BIO

My name is Hima Humeda, and I am currently a freshman Biology Major on the pre-medical track. I am from Pensacola, Florida. I am particularly interested in research pertaining to neuroscience, and thus over this past year, I investigated Fragile X Syndrome and its influence on tonotopic precision.

Examining The Influence of Fragile X Syndrome on Tonotopic Precision in Mice

Abstract

Fragile X Syndrome is a condition resulting from a genetic mutation of the FMR1 gene. As a result, learning disabilities, cognitive impairments, and other developmental illnesses may arise. However, auditory impairments are the most prevalent of symptoms that are associated with this mutation. The symptoms of Fragile X Syndrome are severely underexplored, thus through our research endeavors we are attempting to examine tonotopic precision in the auditory brainstem of mice that lack the FMR1 gene. We have hypothesized that the tonotopic precision is reduced in FMR1 Knockout mice, as that is consistent with the hyperactive nature of the organisms as well as the auditory phenotypes of this disease. In order to carry out this experiment, we have utilized c-fos, an early gene product that can be used as a marker of cell activation in order to anatomically map the response of sound stimulation. We then compared the c-fos band ratio of the knockout mice (those lacking an FMR1 gene) with the wildtypes (healthy mice) in order to determine if the tonotopic precision is reduced. The tonotopic precision is typically determined through extrapolating the ratio of the width and the ratio of the area of neuronal activity in particular regions while the mice are exposed to auditory stimulation. Our data so far concludes the fact tonotopic precision is significantly less in the knockout mice than in the wildtype mice. Such conclusions were shown when the mice were exposed to 8 kilohertz as well as 16 kilohertz of sound.

Keywords: Neuroscience, Fragile X Syndrome, Tonotopic Precision,