Author Type

Graduate Student

Date of Award

2021

Document Type

Thesis

Publication Status

Version of Record

Submission Date

October 2026

Thesis/Dissertation Advisor [Chair]

Binninger, David

Abstract

Methionine sulfoxide reductase (MSR) is an important antioxidant to help mitigate oxidative stress that contributes to age-associated neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer’s Disease and Parkinson’s Disease. In MSR deficient Drosophila melanogaster (fruit flies), larvae show a developmental delay like that seen when wild-type larvae are reared on nutrient deficit culture medium. These investigators further showed that serotonin levels were depressed in these nutrient deficient larvae. The overarching aim of this study was to better understand the role of serotonin in MSR regulated physiology. Supplementing food with serotonin partially rescued the slower mouth hook movements (MHM) observed in the MSR-deficient flies. However, supplementation with serotonin altering drugs that cross the blood brain barrier (5-hydroxytryptophan, fluoxetine, or paravi chlorophenylalanine) did not rescue MHM and caused impairments to the growth of larvae during development. This study indicates that serotonin regulates feeding behavior partially through the regulation of MSR production but acts independently to regulate development.

Extent

62 p.

Comments

Includes bibliography.|Thesis (M.S.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2021.|FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection|Includes bibliography.

Identifier

FA00013761

Format

pdf

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