People at IBG

Faculty Researchers Graduate Students Research Personnel Administrative Personnel Alumni

Jessica Hanson

Postdoctoral Trainee

Institute for Behavioral Genetics

447 UCB
Boulder, CO 80309-0447

Research Interests:

My goal under NIMH training grant funding is to elucidate mechanisms of AKT1 function on the physiology and behavior of genetically modified mice. AKT1 is proposed as possible node of dysfunction in both schizophrenia and Alzheimer's Disease.

Mentor:

Charles Hoeffer

Additional Resources:

Publications

Google scholar

Highlighted publications

RCAN1 mediates the circadian periodicity but not the photic entrainment of wheel running

RCAN1 knockout and overexpression recapitulate an ensemble of rest-activity and circadian disruptions characteristic of Down syndrome, Alzheimer’s disease, and normative aging

To the best of our knowledge, the present study is the first to demonstrate that both abolition and amplification of RCAN1 expression elicit an ensemble of Down Syndrome (DS)-, Alzheimer's Disease(AD)-, and aging-like alterations in the diurnal and circadian patterns, periodicities, and rhythmicities of locomotion in young mice. Based on these novel findings, we posit that changes to RCAN1 levels in the brain throughout aging may perturb light-entrained diurnal and circadian activity, which could in turn contribute to aging-related cognitive impairments and/or AD progression. Accordingly, RCAN1 overexpression beginning during development in DS may be a mediator of the early appearance of circadian activity disturbances and the accelerated onset of AD- and aging-associated neurodegeneration within the DS population.

(Journal of Neurodevelopmental Disorders, 2022)

Main menu

Search