Cocaine and other drugs of abuse have destroyed the lives of many individuals as those who take such drugs struggle with the powerful vice of addiction. Such drugs have been shown to cause changes in the brain, specifically in the cortex and the striatum, which has been linked to the manifestation and maintenance of addiction. Within the striatum there exists cell populations of neurons, which vary in their outputs to the brain and are regulated by glutamate inputs from the cortex. The involvement of these individual cell populations in addiction, including how they are regulated by cortical glutamate, is not yet fully understood. In order to investigate this issue, I collect data in and run rat behavior experiments with rats that have been treated with viral vectors, which temporarily decrease neuron activity in specific cell populations when activated by specific ligands. After the behavioral data has been collected I process the tissues by slicing the brains and stain them with techniques such as immunohistochemistry. Then I determine if the vectors were actually present in the expected cells due to their fluorescence after immunohistochemistry procedures. In some of the work that I have done with Kerry Kerstetter we have found that decreasing activity in cortical glutamate projections to the striatum resulted in an increase in motivation for cocaine. A better understanding of the intricate pathways involved in drug motivation will allow for better treatment and care for those suffering from addiction. Our hope is to provide more information on such pathways to help progress the development of future treatments for victims of addiction.

According to dual process models of alcohol use, both explicit (controlled/reflective) process and implicit (automatic/reflexive) cognitions are important predictors of alcohol-related problems. These models also suggest that there are certain types of people for whom implicit processes may be more influential – e.g., people who are more impulsive. Based on these theories, this study seeks to examine whether impulsivity influences the strength of the relationship between implicit drinking identity (cognitions about the self and drinking) and alcohol-related problems. 506 college students completed the Drinking Identity Implicit Association Test, the Impulsivity Subscale of the Substance Use Risks Profile Scale, and the Rutgers Alcohol Problem Index. As hypothesized, both impulsivity and drinking identity scores were significantly and positively correlated with alcohol-related problems. Moderation was also supported: drinking identity was more predictive of alcohol-related problems for those reporting higher impulsivity rather than lower impulsivity. These results are consistent with theories that suggest that implicit cognitions should be better predictors for individuals with higher levels of impulsivity. This suggests that targeting implicit drinking identity might be helpful in reducing alcohol-related problems, especially for those individuals with higher levels of impulsivity. In addition, targeting impulsivity may also help reduce alcohol-related problems.

As the NFL was going into a lockout in 2011, linebacker Ray Lewis made the controversial statement that crime rates would rise if the NFL season was lost. Mr. Lewis said, "There's too many people that live through us," and that without football teams to follow, those people would turn to crime. At the time, there were many arguments provided on both sides of the issue, but no empirical research was done. Studies have shown that professional athletes commit more crimes during a lockout; and that children with access to sports programs are less likely to grow up committing crimes; but no one has ever tested the claim that a professional sports team has an effect on the crime rate in the area in which it is based. My experience living in a Seahawks-enamored Seattle in 2013 has motivated me to take Mr. Lewis's assertion one step further and investigate whether the success of a pro sports team can raise or lower the crime rate in its city. I look at more than just the relationship between winning percentage and change in crime rate (note that I cannot compare nominal crime rates, due to the varying base levels of crime in metro areas as diverse as New York and Denver). Other measures I investigate are margin of victory or closeness of playoff race, as perhaps a more dramatic season gives the fans more to live vicariously through. Despite some relationship between winning percentage and playoff success of a team and the city's crime rate, I can't show a significant enough correlation to conclusively say that the NFL influences the rate of crime. While this doesn't have any direct implications on the NFL or on policy makers, I believe that my results are enough to encourage further study of the issue.

Cognitive rehabilitation has been shown to be effective on cancer survivors after cancer treatment. Some evidence suggests that older adults may be more adversely impacted by chemotherapy. The purpose of this study was to examine whether age may be a moderating factor on cognitive rehabilitation effectiveness among cancer survivors. Participants were survivors 6 months or more post active treatment, and were randomly assigned to an immediate treatment group (treatment) or a wait list (control). A battery of cognitive tests and questionnaires, both computerized and by hand, were given before and after a seven-week group-based memory skills intervention, which was specifically designed to improve memory and thinking abilities. 45 subjects completed all measures and were divided by age into “middle age” (21-60 yrs.; N=23) with mean age of 51.3 years and “older adults” (60+ yrs.; N=22) with a mean age of 67.1 years. Results indicated that both middle age and older adults improved over time for immediate and delayed verbal recall (list learning task) (p < .05). Significant improvement for sustained attention (digit symbol) (p < .05) and working memory (digit span) (p < .05), however, was observed in the middle age group only.There was a significant interaction effect of F (1,43) = 5.83 for the digit span total, with only the middle age group showing an improvement. Our results suggest that there was some difference in improvement of cognitive thinking and memory between the two age groups. Although both groups improved on measures of verbal memory only the younger adults improved on measures of attention. Our results may help guide future cognitive rehabilitation programs to target specific areas of cognition that may be more likely to respond to treatment. This will help patients have a more accurate expectation for cognitive rehabilitation goals.

