Document Type
Restricted
Advisor
E. Carla Parker-Athill
Publication Date
2025
Abstract
Chronic Stress can be caused by a variety of environmental factors, including factors such as persistent racism or sexism. We are currently in the midst of a chronic stress epidemic, so what does this mean for autoimmune disorders? Here, we focus on the potential impact that stress may have on multiple sclerosis via microglial cell behavior. Given the role of microglial cells in multiple sclerosis, a phagocytosis assay was performed to understand how stress may impact microglial activity. It was observed that cortisol levels impact phagocytic behavior in a negative parabolic fashion, with higher levels still having increased phagocytic behavior overall. RT-qPCR was also performed to observe the expression of relevant genes at different cortisol concentrations and different time points, with the results remaining somewhat unclear. Overall, potential relationships between chronic stress and microglial behavior were observed, which may have implications for disorders such as multiple sclerosis, but further studies must be conducted to find more definitive answers.
Recommended Citation
Nelson, Emily, "The Impacts of Stress on Microglial Behavior: Potential Implications for Multiple Sclerosis" (2025). Behavioral Neuroscience Honors Papers. 18.
https://digitalcommons.conncoll.edu/bneurosciencehp/18
The views expressed in this paper are solely those of the author.
Comments
Access to this paper is restricted to the Connecticut College campus.