Simmons College

Bachelor of Arts
Hofstra University

Master of Arts
Boston University

Doctor of Philosophy
Boston University

• Introductory Psychology
• Biological Psychology
• Research in Biopsychology
• Seminar in Psychobiology

As people age they often lose some of their physical and mental powers. My research investigates treatments that may prevent or reverse deficits in certain types of learning and memory. Most recently, I've been studying the effects of a normal diet supplemented with fruit on brain function and learning and memory. Colorful fruits and vegetables that are high in antioxidants, like blueberries, strawberries and spinach, appear to help the old brain stay young and may slow, or even reverse, decrements in learning and memory associated with normal aging.

Antisense Oligonucleotide Sequences Targeting the Muscarinic Acetylcholine Type 2 Receptor Enhances Spatial Memory Performance as Measured in the Morris Water Maze. Galli, R., Shukitt-Hale,B., Fine,R., & Lieberman, H., International Journal of Neuroscience, 103, 53-68, 2000.

Fruit Polyphenolics and Brain Aging: Nutritional Interventions Targeting Age-Related Neuronal and Behavioral Deficits. Galli, R., Shukitt-Hale, B., Youdim, K., & Joseph, J. Annals of the New York Academies of Science, (in press).

Overcoming Science Anxiety and Bringing Undergraduate Women into Neuroscience: Introductory and Advanced Lab-based Courses. Galli, R.L Society for Neuroscience Annual Meeting, October, 1999.

Educating Women in the Neurosciences: a Women-centered Approach in Introductory and Advanced Lab-based Courses. Galli, R.L. Society for Neuroscience Annual Meeting, November, 2000.

Immunocytochemical Effects in the Brains of Blueberry Supplemented Rats Showing Reversals of Age-related Cognitive and Motor Deficits. R.L. Galli, G.Casadesus, C.Rottkamp, B.Shukitt-Hale, N.A.Denisova, M.A.Smith & J.A.Joseph. Society for Neuroscience Annual Meeting, November, 2000.

Are spatial cues necessary? Learning in the Morris Water Maze. Akillian K.*, Carey A.*, Hinchey D.*, Machinski T.*, Galli R. North East Undergraduate Research On Neuroscience (NEURON), Wellesley College, MA., April 2001. *Simmons undergraduate authors. This paper was based on work done by these students in Psychology 301, spring 2001.

The effects of antioxidant supplemented diets on inflammation in the cortex of rats. Rasakham K.* & Galli R. Eastern New England Biological Conference, St. Anselm College, NH., April 2001. *Simmons undergraduate author. Poster based on work done in Biology 350 (fall & spring, 2000-2001).

Brain Regional Assessments of Inflammatory Markers in Young And Senescent Rats. R.L. Galli, D. Bielinski, A. Szprengiel, B. Shukitt-Hale, & J.A. Joseph. Society for Neuroscience Annual Meeting, November, 2001.