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental syndrome characterized by impairment in social interaction and restricted/repetitive behaviors. Perinatal complications, which occur at the time of birth, have been associated with the presence of ASD, including low birth weight, planned caesarian section, and umbilical cord problems. Though these complications and their link to autism have been heavily researched, the variability of perinatal complications has yet to be compared to the genetic diversity within ASD as a disorder. Due to recent advances in genome science, several dozen autism susceptibility genes have been identified that account for 10-20% of ASD cases. The goal of this study is to analyze both prevalence and type of birth complications in a large genotyped sample as a function of co-occurring genetic abnormalities. Using medical history data collected from a population of over 2000 genotyped families, we will determine the prevalence of perinatal complications within the presence or absence of genetic mutation. Autism severity will be examined as a function of presence of perinatal complications and presence of genetic mutations. Results from this study could serve as a starting point to further evaluate the potential shared etiology of autism and birth complications, as well as other potential genetic links among common co-occurring disorders such as gastrointestinal illnesses and epilepsy.

Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASDs) are genetically heterogeneous neurodevelopmental disorders largely characterized by impairments in social interaction. Many with ASD face other comorbidities, including sleep problems. Prevalence of sleep problems in those with ASD are significantly greater than typically developing children and range widely from difficulties falling asleep to parasomnias. Although many studies investigate the link between sleep and autism, none have considered variability in sleep differences as a function of the genetic variability of the disorder. The underlying assumption for this project is that behavioral variability, such as differences in sleep problems, observed in ASD is a function of the genetic variability in ASD. Chi square analysis was conducted using data collected about sleep problems in a medical history interview from a large, well characterized and genotyped sample of children with ASD to determine the prevalence of sleep problems in ASD as a function of genetic subtype. Those individuals with similar, recurring gene mutations were further examined in order to view whether sleep problems (both pervasiveness and type of sleep issue) may be a specific phenotype related to that gene mutation. Using ANOVA, gender differences in sleep presentation were also examined.  Results from this study may serve as a starting point to evaluate other wide ranging comorbidities, such as gastrointestinal illnesses, as a function of the genetic differences present in those with ASD.

The lateral habenula (LHb), is an important regulator of midbrain dopaminergic systems that are known to be involved in cocaine reinforcement. The LHb exerts an inhibitory effect on dopaminergic neurons in the ventral tegmental area (VTA), though interestingly LHb-VTA projections are known to be glutamatergic (excitatory). The rostromedial tegmental nucleus (RMTg), a recently identified GABAergic (inhibitory) nucleus, that receives direct excitatory inputs from the LHb, has been proposed to be the source of this inhibition of the VTA. Here, firstly, we injected rats with anterograde TAMRA-Lys-Dextan and retrograde FluoSphere tracers in the LHb and RMTg, respectively and demonstrated that the LHb indeed projects to both the VTA and RMTg. Secondly, since the RMTg has no known anatomical boundaries, we gauged the anatomical location of the RMTg using expression of the transcription factor cFos, a marker of neural activation in response to cocaine. A significant increase in cFos expression was found in rats injected with cocaine (10 mg/kg i.p). Finally, we utilized the Designer Receptor Activated Exclusively by Designer Drug (DREADD) technology, to investigate the role of modulating the activity of the LHb on cocaine-self administration. Rats were implanted with jugular venous catheters and trained to self-administer cocaine (0.75 mg/kg/infusion). We found that DREADD-mediated transient silencing of the LHb through the activation of inhibitory G-protein-coupled signaling pathway with clozapine-N-oxide increases cocaine self-administration. In contrast, activation of the excitatory G-protein-coupled signaling pathway decreases self-administration on a progressive ratio schedule. We further show that inactivation of LHb inputs to VTA neurons have no effect on cocaine self-administration. We now propose to investigate the role of LHb projections to the RMTg using a dual-virus strategy using a combination of Cre-dependent DREADD’s and canine adenovirus expressing Cre (that gets transported retrogradely) to specifically target the LHb to RMTg projections for DREADD-mediated modulation on self-administration.

Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are neurodevelopmental disorders with symptoms related to social communication and repetitive behavior. One aspect of social communication that is particularly challenging for children with ASD is pragmatic language including the ability to clearly convey narrative information to others. Narrative language, such as story telling, is a type of pragmatic ability that utilizes cognitive-linguistic planning and coordination of information. The first objective of our study is to compare the narrative language abilities of typically developing children to children with ASD. Our second objective is to test the relation between narrative abilities and severity of symptoms within the group with ASD. Seventy-five 6 to 11 year old children with idiopathic ASD or typical development participated. Groups matched in age, IQ, and sex ratio. Narrative language samples were extracted from a longer diagnostic interview, the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS). Scoring of narrative language skills was based on the coding system developed by Reilly and colleagues. Symptoms were assessed via the ADOS, the Autism Diagnostic Interview-Revised, Social Responsiveness Scale-2, and Repetitive Behavior Scale-Revised. We expect to find a lower level of narrative ability in the group with ASD, given previous reports of pragmatic errors , misinterpretation of key events, and dysfluencies among children with ASD. For the second objective, we predict that there will be a correlation between the narrative level and social symptoms, such that better narrative ability relates to fewer symptoms. In the repetitive domain, we expect to see more repetitive behaviors with relation to lower level of narrative ability by looking at dysfluent speech, which entails repetitions and self-corrections. Our results may lead to future studies regarding narrative ability in speech interventions towards children with ASD. 

Glutamate within the nucleus accumbens (NAc) regulates the development of psychomotor sensitization, a model of addiction. Two prominent sources of glutamate are the prefrontal cortex (PFC) and thalamus neurons projecting to the NAc, and previous studies have shown these two regions contribute to amphetamine sensitization. We developed a combinatorial viral-mediated gene transfer technique to alter intracellular signaling cascades and neuron activity in either PFC or thalamic neurons projecting to NAc. We hypothesized that both PFC and thalamic glutamatergic projection neurons would regulate sensitization in a similar manner. Rats received bilateral injections of a retrogradely transported canine adenovirus expressing cre-recombinase into the NAc and an adenoassociated virus expressing Gi/o-Designer Receptors Exclusively Activated by Designer Drugs (hM4Di-DREADD) in either PFC or thalamus. This allowed for transient reduction in activity of specifically PFC or thalamic neurons projecting to NAc. I gave rats 4 injections of amphetamine or saline, and I then recorded locomotor activity and stereotypies. My results indicate that decreasing the activity of PFC projections to NAc enhanced amphetamine sensitization, whereas decreasing activity of the thalamic projections to the NAc blocked sensitization. These results suggest that PFC and thalamic glutamatergic input to the NAc differentially regulate amphetamine sensitization. It is possible that the projections from the PFC to NAc may preferentially affect the indirect pathway medium spiny neurons, whereas the thalamus projection to NAc would affect the direct pathway medium spiny neurons. Future studies will begin to address this possibility.

Autism is a disorder characterized by deficits in social and communication skills and repetitive behaviors. 60% of individuals diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) experience a delay in language development. This data represents great diversity in the language development outcomes in individuals with ASD. Preterm birth (gestational age less than 37 weeks) has been associated with delays in language development, specifically in grammar, pronunciation, and gesture in typically developing (TD) children. Preterm birth is also associated with cognitive or neurological development. Given the higher rate of preterm birth in twins, this study used a sample of twins to examine the relationship between language development and gestational age in children with and without ASD. 24 TD twin pairs and 33ASD twin pairs between the ages of 5 and 22 participated in the study (M = 10.6, SD = 4.02). Participants’ medical history was collected. During testing, participants engaged in a 15-20 minute interview. Coders, naive to diagnosis assessed subjects’ pragmatic language using the Pragmatic Rating Scale-Modified (PRS-M) (Ruser, 2007), which assesses verbal (e.g., clarity, referencing emotions, grammar) and non-verbal (e.g., eye contact, gestures) aspects of pragmatic language.This study examined the relationship between language and gestational age. We hypothesized that lower gestational age would be associated with lower language skills, particularly on PRS items related to grammar, pronunciation, and gesturing. We then explored if the relationship between gestational age and language differs between twins with ASD and twins with typical development. The results of this study may provide insight into the impact of preterm birth on language development in individuals with ASD.

