My scholarship follows two main paths, one involves the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning and the other relates to sex differences and learning in rodents.
Scholarship of Teaching and Learning
Deanne Buffalari, Joyce J. Fernandes, Leah Chase, Barbara Lom, Matthew S. McMurray, Mary E. Morrison, and Amy Jo Stavnezer (2020). Integrating Research into the Undergraduate Curriculum: 1. Early Research Experiences and Training. Journal of Undergraduate Neuroscience Education, 19(1), A52-A63.
Mary E. Morrison, Barbara Lom, Deanne Buffalari, Leah Chase, Joyce J. Fernandes, Matthew S. McMurray, & Amy Jo Stavnezer (2020). Integrating Research into the Undergraduate Curriculum: 2. Scaffolding Research Skills and Transitioning toward Independent Research. Journal of Undergraduate Neuroscience Education, 19(1), A64-A74.
Leah Chase#, Matthew McMurray#, Amy Jo Stavnezer#, Deanne Buffalari, Joyce J. Fernandes, Barbara Lom, Mary E. Morrison (2020). Integrating Research into the Undergraduate Curriculum: 3. Research Training in the Upper-level Neuroscience Curriculum. Journal of Undergraduate Neuroscience Education, 19(1), A75-A88. (#designates co-first authorship)
Stavnezer, A.J. & Lom, B. (2019). Student-led Recaps and Retrieval Practice: A Simple Classroom Activity Emphasizing Effective Learning Strategies. Journal of Undergraduate Neuroscience Education, 18(1), A1-A14.
Yates, J.R. & Stavnezer, A.J. (2014). Engaging Undergraduate Summer Research Students and Faculty in a Regional Neuroscience Network. Journal of Undergraduate Neuroscience Education, 13(1), A45-A51.
Karaszia, B. T. Stavnezer, A.J, & Reeves, J.* Graduate admissions in Clinical Neuropsychology: The importance of undergraduate training. Archives of Clinical Neuropsychology, online advanced access.
Evert. D., Goodwin, G. & Stavnezer, A.J. (2005). Integration of computer technology into an introductory level neuroscience laboratory. Teaching of Psychology, 32(1), 69-73.
Conference Presentations
Stavnezer, A.J. & Lom, B. (2019). Student-led Recaps and Retrieval Practice: A Simple Classroom Activity Emphasizing Effective Learning Strategies. Society for Neuroscience Abstracts.
Yates, J.R. & Stavnezer, A.J. (2015). A Summer Seminar Series with Five Regional Neuroscience Programs. Society for Neuroscience Abstracts.
Stavnezer, A.J. & Yates, J.R. (2014). A Summer Seminar Series with Five Regional Neuroscience Programs. Poster Presentation, Faculty for Undergraduate Neuroscience Pedagogical Conference, Ithaca College.
Rodent Research
I have had the opportunity to work with mice that are genetically manipulated to be “sex-reversed” (also referred to as the four-core genotype model) that allows for an independent investigation of gonadal hormone levels and sex chromosome status on known sex differences in rodents. More recently, I’ve taken part in research to determine if hormone replacement therapy in a rodent model of menopause is differentially affected by previous pregnancies and to explore the impact of dietary supplements and enrichment on mice transgenically manipulated to express genes for Alzheimer’s Disease.
Williams Hall of Life Sciences has a vertebrate animal facility with a total of 16 separate holding, testing and storage rooms. These include three flight enclosures for zebra finches, two rodent colony rooms, three testing rooms with video capture technology and associated computers and software, four additional flexible testing/holding spaces, a separate surgical suite with an Isoflurane anesthesia system, and a cage wash room with an automated Lynx cage washer. The Neuroscience program and Biology department share a full-time animal care technician. In terms of behavioral assays, we have several large tubs that can accommodate Morris water maze and water radial arm maze, in addition to a Barnes maze, open field, elevated plus maze, three Med Associates rodent nose poke chambers, and a pair of Columbus Instruments PACS boxes. The Neuroscience program has a license for Noldus EthoVision 14 to digitize all videos for maze analysis and the college has a site license for SPSS for data analysis.
Kirchner, M.*, & Stavnezer, A.J. (2014). Activation of CB1 Receptors May Provide an Effective Treatment for Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. IMPULSE (The Premier Journal for Undergraduate Publications in the Neurosciences): http://impulse.appstate.edu/issues/2014.
