeptide orexin through immunohistochemistry (use of antigen/antibody binding and radiochemistry to visualize specific neural pathways) and denoted significant connections between the olfactory bulb and the hypothalamus. Mimicking this method allowed for the tracing of an otherwise unstudied neuropeptide within this area, Melanin Concentrating Hormone (MCH), which has a known association with olfaction and food processing. In this research, three mice olfactory bulbs were sliced to 40 micrometers utilizing a vibratome, and slices were infused via Green Fluorescent Protein (GFP) such that antibodies could determine locations of MCH activity in the olfactory bulb. It is theorized that MCH could be involved in eating processes such as hunger and satiation, and its presence in the olfactory bulb further substantiates these ideas and allows for a more specific interpretation of what these roles could be. Preliminary results indicate that MCH is present within the mouse olfactory bulbs.

Keywords: Neuroscience, Olfaction, Animal