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by deficits in social interaction, communication, and the presence of restricted interests and stereotyped behaviors (DSM-5). Theory suggests that the development of joint attention is part of a social cognitive process that provides a foundation for language acquisition. Joint attention is a strong predictor of language development in children with autism (Mundy, Sigman, Kasari 1990). Through the Seattle Children's SPARCS Study (Studying the Physiology of Attention and Regulation in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder), we are examining the relation of spatial and feature attention and regulatory control and growth in social communication skills over time in 2 to 4-year-old children with ASD and typical development. Using the Early Social Communication Scales (ESCS), a well-validated measure of early social interaction, joint attention, and behavioral requesting skills, we were able to classify children's behaviors into one of three categories: (1) Joint Attention: the child's use of nonverbal behaviors to share the experience of objects or events with others; (2) Behavioral Requests: the child's use of nonverbal behaviors to elicit aid in obtaining objects or events; (3) and Social Interaction: the capacity of the child to engage in playful, affectively positive turn-taking interactions with others (Mundy 2003). The aim of the current project is to examine how early social communication behaviors are influenced by both chronological and mental age as assessed by standardized measures of language and cognition. Currently we have data on 92 children, with data on 150 expected. Data will be analyzed by comparing groups (ASD versus controls) and ages (2-3year-olds versus 3-4 year-olds). The results of this study will enhance our understanding of factors that contribute to the development of social communication skills in both typical and atypical populations; and may also help to shape our interventions for children with autism.

Most treatment programs for alcohol dependence have prioritized abstinence from substances as the primary treatment goal. However, abstinence-based goals are not always considered desirable or effective by more severely affected populations, such as chronically homeless people with alcohol dependence. Because these individuals comprise a multimorbid and high-utilizing population, they are in need of more focused research attention to elucidate their preferred treatment goals. The aim of this secondary study was therefore to qualitatively and quantitatively document participant-generated treatment goals. Participants were currently or formerly chronically homeless individuals (N=31) with alcohol dependence who were participating in a pharmacobehavioral pilot of extended-release naltrexone and harm-reduction counseling. During the week 0 assessment, study interventionists elicited participants’ treatment goals and recorded them on an open-ended grid. Progress and achievement of goals was confirmed via self-report and recorded by study interventionists at the week 8 follow-up. Conventional content analysis was performed to classify participant-generated treatment goals at weeks 0 and 8. Representation of the three top categories remained stable over the course of the treatment. In the order of their frequency they included drinking-specific goals, quality-of-life goals and health-related goals. Quantitative analyses indicated participants generated an increasing number of goals over the course of treatment; however, the proportions of goals achieved and made progress towards did not increase significantly. Findings confirm hypotheses that participants can independently generate and achieve treatment goals toward alcohol harm reduction and quality-of-life improvement. Larger RCTs are necessary to confirm the role of harm-reduction treatment in helping individuals achieve these goals.

Culture may be an important factor to consider when analyzing men's help-seeking behaviors in response to a prostate cancer diagnosis. In order to explore what role culture might play when men make decisions regarding their prostate cancer, a systematic review of the literature spanning nine research databases took place. Those research databases were: PsychINFO, PubMed, Medscape, Web of Science, Google Scholar, BIOSIS Previews, JSTOR, PsychArticles and ScienceDirect. While many researchers state culture may play a role in defining a man's help-seeking behaviors after prostate cancer has been diagnosed, the literature fails to show, with convincing evidence, information that is necessary to understand this finding. Understanding how men make decisions about their health needs has to be expanded beyond men and women. Therefore, more research must be done that analyzes men's help-seeking behaviors with cancer from a cultural perspective. The lack of information in the literature leaves a potentially integral factor in men's help-seeking behavior out of the realm of consideration, and more research on the subject would be beneficial to the field. 

