Antigone A. Grillakis
Graduate Research Assistant at The Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine
PhD Candidate in Neuroscience Graduate Program at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences
The Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine
https://www.linkedin.com/company/hjf
I use preclinical models to study the effect of repeated mild traumatic brain injury on sensorimotor function and inflammation in the brain.
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Graduate Research Assistant
Doctor of Philosophy
Neuroscience
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Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences
https://www.linkedin.com/school/uniformed-services-university-of-the-health-scienc/
Bachelor's Degree
Relevant Coursework:
•	BIOL302: Molecular and General Genetics with Lab
•	STAT350: Statistics with Applications in Biological Sciences
•	CHEM351: Organic Chemistry I with Lab
•	BIOL442: Developmental Biology with Lab
•	BIOL451: Neurobiology
Biology
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University of Maryland Baltimore County
https://www.linkedin.com/school/university-of-maryland-baltimore-county/
Bachelor's Degree
Relevant Coursework:
•	PSYC201: Psychological Statistics
•	PSYC203: Research Methods in Psychology
•	NEUR303: Advanced Seminar in the Neurosciences
•	PSYC314: Drugs, Brains, and Behavior
•	BIOL380: Topics in Biology – Sensory Biology with Lab
•	PSYC422: Biological Psychology with Lab
•	PSYC424: Cognitive Psychology with Lab
•	PSYC490: Senior Seminar
Psychology, Neuroscience
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St. Mary's College of Maryland
https://www.linkedin.com/school/st.-mary's-college-of-maryland/
National Neurotrauma Society
Member
Society for Neuroscience
Member
Gait disruptions following traumatic brain injury (TBI) are noted in the clinical population. To date, thorough analysis of gait changes in animal models of TBI to allow for correlation of pathological alterations and utilization of this as a therapeutic outcome have been limited. We therefore assessed gait using the DigiGait analysis system as well as overall locomotion using the Beam Walk test in adult male Sprague-Dawley rats following a commonly used model of TBI, parietal lobe controlled cortical impact (CCI). Rats underwent DigiGait baseline analysis 24 h prior to injury, followed by a moderate CCI in the left parietal lobe. Performance on the DigiGait was then assessed at 1, 3, 7, and 14 days post-injury, followed by histological analysis of brain tissue. Beam walk analysis showed a transient but significant impairment acutely after injury. Despite observance of gait disturbance in the clinical population, TBI in the parietal lobe of rats resulted in limited alterations in hind or forelimb function. General hindlimb locomotion showed significant but transient impairment. Significant changes in gait were observed to last through the sub-acute period, including right hindpaw angle of rotation and left forelimb and right hindlimb swing phase duration. Slight changes that did not reach statistical significant but may reflect subtle impacts of TBI on gait were reflected in several other measures, such as stride duration, stance duration and stance width. These results demonstrate that moderate-severe injury to the parietal cortex and underlying structures including corpus callosum, hippocampus, thalamus and basal ganglia result in slight changes to gait that can be detected using the Digigait analysis system.
Gait analysis in a rat model of traumatic brain injury
Behavioural Brain Research
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S016643282100098X?via%3Dihub
Closed-head traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a worldwide concern with increasing prevalence and cost to society. Rotational acceleration is a primary mechanism in TBI that results from tissue strains that give rise to diffuse axonal injury. The Closed-Head Impact Model of Engineered Rotational Acceleration (CHIMERA) was recently introduced as a method for the study of impact acceleration effects in pre-clinical TBI research. This review provides a survey of the published literature implementing the CHIMERA device and describes pathological, imaging, neurophysiological, and behavioral findings. Findings show CHIMERA inflicts damage in white matter tracts as a key area of injury. Behaviorally, repeated studies have shown motor deficits and more chronic cognitive effects after CHIMERA injury. Good progress with model application has been accomplished by investigators attending to what is required for model validation. However, the majority of CHIMERA studies only utilize adult male mice. To further establish this model, more work with female animals and various age groups need to be performed, as well as studies to further establish and standardize methodologies for validation of the models for clinical relevance. Common data elements to standardize the reporting methodology for the CHIMERA literature are suggested.
