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Senior neuroscience major presents at undergraduate research conference

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Posted on Friday, May 19, 2023

A Westminster College neuroscience major recently presented research at the 50th annual Western Pennsylvania Undergraduate Psychology Conference (WPUPC) held at Thiel College in Greenville, Pa., on April 29.  

Aidan Guzma, a senior from Clinton, Pa., presented his research “Effect of Short-term Hormone Treatment on the Behavioral Anxiety Response in Adult Zebrafish when Exposed to Acute Stress.” 

Guzma assigned three groups of zebrafish over a 14-day treatment period that included a control group, a group receiving 17-Bestradiol hormone treatment and a group receiving 11-ketotestosterone hormone treatment.  

All zebrafish were exposed to acute stress of net chasing for two minutes and then were placed in a novel tank to measure behavioral responses such as transition time to the upper portion of the tank—latency period—total transition to the upper tank, total time spend in upper portion of the tank and number of freezing bouts.  

Guzma’s research was accompanied by Dr. Deanne Buffalari, associate professor of neuroscience at Westminster.  

Mayson Everette, a junior psychology major from Rochester, Pa., and Dr. Loreen Huffman, Westminster psychology lecturer, also attended the conference.  

The WPUPC provides students opportunities in a supportive academic environment while allowing students to grow as individuals, students and psychologists. 

For more information on the Westminster psychology department, click here.