Honors Thesis Archive
| Author | Hannah Marcin |
|---|---|
| Title | The Effects of N-Acetylcysteine on Gene Expression in Induced OCD-like Behavior in Mice |
| Department | Biology |
| Advisor | Michelle McWhorter |
| Year | 2024 |
| Honors | University Honors |
| Full Text | View Thesis (1552 KB) |
| Abstract | Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, or OCD, is a disorder characterized by intrusive thoughts and repetitive actions (Couto et al., 2018), and affects about 2-3% of the U.S. population (“What is obsessive-compulsive disorder”, 2024). Although there are no molecular concrete causes of OCD, it is thought that abnormalities in the glutamate and serotonin pathways may have large impacts on the symptoms that cause OCD. Furthermore, there are many genes that may have a linkage to OCD and its comorbidities. Currently, as a main treatment SSRIs may be combined with anti-psychotic drugs such as Risperdal, but they are only effective about 40%- 60% of the time (Allen et al., 2018). Cognitive Behavioral Therapy can also be used in combination as a treatment for OCD. There have been studies in both mice and humans that suggest N-Acetylcysteine, or NAC, may be useful in reducing OCD symptoms (CITATION). Mice were exposed to NAC for 1 or 3 weeks, and then injected with a saline or RU42969 (5HT1A/1B agonist) to induce OCD-like symptoms. They were then observed behaviorally, and their cDNA was harvested. The involvement of different genes in NAC and OCD pathways is not completely known. Therefore, qPCR was used to test the expression of seven different genes—DRD2, GRIK2, SLC1A2, HTR2A, MAOA, PRL, and OXTR—and their connection to OCD and NAC. Two of the seven genes (28.6%) that were studied were significantly affected by 1 Week NAC + OCD. Two of the seven genes (28.6%) were significantly affected by 3 Week NAC + OCD. Three of the seven genes (42.9%) were significantly affected by 3 Week H20 + OCD. Overall, the results suggest that many of the genes we looked at are not necessarily involved in the NAC pathways but perhaps are involved in the OCD pathway. More research is needed to determine the genes that are significantly affected by NAC on its own, and further research can be done to strengthen the literature on interactions between these genes and OCD. |
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