The closed-head impact model of engineered rotational acceleration (CHIMERA) as an application for traumatic brain injury pre-clinical research: A status report
Experimental Neurology
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0014488620302405?via%3Dihub
There is strong evidence to suggest a link between repeated head trauma and cognitive and emotional disorders, and Repetitive concussive brain injuries (rCBI) may also be a risk factor for depression and anxiety disorders. Animal models of brain injury afford the opportunity for controlled study of the effects of injury on functional outcomes. In this study, male and cycling female C57BL/6J mice sustained rCBI (3x) at 24-hr intervals and were tested in a context and cued fear conditioning paradigm, open field (OF), elevated zero maze and tail suspension test. All mice with rCBI showed less freezing behavior than sham control mice during the fear conditioning context test. Injured male, but not female mice also froze less in response to the auditory cue (tone). Injured mice were hyperactive in an OF environment and spent more time in the open quadrants of the elevated zero maze, suggesting decreased anxiety, but there were no differences between injured mice and sham-controls in depressive-like activity on the tail suspension test. Pathologically, injured mice showed increased astrogliosis in the injured cortex and white matter tracts (optic tracts and corpus callosum). There were no changes in the number of parvalbumin-positive interneurons in the cortex or amygdala, but injured male mice had fewer parvalbumin-positive neurons in the hippocampus. Parvalbumin-reactive interneurons of the hippocampus have been previously demonstrated to be involved in hippocampal-cortical interactions required for memory consolidation, and it is possible memory changes in the fear-conditioning paradigm following rCBI are the result of more subtle imbalances in excitation and inhibition both within the amygdala and hippocampus, and between more widespread brain regions that are injured following a diffuse brain injury.
Sex differences in cued fear responses and parvalbumin cell density in the hippocampus following repetitive concussive brain injuries in C57BL/6J mice
PLoS ONE
https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0222153
Sleep research has been dominated by high income countries (HIC). Sleep may be different in low and middle income countries (LMIC) due to cultural, demographic, geographical and health factors. We systematically reviewed the epidemiological literature reporting sleep parameters in the adult population in LMIC and meta-analyzed the prevalence of subjective poor sleep quality and sleep duration. We identified 45 publications; over 50% of which came from China and Brazil. Of the 45 identified studies, 32 contained data on sleep quality and 17 on self-reported sleep duration. Only one study utilized polysomnography and only one study utilized actigraphy. This review provides evidence that sleep parameters in LMIC appear to be similar to those in HIC but the variability and bias found suggests any attempt to extract a universal prevalence estimate or average sleep duration from the current data is very likely flawed and should be taken with caution. In our meta-analysis we found an enormous variability that was not explicable by regional, rurality, gender, age group or sleep assessment method. Further, there was a suggestion of significant small study effect, with smaller studies reporting worse sleep. There is surprisingly little consistent high-quality data that could be used for policy, planning, or scientific purposes at a global level in low and middle-income countries about what humans spend a third of their lives doing. High-quality epidemiological research about basic sleep health parameters is needed that focuses on the whole-population in LMIC, and that uses standardized, well-validated and culturally applicable measures.
Sleep Health Epidemiology in Low and Middle-Income Countries: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of the Prevalence of Poor Sleep Quality and Sleep Duration
Sleep Health
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S2352721818300408?via%3Dihub
Sleep quality appears to be altered by traumatic brain injury (TBI). However, whether persistent post-injury changes in sleep architecture are present is unknown and relatively unexplored. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to assess the extent to which chronic TBI (>6 months since injury) is characterized by changes to sleep architecture. We also explored the relationship between sleep architecture and TBI severity. In the fourteen included studies, sleep was assessed with at least one night of polysomnography in both chronic TBI participants and controls. Statistical analyses, performed using Comprehensive Meta-Analysis software, revealed that chronic TBI is characterized by relatively increased slow wave sleep (SWS). A meta-regression showed moderate-severe TBI is associated with elevated SWS, reduced stage 2, and reduced sleep efficiency. In contrast, mild TBI was not associated with any significant alteration of sleep architecture. The present findings are consistent with the hypothesis that increased SWS after moderate-severe TBI reflects post-injury cortical reorganization and restructuring. Suggestions for future research are discussed, including adoption of common data elements in future studies to facilitate cross-study comparability, reliability, and replicability, thereby increasing the likelihood that meaningful sleep (and other) biomarkers of TBI will be identified.
