Rory Spence

Graduate Student, Department of Physiological Science and Laboratory of Neuroendocrinology, Brain Research Institute, UCLA.

Principle Research Interests:
Estrogen treatment shows benefits in cognitive processes associated with the
cerebellum. In particular visiospatial functions, working verbal memory, and sequential learning have showed an increase in function under estrogen replacement therapy. However, there is little current evidence as to how estrogen specifically aids these cognitive processes. My research interests include identifying the cellular mechanisms that might relate to neural repair of cerebellar lesioned zebra finches under estradiol. I also use BrdU to measure mitotic activity at the lesioned site. Motor and cognitive behavioral testing is also used to identify further effects of estrogens.

E-mail: rory.spence@ucla.edu

Education:
B.S. in Neurobiology, Physiology and Behavior at University of California at Davis

Currently M.S. studies in Physiological Sciences at Uniersity of California at LosAngeles

Published abstracts:

“The Avian Cerebellum: Neuroanatomical and Hormonal Adaptations for Complex Mating Displays.” The 2006 Meeting of the J.B. Johnston Club and the Eighteenth Annual Karger Workshop. Brain Behav Evol 2006;68:109–116

(2004) “Pro-inflammatory Cytokines and NO inhibit Prolactin (PRL) Mitogenic Effect on Lymphocytes: Implications on PRL receptor proliferation. Society for Free Radical Biology and Medicine” St. Thomas Islands, USA. ID #743