Ikponmwosa Pat-Osagie
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Hi, my name is Ikponmwosa Pat-Osagie I am a senior and Psychology major at Hunter College. I am currently studying the addictive nature of anorexia nervosa in the Aoki Lab at New York University. My question is, how do anorexia nervosa patients become addicted to exercise? I
target the Mu Opioid Receptor (MOR) as well as the Delta Opioid Receptor (DOR) that are located in the nucleus accumbens (Nacb), a brain region implicated in addiction. We use ABA mice, a paradigm that has been known to mimic the components of anorexia nervosa in mice. There is little research on these receptors in this area, so we seek to determine how these opioid receptors play a role in addiction. By determining its role, we can counteract its behavior, helping in the treatment of anorexia nervosa. My goal is to receive my doctorate in behavioral neuroscience and further study addiction but this time in human patients. I am also interested in memory formation and decision-making; asking questions like, why are some memories more salient than others and how do these memories consciously or unconsciously effect the decisions we make. Questions like these have far reaching implications on our understanding of human behavior, which is why I am so excited to continue my educational journey. |