Stoelzel, C.R., Stavnezer A.J, Denenberg, V.H.,Ward, M., Markus, E.J. (2002). The effects of aging and dorsal hippocampal lesions: Performance on spatial and nonspatial comparable versions of the water maze. Neurobiology of Learning & Memory, 78(2), 217-233.
Stavnezer, A.J., Hyde. L.A., Bimonte, H.A., Armstrong, C.M. & Denenberg, V.H. (2002). Differential learning strategies in spatial and nonspatial versions of the Morris water maze in the C57BL/6J inbred mouse strain. Behavioural Brain Research, 133, 261-270.
Hyde, L.A., Stavnezer, A. J., Bimonte, H.A., Sherman, G.F. & Denenberg, V.H. (2002) Spatial and nonspatial Morris maze learning: impaired behavioral flexibility in mice with ectopias located in the prefrontal cortex. Behavioural Brain Research, 133, 247-259.
Stavnezer, A.J., McDowell, C.S., Hyde, L.A., Bimonte, H.A., Balogh, S.A, Hoplight, B.J. & Denenberg, V.H. (2000). Spatial ability of XY sex-reversed female mice. Behavioural Brain Research, 112(1-2), 135-143.
Hyde, L.A., Sherman, G.F., Stavnezer, A.J. & Denenberg, V.H. (2000). The effects of neocortical ectopias on Lashley III water maze learning in NZB mice. Brain Research, 887(2): 482-483.
Bimonte, H.A., Mack, C.M., Stavnezer, A.J. & Denenberg, V.H. (2000). Ovarian hormones can organize the rat corpus callosum in adulthood, Developmental Brain Research, 121(2), 169-177.
Balogh, S.A., McDowell, C.S., Stavnezer, A.J. & Denenberg, V.H (1999). A behavioral and neuroanatomical assessment of an inbred substrain of 129 mice with behavioral comparisons to C57BL/6J mice. Brain Research, 836, 38-48.
Mack, C.M., Fitch, R.H., Hyde, L.A., Seaman, A.J., Bimonte, H.A., Wei, W. & Denenberg, V.H. (1996). Lack of activational influence of ovarian hormones on the size of the female rat’s corpus callosum. Physiology and Behavior, 60, 431-434.
Conference Presentations:
Brandon, R.*, Ponder, C.*, & Stavnezer, A.J. (2017). The effects of hormone replacement therapy on learning and member in multiparous Sprague Dawley rats. Faculty for Undergraduate Neuroscience poster session during the Society for Neuroscience conference.
Mey, M.*, Brandon, R.*, Paveskovic, M.* & Stavnezer, A.J. (2016). The influence of parity on hormone replacement efficacy in a rat model of menopause. Society for Neuroscience Abstracts.
Wortman, R.* and Stavnezer, AJ. (2015). The Therapeutic Effects of Environmental and Physical Enrichment on Motor Behavior Function in a 6-OHDA Rat Model of Parkinson’s Disease. Society for Neuroscience Abstracts.
Mey, M.* and Stavnezer, A.J. (2015). Does Hormone Replacement Therapy Efficacy Change with Prior Pregnancies. Faculty for Undergraduate Neuroscience poster session during the Society for Neuroscience conference.
Stavnezer, A.J. (2014). Behavioral Phenotypes Differ Depending on Background Mouse Strain. Society for Neuroscience Abstracts.
Stavnezer, A.J. & Kirchner, M.* (2013). Activation of CB1 receptors decreases marble burying and is unaffected by co-administered 5HT antagonist. Society for Neuroscience Abstracts.
Stavnezer, A.J. & Peters, K.* (2012). Sex differences in cortical thickness influenced assessed in the four core genotype mouse model. Society for Neuroscience Abstracts, 90.20.
Stavnezer, A.J., Lang, R.*, Wadman, E.*, & Fenster, C.P. (2011). Effects of perinatal PCB and BPA on neuroendocrine and behavioral responses. Society for Neuroscience Abstracts, 190.12.
Stavnezer, A.J., Weigand, P.K.*, Burden, C.E.*, & Wright, E.N.* (2008). Correlation between maternal anogenital licking and adult maze learning in mice. Society for Neuroscience Abstracts, 281.25.