With the diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) on the rise, we conducted this study to further our understanding of this neuro-developmental disorder early in development so that children can get early access to interventions. A limited number of studies have performed research on children’s social processing in ASD; however, from them, it is apparent that social stimuli processing is atypical in children with ASD. The current study investigated preschoolers’ memory and learning in 80 participants with ASD and 80 neurotypical participants. These participants were assessed on social and non-social information processing utilizing a habituation paradigm, which measures the participant’s learning rate. Specifically, performance on social stimuli processing was examined in relation to changes in social communication symptoms in ASD overtime. First, we examined the habituation time to social stimuli in participants with ASD compared to typically developing participants. Second, we compared social stimuli processing in participants with ASD to non-social stimuli processing. Third, we explored the association of social stimuli processing in ASD with social growth overtime. The information from this study will help us better understand the developmental origins of face-processing impairments and a deeper comprehension into the progression of social communication in preschoolers with ASD overtime.

Background: Chronically homeless individuals with alcohol dependence experience serious alcohol-related consequences (Collins et al., 2012; Hwang, Wilkins, Tjepkema, O’Campo, & Dunn, 2009). It is therefore important to identify ways to reduce alcohol-related harm, such as the use of safer drinking strategies. No studies to date have explored this topic among chronically homeless individuals with alcohol dependence. Aims: This study aimed to document participants’ endorsement of safer drinking strategies over the course of a longitudinal pilot study of a combined pharmacobehavioral intervention to reduce alcohol-related harm (Collins et al., 2013). Methods: Participants (N=31; 12.9% women) were currently or formerly chronically homeless individuals with alcohol dependence. Participants’ use of safer drinking strategies was elicited using a list of safer drinking strategies and open-ended questions (e.g., “What strategies on this list might you be willing to try over the next week?”). A qualitative methodology called conventional content analysis was used to explore, categorize and document safer drinking strategies used by this population. The safer drinking strategies that participants chose to try were recorded for weeks 0 and 8. Results: At week 0, strategies that buffered the physical effects of alcohol represented the most highly endorsed category (51.1%), such as eating more often. The next most endorsed category was altering the manner of drinking (36.17%), for example spacing drinks. The final category represented reducing alcohol use (12.76%), such as drinking to avoid withdrawal. Discussion: Preliminary findings indicate that chronically homeless individuals are interested in using safer drinking strategies to reduce harm associated with their drinking. They also indicate that the most relevant ways to reduce harm for this population might be to help individuals buffer the effects of alcohol and alter their manner of drinking.

Research indicates that alcohol consumption and sexual victimization history, separately, are related to women’s increased unprotected sex risk. An additional question is whether partner relationship potential (i.e., likelihood of having a romantic relationship) interacts with victimization history and alcohol consumption in their association with risky sexual behavior. Participants were 436 female heavy episodic drinkers, aged 21-30, at elevated risk for sexually transmitted infections. They completed background questionnaires that assessed sexual victimization and an alcohol administration protocol (control or BAC=.10). Next, they projected themselves into a hypothetical sexual scenario, which manipulated relationship potential (high or low) with the man in the story. Following the scenario, participants listed their reasons for and against having sex, knowing no condom was available, and rated the strength of these reasons on a 1 (not at all strong) to 7 (extremely strong) scale. We computed two difference scores. First, the number of reasons listed against having sex was subtracted from the number of reasons listed for sex. Second, the strength of the reasons against having sex was subtracted from the strength of the reasons for having sex. Higher scores indicated that women listed more reasons for having sex than against and perceived reasons for having sex were stronger than reasons against, respectively. We regressed both outcomes on sexual victimization severity, alcohol dose, relationship potential, and all interactions. Analyses indicated a significant 3-way interaction for reason strength, but not number of reasons listed. For women with high victimization severity who received alcohol, relationship potential was positively associated with stronger reasons for having sex, which is likely indicative of greater sexual risk. Results have implications for risk prevention programs and suggest the importance of providing risk information for women with victimization histories who consume alcohol prior to sexual encounters and perceive high relationship potential in their sexual partner.

Moving to a retirement community is a major life change, and may either be precipitated by or cause changes in health status. Different surroundings within a retirement community might also influence self-assessment of health.  We hypothesized that moving into a retirement community would, after controlling for relevant sociodemographic and health-related variables, be associated with a general decline in self-rated health.

 We analyzed data from 58,272 participants in Cohort 3 of the Medicare Health Outcome Survey.  Individuals answered questions regarding living status and health at baseline (2002) and two years later (2004). The primary outcome was change in self-rated health over the two-year period.  We developed linear regression models for change in self-rated health: Model 1 adjusted for sociodemographic characteristics, and Model 2 adjusted for changes in health as well.

