The effect of monosodium glutamate on planarian memory retention

Pallavi Rao, SVHS

School Name

Spring Valley High School

Grade Level

10th Grade

Presentation Topic

Zoology

Presentation Type

Non-Mentored

Oral Presentation Award

1st Place

Written Paper Award

1st Place

Abstract

Monosodium glutamate (MSG), a food additive, is widely consumed, but is speculated to have adverse effects on health. It is known to impact the nervous system through excitotoxin production. The purpose of this study was to determine how MSG affects developing and fully functional nervous systems by using planaria as a model organism for memory retention. It was hypothesized that regenerating planaria in a 10mM dose of MSG would display the longest learning times and make the most number of incorrect decisions within the maze. Planaria were conditioned to enter the right branch of a Y-maze using an LED light as a negative stimulus. After being trained, the planaria were split into a group in MSG and a group in water. Within these groups, half of the planaria were dissected and half were not. After two weeks, the planaria were tested for memory retention using the same process as the training period. A one-way ANOVA revealed that mean learning times were significantly different from each other at α=0.05, F (3,115) = 55.90, p<0.05. A Tukey test identified that the group which regenerated in MSG displayed significantly higher learning times compared to the other groups. Another one-way ANOVA displayed that the mean number of incorrect decisions were significantly different from each other at at α=0.05, F (3,115) = 25.53, p<0.05. A Tukey test showed that the group which regenerated in MSG made a significantly greater amount of incorrect decisions in the maze. The hypothesis was supported, as the group that regenerated in MSG displayed both significantly higher mean learning times and mean number of incorrect decisions. It was concluded that MSG had a negative effect on both fully functional nervous systems as well as developing nervous systems.

Location

Neville 122

Start Date

4-14-2018 9:45 AM

Presentation Format

Oral and Written

COinS
 
Apr 14th, 9:45 AM

The effect of monosodium glutamate on planarian memory retention

Neville 122

Monosodium glutamate (MSG), a food additive, is widely consumed, but is speculated to have adverse effects on health. It is known to impact the nervous system through excitotoxin production. The purpose of this study was to determine how MSG affects developing and fully functional nervous systems by using planaria as a model organism for memory retention. It was hypothesized that regenerating planaria in a 10mM dose of MSG would display the longest learning times and make the most number of incorrect decisions within the maze. Planaria were conditioned to enter the right branch of a Y-maze using an LED light as a negative stimulus. After being trained, the planaria were split into a group in MSG and a group in water. Within these groups, half of the planaria were dissected and half were not. After two weeks, the planaria were tested for memory retention using the same process as the training period. A one-way ANOVA revealed that mean learning times were significantly different from each other at α=0.05, F (3,115) = 55.90, p<0.05. A Tukey test identified that the group which regenerated in MSG displayed significantly higher learning times compared to the other groups. Another one-way ANOVA displayed that the mean number of incorrect decisions were significantly different from each other at at α=0.05, F (3,115) = 25.53, p<0.05. A Tukey test showed that the group which regenerated in MSG made a significantly greater amount of incorrect decisions in the maze. The hypothesis was supported, as the group that regenerated in MSG displayed both significantly higher mean learning times and mean number of incorrect decisions. It was concluded that MSG had a negative effect on both fully functional nervous systems as well as developing nervous systems.