SPD-SWG Participants

Bauman, Margaret L., MD

Title: Medical Director
Department: Department of Pediatrics
Institution: Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) Ladders, Harvard Medical School
Mailing Address: 65 Walnut Street, Suite 260-A, Wellesley, MA 02481
Phone: (781) 449-6074
Website: www.ladders.org

Research Interests

Dr. Bauman's research Interests include the study of the microscopic brain structure in autism, Rett syndrome, and other disorders of neurological development, including Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD).

SPD Research Summary

Dr. Bauman and colleagues are completing histoanatomic observations of the brain in nicotine treated rats. Previous studies have shown that nicotine improves auditory sensory gating as measured by pre-pulse inhibition in animals. Additional studies suggest that GABA agonists may attenuate symptoms of sensory defensiveness. This study is neuroanatomically surveying the brains of nicotine treated Sprague Dawley rats in comparison to age and sex-matched controls using histoanatomic and immunocytochemical techniques. She suspects that in the nicotine treated rats, microscopic structural abnormalities will be found in specific brain regions and will co-exist with cholinergic and GABAergic systems differences compared to controls. Identification of specific brain regions and neurotransmitter systems associated with auditory sensory gating will localize these areas and expand our understanding of the neurobiological mechanisms of processing of sensory information.

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