2022-05-062022-05-062022https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12503/30886Ischemic strokes are a leading cause of disability in humans, which can result in decreased motor function, impaired cognition, and emotional disturbances. Currently, there are only two approved treatment options available: administering a tissue plasminogen activator or performing a surgical thrombectomy. Both treatment options are limited by time constraints, making it difficult to treat stroke patients effectively. PNU 120596, a positive allosteric modulator of the alpha 7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (a7 nAChR), has previously exhibited increased motor function in male stroke model rats. However, research on the effects of this novel drug on female rats has not been conducted. We hypothesize PNU 120596 will improve both motor and cognitive function in female rats. We will study this using behavioral tests, such as Rotarod and Barnes maze, on a middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) stroke in both male and female Sprague Dawley rats. Depending on these results, we will further confirm our findings using either Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) or brain tissue staining to support or disprove our hypothesis.enpresentation