 2,520 (4.4%) individuals had moved into retirement communities at follow-up. There were no substantial differences in the mean change in self-rated health between those who moved and those who did not.  In neither regression model was movement into retirement communities significantly associated with changes in self-rated health.  In an analysis stratified by self-rated health, and adjusting for all covariates, those with the best self-rated health (Excellent) had a significant decline in self-rated health during the move to a retirement community. All other groups had neither improvement nor decline.

 Independent of accounting for changes in health, there was no significant global change in self-rated health when older adults moved.  Those with Excellent self-rated health experienced a slight decline in self-rated health during the move, but those with less than Excellent baseline self-rated health did not experience a significant improvement, which argues against a social comparison aspect on health status.  There was no evidence that moving into a retirement community had any consistent consequences for individuals’ self-perceptions of health.

The increasing rate of suicidality and death by suicide among military service members has gained considerable attention from the Department of Defense (DOD), members of Congress, and the civilian populace as military suicide rates have surpassed suicides in the general population. Although suicide prevention has become a national research priority, it has been difficult to identify specific and modifiable risk factors contributing to the rise of military suicides. Previous research suggests that both victims and perpetrators of bullying are at greater risk for suicide, but the prevalence of bullying and its impact on suicidal ideation and behaviors within military populations in unknown. The current study will explore the relationship between bullying and suicidal behaviors among military service members using baseline data from a multisite DOD-funded suicide prevention study. Participants include 125 active duty Soldiers and Marines who have engaged in recent suicidal behavior and/or reported current suicidal ideation. As part of a larger clinical interview, participants were asked about suicidal thoughts and behaviors and experiences of bullying in the military workplace. Regression analyses will be conducted to assess whether bullying constitutes a risk factor for increased suicidality. We predict that greater instances of bullying within the military context will be associated with higher rates of suicidal ideation and increased suicide attempts. To our knowledge, this is the first study to examine bullying and suicidality among U.S. active duty service members. A better understanding of this risk factor may contribute to more effective suicide assessment and prevention strategies in the military.

Diversion agreements are contracts between the courts and an offender that serve to minimize his or her exposure to the potentially harmful effects of the official adjudication processes. Not only are there multiple ways through which diversions can be applied (through mandated counseling or informational sessions, for example) but research suggests that diversion agreements in the justice system can aid in reducing system costs and recidivism rates. With this information, the Washington State legislature passed House Bill 1524 in May of 2013, which adjusted several elements of existing statute to extend diversion options to juveniles with mental health disorders. While the benefits of this bill can be inferred from previous research, there is little understanding of the policy’s statewide effects. Therefore, the purpose of the following research is to examine the effects of HB 1524. Data will be collected on youth who have been allotted a third diversion, exploring the connection between a youth’s characteristics and criminal charge, and the likelihood of being offered a third diversion and the form of obligation required. The results of this research will allow us to gain a more comprehensive understanding HB 1524’s effects across Washington State by specifying which variables affect the juvenile justice system’s discretion in employing diversion alternatives.

Cerebellar pathology has been associated with cognitive and affective deficits and cerebellar dysfunction may play a role in schizophrenia and autism spectrum disorder. Understanding how cerebellar abnormalities contribute to characteristic features of psychiatric disorders may pave the way to creating better therapies. One cerebellar output region, the lateral dentate nucleus (LDN), is associated with cognitive and affective roles in behavior. This region has reciprocal connections with the limbic system, where dopaminergic neurotransmission has been linked with psychiatric disorders. Cells expressing dopamine receptor-1 (D1R) can be found in the LDN, but their function is unknown. To determine whether D1R-expressing neurons in the LDN modulate cognitive, affective, and/or social behavior we used a pharmacogenetic approach in mice. Specifically, we conditionally expressed a yellow-florescent-protein--tagged HM4Di, the inhibitory DREADD Receptor (designer receptors exclusively activated by designer drugs) or green florescent protein (GFP) in D1R-expressing cells of the LDN by injecting mice expressing Cre recombinase, an enzyme used for precise gene expression manipulation, under control of the endogenous D1R gene (Drd1a^Cre/+) with conditional viral vectors. Systemic injection of the DREADD-specific ligand, Clozapine-N-Oxide (CNO), reversibly inhibits HM4Di-expressing cells allowing us to test their function in behavior. In the experiments I performed, in the presence of CNO, Drd1a^Cre/+; DNC-HM4 mice showed improved motor performance, decreased prepulse inhibition of acoustic startle reflex (a reflexive jolt triggered by sound), increased anxiety-like behavior in an elevated plus maze, reduced cognitive performance in a spatial navigation memory task, and impaired differentiation of novel and familiar mice compared to controls. No significant differences were seen between groups in an instrumental conditioning experiment, a measure of motivation for food reward. D1R-expressing neurons in the LDN influence specific cognitive, affective, and social behaviors. Alterations in dopaminoceptive neurons within specific cerebellar nuclei may play important roles in the etiology of symptoms of mental illness.

