Anna Jacobowitz L&S Biological Sciences
Sex-Differentiated Neuronal Responses to Psychedelic Medicine
Over one in five US adults currently live with psychiatric disorders, such as Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), depression, and addiction. A third of which are unresponsive to antidepressant drugs, resulting in a large population still seeking effective treatment. Recent studies in the Kaufer Lab demonstrate that psychedelic therapy regenerates neural pathways in the brain and exhibits efficacy in treatment-resistant populations, offering a promising alternative. However, there are few studies that examine sex-specific effects on behavior and brain physiology with psychedelic treatment. To understand this, my project asks the question: is there a sex-differentiated pattern in neuronal activation between male and female mice with psychedelics?
The expected outcomes from this analysis will bring significant impact to the medical field by providing information to clinicians to develop more accurate and effective therapies. This will, in turn, enhance the quality of life for the millions of individuals affected by psychiatric disorders worldwide.
Message To Sponsor
Dear Leadership Fund Donors, I am incredibly grateful for your generous support, which made my summer of independent research through the SURF fellowship possible. This experience enabled me to grow both academically and personally, developing my skills in not only benchwork techniques, but also in leadership, communication, time management, and multitasking. I learned a lot about both sex-differentiated patterns in the brain with psychedelics, but also about the importance of independence and self-motivation in the pursuit of knowledge. As I move forward into my senior year, I look forward to applying my summer research data to strengthen my Senior Honors Thesis, and pursuing a career in neuroscience post-graduation.