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The purpose of this study, originally, was to contribute to the completion of a meta-analysis conducted by Mara Wierstra from the University of Virginia. Wierstra had requested individual participant data from two separate studies conducted in our lab: "Acute bouts of assisted cycling improves cognitive and upper extremity movement functions

The purpose of this study, originally, was to contribute to the completion of a meta-analysis conducted by Mara Wierstra from the University of Virginia. Wierstra had requested individual participant data from two separate studies conducted in our lab: "Acute bouts of assisted cycling improves cognitive and upper extremity movement functions in adolescents with Down syndrome" and "Assisted Cycling Therapy (ACT) improves inhibition in adolescents with autism spectrum disorder." From the data requested, the participants were required to complete three separate tests (i.e., Tower of London, Trail Making Task and the Stroop Test). After compiling the data and sending it to her, we decided to conduct a small meta-analysis of our own, drawing connecting conclusions from the data from the two studies. We concluded that observationally our data suggest an advantage for ACT over voluntary cycling and no cycling across two separate populations (i.e., Autism Spectrum Disorder and Down syndrome), and across different measures of executive function (i.e., Stroop Test, Trail Making Test, and Tower of London). The data suggest that the ACT interventions may promote the upregulation of neurotropic factors leading to neurogenesis in the prefrontal cortex of the brain.
ContributorsParker, Cade Joseph (Author) / Ringenbach, Shannon (Thesis director) / Holzapfel, Simon (Committee member) / School of Nutrition and Health Promotion (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2016-12
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Description

The purpose of this project was to research the expression of Autism Spectrum Disorder in children and create a children’s book that can help the peers of individuals with a diagnosis to understand what the disorder entails and potentially gain a new sense of empathy for peers of all levels

The purpose of this project was to research the expression of Autism Spectrum Disorder in children and create a children’s book that can help the peers of individuals with a diagnosis to understand what the disorder entails and potentially gain a new sense of empathy for peers of all levels of physical and mental abilities. The research component includes interviews with individuals deemed knowledgeable about ASD, including occupational therapists, behavioral analysts, and parents, as well as a literature review of research studies on the expression of Autism in children. This written portion of the project may also serve as a manual for individuals who have little to no knowledge of ASD, as it dives deeper into the content of the book and research, while remaining easily understandable and clear to those without any prior knowledge or experience with ASD. It could prove especially useful for those in professions that come into contact with individuals with Autism, but do not necessarily require psychology courses or training as a prerequisite for the role, such as teachers and some health professionals.

ContributorsSigna, Hope (Author) / Nelson, Elizabeth (Thesis director) / Spinrad, Tracy (Committee member) / Department of Psychology (Contributor) / Sanford School of Social and Family Dynamics (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2021-05
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Description
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder that not only affects communication and behavior with often co-occurring gastrointestinal (GI) issues such as constipation and diarrhea. Recent studies have shown that many GI and behavioral symptoms in individuals with ASD are linked to dysregulated immune systems and altered gut microbiomes

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder that not only affects communication and behavior with often co-occurring gastrointestinal (GI) issues such as constipation and diarrhea. Recent studies have shown that many GI and behavioral symptoms in individuals with ASD are linked to dysregulated immune systems and altered gut microbiomes (bacteria and fungi). In fungal microbiota, a common GI commensal and opportunistic pathogen, Candida, has been found in higher abundance in children with ASD. Few studies have investigated total IgA and IgG levels in both blood and feces of ASD individuals with relatively mixed findings, showing either significantly higher or lower IgG and IgA abundance in ASD vs. TD (typically developing) individuals. Mixed results are likely due to a lack of a standardized method of immunoglobulin (Ig) quantification. In this study, we attempt to standardize an enzyme-linked immunoassay (ELISA) procedure to measure total IgA, total IgG, and anti-Candida albicans IgA and IgG levels in fecal samples of adults with ASD. Measuring Ig levels can reflect altered gut microbiota, GI tract, and immune status in ASD and potentially characterize Ig as a biomarker for ASD. Although we were unable to successfully standardize an Ig ELISA quantification method, SDS-PAGE confirmed the presence of IgA in fecal Ig extracts. Based on our ELISA results, we suspect that dilution factors of fecal Ig extracts need to be modified further to detect the IgA within the detection range. The experimental methodology in this study can be used as a reference to develop and improve a full-proof method of quantifying immunoglobulin from ASD fecal samples, which will help to reveal immune status in ASD.
ContributorsMarwah, Mira (Author) / Campos, Nicole (Co-author) / Krajmalnik-Brown, Rosa (Thesis director) / Nirmalkar, Khemlal (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / School of Life Sciences (Contributor) / Department of Psychology (Contributor)
Created2022-05