Women in the US are at risk for sexually transmitted infections (STIs) including HIV/AIDS when they engage in sexual risk behaviors (SRB), especially failure to use a condom during sexual intercourse. Women face unique pressures when the decision whether or not to have protected sex is made, and deal with these pressures using a variety of coping strategies. This ongoing study is designed to investigate the hypothesis that women who use coping strategies based on avoidance (e.g., escaping, forgetting, ignoring stressors) in their everyday lives are more likely to have sex without a condom. The study also examines the hypothesis that women who generally use coping strategies based on problem solving (e.g., confronting, planning for, and working to resolve stressors) are less likely to have sex without a condom. We recruited women from the University of Washington Psychology Department’s Online Subjects Pool. Data have been collected from 327 women during fall 2013 and winter 2014 quarters. Participants completed an online survey including a measure of coping strategies (i.e., Coping Strategy Indicator), read a hypothetical sexual scenario, and responded to questions about their intentions to engage in unprotected sex. Data were analyzed using linear regressions and we predicted a relationship between coping strategies and intention to use a condom. We predicted that those who reported using more avoidance coping strategies would be more likely to have unprotected sex, and those who reported using more problem solving coping strategies would be less likely to have unprotected sex. If a relationship between coping strategy and failure to use a condom is established, then interventions focused on teaching new coping strategies could be implemented to help decrease sexual risk behaviors and increase women’s sexual health.

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is characterized by varying degrees of challenges with social interaction, communication, and repetitive behaviors. Specifically, children with ASD exhibit deficits in joint attention, which is thought to contribute to language and social skill development. The early identification of precursors to joint attention impairment allows for an earlier diagnosis of ASD and may suggest new or refined targets for intervention. The Seattle Children’s SPARCS study (Studying the Physiology of Attention and Regulation in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders) focuses on the attention, regulation, and development of preschool aged children with neuro-typical development (TD, N=84) and ASD (N=84), enrolled between 24- to 59- months. In the SPARCS study Orient Task, participants were presented with four social and four non-social stimuli delivered by wall-mounted speakers. Joint attention probes were delivered by the examiner via point and gaze bids. If the child showed a head and/or eye turn toward the location of the stimulus and/or verbal/non-verbal acknowledgement of the sound, s/he was given orienting credit. Credit for response to joint attention (RJA) was given if the child makes eye-contact with the examiner and followed the point or gaze to the intended target. Data collection for the SPARCS study Orient Task is ongoing. Of 168 enrolled children, 71 have completed the Joint Orient Task. Preliminary valid data was analyzed for 14 ASD and 17 TD. Preliminary results suggested that children with ASD orient significantly less than TD children. We hypothesize that social orientating behavior may relate to joint attention and that joint attention skills may be a predictor of later socio-communicative development.
 

Previous research has found that social influences including descriptive norms (how much or how often a behavior is exhibited) and prototypes (images associated with individuals who engage in certain behaviors) have been shown to influence engagement in risky sexual behavior. Although these relationships are fairly well established, less is known about factors that might influence the strength of these relationships. One potential factor is sexual sensation seeking, which refers to one’s need or desire to have various, new, and complex sexual sensations and experiences. Given that individuals high in sexual sensation seeking have been shown to be more influenced by social factors, we hypothesize that sexual sensation seeking will moderate the relationship between two different forms of social influence (descriptive norms and prototypes) and sexual behavior such that the relationship between descriptive norms and behavior and prototypes and behavior will be stronger for those individuals higher in sexual sensation seeking. Data for the current study are drawn from a sample of 121 University of Washington undergraduate students, ages 21-30, (50.4% female) who completed an online survey regarding their health behaviors, with specific measures including the Sexual Sensation Seeking Scale, Alcohol-Related Sexual Behaviors Scale, Prototypes, and Perceived Sexual and Alcohol-Related Sexual Behaviors Scale. Moderation analyses using linear regression will be conducted in order to test whether sensation seeking moderates the social influence to behavior relationships as predicted above. Results from this study have the potential to inform methods aimed at preventing unwanted pregnancies and STI transmissions, lead to personalized treatment methods for those higher in sexual sensation seeking, as well as supplement current research looking at social influence and personality factors that influence risky sexual behavior.