Wright, E.N.*, Stavnezer, A.J., & Thompson, C.R. (2008). Maternal care in sex-reversed mice. Society for Neuroscience Abstracts, 795.21.
Stavnezer, A.J. and Kim, Y.* (2007). Increased estrogen during proestrous decreases freezing during contextual fear conditioning in normally cycling female rats. Society for Neuroscience Abstracts, 309.9.
Gaines, R.*, Becker, L.*, Weigand, P.* & Stavnezer, A.J. (2007). The effect of sex chromosomes on activity and cognitive measures in sex-reversed mice. Faculty for Undergraduate Neuroscience poster session during the Society for Neuroscience conference.
Weigand, P.*, Gaines, R.*, Stavnezer, A.J., & Neuhoff, J. (2007). Auditory perception and spatial ability across the menstrual cycle. Faculty for Undergraduate Neuroscience poster session during the Society for Neuroscience conference.
Stavnezer, A.J. and Wright, E.N.* (2007). No sex chromosome effect on spatial ability or aggression in sex-reversed mice. Association for Psychological Science Conference.
Wright, E.N.* and Stavnezer, A.J. (2007). Further evidence of sex differences in activity levels and spatial ability in C57BL/6J mice. Association for Psychological Science Conference.
Stavnezer, A.J. Hess, S.* & Segovis, C.* (2005). Further exploration of gender phenotype and sex chromosome influences on rodent spatial learning. Society for Neuroscience Abstracts, 778.7.
Arora, A,* and Stavnezer, A.J. (2004). Performance of NR2B Transgenic Mice on Two Versions of the Hebb-Williams Apparatus. Society for Neuroscience Abstracts, 28.
Stavnezer, A.J. (2004). Incorporating Neuroscience Examples into Introduction to Psychology. National Institute on the Teaching of Psychology Conference.
Evert, D., Goodwin, G. & Stavnezer, A.J. (2002). Presentation of an Introductory Level Neuroscience Course with Interactive Lab. National Institute on the Teaching of Psychology Conference.
Stavnezer, A.J. & Denenberg, V.H. (2000). Sex differences in spatial working memory in the C57BL/6J mouse strain. Society for Neuroscience Abstracts, 26, 2245.
Stavnezer, A.J., Galle, K.T.*, Balogh, S.A. & Denenberg, V.H. (1999). A behavioral and neuroanatomical characterization of the 129/J inbred mouse strain. Society for Neuroscience Abstracts, 25, 640.
Stoelzel, C.R.*, Stavnezer, A.J., Marchillo, S., Carlson, J., Denenberg, V.H. & Markus, E.J. (1999). A reference water maze task comparable in difficulty to the Morris maze: effects of age and hippocampal lesions. Society for Neuroscience Abstracts, 25, 1627.
Stavnezer, A.J., Hyde, L.A. & Denenberg, V.H. (1998). A new non-spatial version of the Morris water maze: using intra-maze patterned cues, not a visible platform. Society for Neuroscience Abstracts, 24, 439.
Stavnezer, A.J., McDowell, C. S., Balogh, S. A., Bimonte, H. A., McGivern, R. F. & Denenberg, V. H. (1998). Independent effects of testosterone and the Y chromosome on spatial learning. Brain Research, 809, A31.
Bimonte, H.A., Stavnezer, A.J., & Denenberg, V.H. (1998). The sensitive window for ovarian hormone effects on the rat corpus callosum extends post-pubertally. Society for Neuroscience Abstracts, 24, 548.
Seaman, A.J. & Denenberg, V.H. (1997). XY females are better at Morris maze learning than XX females: a replication. Society of Neuroscience Abstracts, 23, 2124.
Seaman, A.J. & Denenberg, V.H. (1996). Sex differences: distinguishing between genotype and phenotype. Society of Neuroscience Abstracts, 22, 2082.
Boehm, G.W., Goss, M.W., Seaman, A.J., Galaburda, A.M., Denenberg, V.H. & Sherman, G. F. (1995). Ultrastructural analysis of neocortical ectopias in NXSM-D recombinant inbred mice. Society for Neuroscience Abstracts, 21, 1712.
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Can you find your way through the maze? That’s what we ask our rodents to do!
