Start Date: | 2/3/2016 | Start Time: | 11:00 AM |
End Date: | 2/3/2016 | End Time: | 1:00 PM |
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Event Description
BIOMED PhD Research Proposal
Title: Mitochondrial DNA Variation and Cognition
Speaker: Ashley Azar, PhD candidate, School of Biomedical Engineering, Science and Health Systems
Advisor: Christian Sell, PhD, Associate Professor in the Dept. of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, Drexel College of Medicine
Abstract: Evolutionary divergence of the mitochondrial genome has given rise to distinct haplogroups. These haplogroups have arisen in specific geographical locations and create subtle functional changes in the mitochondria that are thought to provide evolutionary advantage in a given environment. Based on these functional differences, it is thought that haplogroups may define disease susceptibility in chronic settings, though evidence for this differential susceptibility has been lacking.
In this study, we undertook a detailed neuropsychological analysis of a cohort of long-term HIV-1 positive individuals in conjunction with sequencing of the mitochondrial genome. Stepwise regression analysis identified sub-haplogroup as one of the strongest predictors of psychomotor speed and dexterity function over time since the start of therapy. Consistent with this, patients with haplogroup L3e obtained better scores on psychomotor speed and dexterity tasks relative to the remainder of the cohort, suggesting that this haplogroup provides a protective advantage to these individuals when faced with the combined stress of HIV-1 infection and long-term antiretroviral therapies. Differential performance on declarative memory tasks was noted for individuals with other sub-L haplogroups, but these differences were not as robust as the association between L3e and psychomotor speed and dexterity tasks. This work provides evidence that mitochondrial haplogroup impacts differential sensitivity to neurological dysfunction among patients in chronic disease settings, such as HIV-1 infection. |
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Location: Bossone Research Enterprise Center, Room 302, located at 32nd and Market Streets. |
Audience: Undergraduate StudentsGraduate StudentsFacultyStaff |
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