Research has shown that among alcohol dependent individuals, there is a positive correlation between stress and alcohol craving and that coping motives for drinking are associated with increased alcohol consumption and related problems. However, the relationship between drinking motives, stress, and alcohol cravings has not been investigated in undergraduates. We hypothesize that the more stress people report feeling and the more they endorse drinking to cope, the more they will crave alcohol and experience more alcohol-related problems. Participants (N=506; ages 18-20 and 1st or 2nd-year undergraduates) completed a web-based survey as a part of a larger study. Measures included self-report assessments of stress, coping motives for drinking, alcohol craving, and alcohol-related problems. Both coping motives and stress were significantly and positively related to alcohol related problems. Inconsistent with our hypotheses, stress was a better predictor of alcohol-related problems in people who reported lower (versus higher) coping motives. Coping motives were positively related to craving, but stress was not. Finally, coping motives and stress did not interact to predict alcohol craving. Thus, results were not as expected. These findings suggest that coping motives and stress do not interact to predict alcohol cravings or alcohol-related problems in first and second year undergraduates. Sample differences may account for these unexpected results –for example, nearly half of our sample did not drink alcohol in the last three months. Similarly, those in our sample who do drink may not drink as much, may not have drank for as many years, and/or may not have experienced the same level of negative consequences as published studies of alcohol dependent individuals.

Previous research on young adults shows a negative relationship in college-aged students between alcohol-related behaviors and religiosity, giving evidence that religiosity acts as a protective barrier. Verifying that religiosity acts as protective behavior allows for a clearer understanding of possible strong deterrents towards risky alcohol-related behavior. To date no study has investigated religiosity and alcohol use in both the U.S. and Sweden, an international sample that is predominantly Christian and non-religious. The present analyses aims to compare the U.S. and Sweden in religious affiliation and alcohol use. Participants completed a baseline online survey as part of a larger trial that assessed risk behavior in adolescents. In the present analyses, the severity of alcohol use was measured with the 10-item Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test, alcohol related negative consequences was measured with the 18-item Young Adult Alcohol Problems Screening Test, and frequency of religious practices was measured with one-item. We predict a negative relationship between alcohol use and alcohol related negative consequences and religion. Regression analyses were run assessing the contribution religious affiliation has on alcohol use related problems. Analyses revealed a significant main effect of religious affiliation on AUDIT and YAAPST, such that religious affiliation was related to lower alcohol use severity and related negative consequences. This further establishes religiosity as a possible protective measure to alcohol related behaviors. Thus, religious affiliation may prevent alcohol use in adolescents. One limitation is how narrowly we tested religiosity. Future research might include investigation of religious groups such as “youth groups” or religious service attendance and alcohol use to activities holding similar properties to religious groups and behaviors.

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a developmental disorder characterized by deficits in communication, social skills, and repetitive behaviors. Statistics show that one in every 52 boys are diagnosed with Autism while only one in 252 girls are diagnosed with the disorder. Research shows that girls display lower communication skills independent of their age and cognitive functioning compared to their male counterparts. This study aims to identify if these gender differences in language ability can be identified prior to diagnosis. In this study, infants at high or low risk for autism were assessed via the Communication and Symbolic Behavior Scales (CSBS) at 12 and 18 months of age to identify various communication modes used by each infant. The videotaped interactions between the infant, clinician, and parent were coded offline by a group of trained undergraduates. The following communicative acts were defined and coded: (1) behavior regulation: the infant’s attempt to control some behavior of an individual around him/her; (2): social interaction: the infant’s ability to bring attention to him/herself; and (3) joint attention: the infant’s ability to bring attention to an object. Infants were evaluated for elevated autism symptoms at 24 months of age and differences in rates of communicative acts in males with elevated ASD at 24 months were compared to female infants with elevated ASD. We hypothesize that girls who go on to develop ASD will display significantly lower rates of communication acts at 12 and 18 months of age across all three communication domains compared to boys who go on to develop ASD. This study will contribute to a better understanding of how these symptoms might be different based on the sex of the infant. Understanding of how symptoms differ in males and females may have implications for the low rate of recognition of the disorder in females.