A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Sleep Architecture and Chronic Traumatic Brain Injury
Sleep Medicine Reviews
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1087079217301752?via%3Dihub
Insomnia is one of the most common complaints of US armed service members. Diagnosis and treatment of insomnia in active duty and veteran populations are often complicated by comorbid disorders experienced by military personnel, such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and traumatic brain injury (TBI). Cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBTi), pharmacologic interventions, and alternative therapies are discussed as relevant to their applications within military populations. Future directions in research are suggested.
Insomnia in the Military: Effectiveness and Application of Cognitive and Pharmacologic Therapy
Current Psychiatry Reports
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26364060
Advanced Seminar in the Neurosciences
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Biological Psychology with Lab
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Cognitive Psychology with Lab
-
Drugs, Brains, and Behavior
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Psychological Statistics
-
Research Methods in Psychology
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Topics in Biology - Sensory Biology with Lab
-
Developmental Biology with Lab
-
Molecular and General Genetics with Lab
-
Neurobiology
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Organic Chemistry with Lab
-
Statistics with Applications in Biological Sciences
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American Red Cross
CPR/AED & First Aid
https://www.linkedin.com/in/wayne-l-silver-38aa846
Winston-Salem, NC
Wayne L. Silver
Professor at Wake Forest University
https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaeldenzelnieves
Washington DC-Baltimore Area
Michael Nieves
Brain Health Research & Policy Analyst
https://www.linkedin.com/in/haley-spencer-899ab1122
Bethesda, MD
Haley Spencer
PhD Candidate in Neuroscience
https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashley-russell-68a36663
Washington, DC
Ashley Russell
Research Scientist at University of Pittsburgh
https://www.linkedin.com/in/josephbelangia
Chicago, IL
Joseph Belangia
Product Incubation Lead at Google
https://www.linkedin.com/in/sunny-davenport-7148876a
United States
Sunny Davenport
--
https://www.linkedin.com/in/sunny-davenport-46405085
Ennis, MT
Sunny Davenport
Professor at University of Montana
https://www.linkedin.com/in/mori-crocker-8b5037138
Chapel Hill, NC
Mori Crocker
UNC PharmD Candidate / Data Analyst for BioPharma Consultants 

Passionate about bridging global marketing and healthcare!
https://www.linkedin.com/in/elisabeth-ponce-garcia-5a6b5996
Mustang, OK
Elisabeth Ponce-Garcia
Developmental Psychology, Human Resilience
https://www.linkedin.com/in/tanner-calloway-2b5805127
Norman, OK
Tanner Calloway
Doctor of Pharmacy Candidate at OUHSC College of Pharmacy
https://www.linkedin.com/in/kyle-downen-98a383104
Oklahoma City Metropolitan Area
Kyle Downen
Inventory  Management Coordinator II at Oklahoma Blood Institute
https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephanie-garza-valdes-pharmd-cdces-18a553a8
Laredo, TX
Stephanie (Garza) Valdes, PharmD, CDCES
Clinical Pharmacist Practitioner at U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
https://www.linkedin.com/in/samantha-swafford-pharmacy
Oklahoma City Metropolitan Area
Samantha Swafford
Pharmacy Intern at OU Medicine, Inc.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/znaifeh
Lawton, OK
Zeak Naifeh
Associate Vice Pre and Dean of Students
https://www.linkedin.com/in/alireza-savadipour-b29539109
St Louis, MO
Alireza Savadipour
Biomechanist | Cell Therapy | Drug Development | Biomedical Engineering |
Ph.D. candidate at Washington University in St. Louis
https://www.linkedin.com/in/fernanda-lima-de-souza-castro
Athens, GA
Fernanda Lima de Souza Castro
Research Scientist - Research and Development & Technical Services at AZOMITE Mineral Products, Inc.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/blake-nguyen-359a45138
Greater Orlando
Blake Nguyen
Research Associate and Lab Manager at Team Performance Laboratory
https://www.linkedin.com/in/akanksha-patel
Buffalo, NY
Akanksha Patel, Ph.D
Technical Application Scientist at Thermo Fisher Scientific
https://www.linkedin.com/in/dntavakol
New York, NY
Daniel Naveed Tavakol
Ph.D. Candidate at Columbia University's Department of Biomedical Engineering
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Grateful to have been part of a terrific science communication team- Mona Zahir, Maria Crina Curca, Angelique Thomas- with a wonderful mentor, Jess…
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Overjoyed to be starting as a part-time Research Fellow with The Good Food Institute and thrilled to work with their all-star SciTech team!!
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