Influence of Limb Dominance on Parkinsonian Neurodegeneration in Rats: An Immunoblot Analysis Using the P+L Model
Advisor(s)
Dilshan Beligala
Confirmation
1
Document Type
Poster
Location
ONU McIntosh Center; Activities Room
Start Date
24-4-2026 10:00 AM
End Date
24-4-2026 10:50 AM
Abstract
Influence of Limb Dominance on Parkinsonian Neurodegeneration in Rats: An Immunoblot Analysis Using the P+L Model
Ethan Clarka, Dipesh Pokharelb,c, Kala Venkiteswaranb, c, d, Thyagarajan Subramanianb, c, d, Dilshan Beligalaa
aDepartment of Biological Sciences, Ohio Northern University, Ada, OH, USA
bDepartment of Neurosciences and Psychiatry, The University of Toledo College of Medicine and Life Sciences, Toledo, OH, USA
cDepartment of Neurology, The University of Toledo College of Medicine and Life Sciences, Toledo, OH, USA
dDepartment of Neurology, Howard University, Washington, DC, USA
Hemispheric lateralization describes the distinct information-processing roles of the brain’s two hemispheres. Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder marked by motor symptoms that are unilateral at onset in over 85% of patients. Despite this clear asymmetry, the role of hemispheric lateralization in PD progression remains poorly understood. Paw preference in rats, analogous to human handedness, provides a useful model to study lateralized brain function. This study examines whether paw preference influences hemispheric vulnerability in a paraquat and lectin (P+L) rodent model of PD. Specifically, it investigates whether limb dominance is associated with asymmetric dopaminergic degeneration and changes in protein expression. Immunoblotting is used to compare hemispheric expression of key dopaminergic markers: tyrosine hydroxylase (TH), dopa decarboxylase (DDC), and vesicular monoamine transporter 2 (VMAT2), across brain regions central to PD pathology, including the substantia nigra pars compacta (SNpc), dorsal striatum, ventral striatum, and ventral tegmental area. Our preliminary analyses in control animals show no significant hemispheric differences in these proteins, while data collection for P+L-treated animals is ongoing. Identifying hemispheric differences could help explain selective neuronal vulnerability and support the development of more targeted therapeutic strategies.
Recommended Citation
Clark, Ethan George, "Influence of Limb Dominance on Parkinsonian Neurodegeneration in Rats: An Immunoblot Analysis Using the P+L Model" (2026). ONU Student Research Colloquium. 10.
https://digitalcommons.onu.edu/student_research_colloquium/2026/Posters/10
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Influence of Limb Dominance on Parkinsonian Neurodegeneration in Rats: An Immunoblot Analysis Using the P+L Model
ONU McIntosh Center; Activities Room
Influence of Limb Dominance on Parkinsonian Neurodegeneration in Rats: An Immunoblot Analysis Using the P+L Model
Ethan Clarka, Dipesh Pokharelb,c, Kala Venkiteswaranb, c, d, Thyagarajan Subramanianb, c, d, Dilshan Beligalaa
aDepartment of Biological Sciences, Ohio Northern University, Ada, OH, USA
bDepartment of Neurosciences and Psychiatry, The University of Toledo College of Medicine and Life Sciences, Toledo, OH, USA
cDepartment of Neurology, The University of Toledo College of Medicine and Life Sciences, Toledo, OH, USA
dDepartment of Neurology, Howard University, Washington, DC, USA
Hemispheric lateralization describes the distinct information-processing roles of the brain’s two hemispheres. Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder marked by motor symptoms that are unilateral at onset in over 85% of patients. Despite this clear asymmetry, the role of hemispheric lateralization in PD progression remains poorly understood. Paw preference in rats, analogous to human handedness, provides a useful model to study lateralized brain function. This study examines whether paw preference influences hemispheric vulnerability in a paraquat and lectin (P+L) rodent model of PD. Specifically, it investigates whether limb dominance is associated with asymmetric dopaminergic degeneration and changes in protein expression. Immunoblotting is used to compare hemispheric expression of key dopaminergic markers: tyrosine hydroxylase (TH), dopa decarboxylase (DDC), and vesicular monoamine transporter 2 (VMAT2), across brain regions central to PD pathology, including the substantia nigra pars compacta (SNpc), dorsal striatum, ventral striatum, and ventral tegmental area. Our preliminary analyses in control animals show no significant hemispheric differences in these proteins, while data collection for P+L-treated animals is ongoing. Identifying hemispheric differences could help explain selective neuronal vulnerability and support the development of more targeted therapeutic strategies.