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Hannah Chandy is a senior at Dulles High School. During her time in high school, she served as a secretary of the Mayor's Youth Commission, an event coordinator of Red Cross, an officer of Operation Smile and an inducted member of multiple honor societies. She is also heavily involved in her church community and youth group and is recognized as an AP scholar with distinction and Academic Excellence. The GT Mentorship program has instilled valuable skillsets for Hannah, most notably professionalism and critical thinking, and through her interactions with her mentor, she has learned many practical and field related skills beneficial for her future both in college and beyond. She is planning on attending the University of Houston as a psychology major next fall.
Be the change.
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Mentor
Dr. Vaishnav Krishnan
The Laboratory of Epilepsy and Emotional Behavior, led by Vaishnav Krishnan, M.D., Ph.D., is devoted to advancing our knowledge of the basic neurobiological mechanisms that underlie the strong associations between epilepsy and mental health disorders.
Project Abstract
Depression, known clinically as major depressive disorder (MDD), is a syndrome distinguished by recurring episodes of at least one of two core symptoms, depressed mood and anhedonia, as well as at least four other additional symptoms. Because complications arise when attempting to research into the underlying etiology of the disorder, since it is diagnosed on a symptom to symptom basis, animal models of depression, which are a combination of a stress or environmental manipulation and behavioral assays, are employed. In this research review showcase, the history and successes of animal models as well as the impact of behavioral assays in the field as a whole were explored. Furthermore, three relevant animal models of depression, specifically the Social Defeat Stress Model (SDS), the Changes in Diet Model, and the Unpredictable Chronic Stress Model (UCSM), were assessed for their respective validities, complications and possible improvements.
