2013 Festival of Scholars
Phantastic Phindings in Physiological Psychology
| Date: | Tuesday, April 24 |
| Time: | 10:00am - 11:00am |
| Location: | Roth Nelson Room |
Description: |
Every day there are new and exciting discoveries in the field of physiological psychology. These findings impact behavior in many different ways. Students in the doctoral program in Clinical Psychology will introduce a sample of these findings in the format of panel presentations. |
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Student Abstracts at this Session
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Student(s): Ruth Arviso and Ria Helene Lindhauer, Ruth Arviso-Richmond Faculty Mentor: Dr. Steven Kissinger |
Stem Cell Treatment - A Promising Intervention for Degenerative Diseases?Stem cell research is currently a popular area in modern biology. This research offers hope of new treatments for Central and Peripheral Nervous System degenerative diseases for which current treatment approaches have proven ineffective. Promising results have been shown in some clinical trials. This presentation will provide information on the types of stem cells, then discuss the progress regarding the application of stem cell treatments to neurodegenerative diseases focusing primarily on Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases. |
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Student(s): Ebony Christian and Jami Kerr, Nazila Pedram Faculty Mentor: Dr. Steven Kissinger |
Effects of Cognitive Enhancement Therapy in Early SchizophreniaSchizophrenia is a brain disorder characterized by impairments in memory and attention. Deficits contribute to disorganized thoughts and loss of social competence, affecting approximately 1.1% of the population over the age of 18. Cognitive enhancement therapy (CET), an integrated neurocognitive and social cognitive rehabilitation, is shown to protect against gray matter loss in early schizophrenia and encourages the development of social-cognitive abilities and social interaction. CET utilizes computer-assisted neurocognitive training and group-based social-cognitive exercises. Current research examines differential changes in brain morphology in early course schizophrenia during cognitive rehabilitation vs. supportive therapy. Results indicate patients who received CET demonstrated significantly greater preservation of gray matter volume over two years compared to those who received enriched supportive therapy. Individuals who completed CET were found to have a substantial increase in their left hemisphere, hippocampus, amygdala, and fusiform gyrus, as well as modest increases in their right, left, and frontal lobes. |
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Student(s): Ellen Nichols and Nicole Crawford, Sharon Cuff, Lauren Mills Faculty Mentor: Dr. Steven Kissinger |
Sports Related Concussions: Shedding Light on Risk, Management, and Long-Term Effects on AthletesConcussions are frequent and many times stealth injuries that occur among sports participants each year. There are several different perspectives in the medical and sports communities as to the best way to detect, assess, treat, prevent, and understand some of the long term effects a concussion has on an athlete’s overall functioning post-injury. Within our research, we intend to shed light on what is being done to more accurately identify, assess, and manage sport related concussions for athletes of all ages.One potential assessment tool is the relatively new neuro-imaging technique of Functional Near Infra-Red Spectroscopy (fNIRS). The technology provides information about ongoing brain activity similar to functional MRI studies, yet the process is noninvasive, and portable; hence can be operated in non-traditional lab locations and environments for field studies. fNIRS can provide real-time monitoring of tissue oxygenation in the brain, allowing the quantitative assessment of brain function. |
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Student(s): Laura Townsend and Amy Scott, Mandi Huddleston, James Battles Faculty Mentor: Dr. Steven Kissinger |
Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation as a Therapeutic Method to Treat DepressionTranscranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) is a noninvasive procedure used as a method of treatment for a variety of neuropsychological disorders such as depression, schizophrenia, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and Parkinson’s disease. The purpose of this research was to identify a new and innovative therapeutic modality. This year a new device, the H coil, has been approved by the FDA as a promising treatment for depression, known as DTMS or deep TMS. The company Brainsway, an organization located in Jerusalem, developed the coil. Deep TMS penetrates the subcortical regions of the brain associated with reward and motivation. Currently the effects of this procedure as a method of treatment for depression last for up to five months and can be used as a method of relapse prevention, when administered in constant intervals. |
