Dissertation Defense Announcement

The College of Arts and Sciences announces the final dissertation defense of 

Michele Calton

for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy

June 30, 2016 at 1:00 pm in 208, Psychology Building 

Major Advisor: Helen Sable, PhD

Compensatory Respiratory Effects in Three Mouse Models of Developmental Cerebellar Neuropathology during Exposure to and Recovery from Hypoxic and Hypercapnic Challenges

ABSTRACT: Sudden unexplained death likely results from cardiorespiratory failure in response to an exogenous stressor. The chemosensitive fastigial nuclei of the cerebellum (primarily innervated by cerebellar Purkinje cells) may play a specific compensatory cardiorespiratory role to exogenous stressors. This study examined the compensatory respiratory patterns of three animal models of developmental cerebellar Purkinje cell neuropathology in whole body plethysmography during normal and stressed conditions. Mutant animals were slower to respond to and recover from stressed conditions and exhibited disordered breathing during recovery compared to wildtypes. The precise role of this neuropathology, commonly found in sudden death victims, should be further investigated.