12. Learning & memory Flashcards
What does hippocampal theta activity appear to play a part in? (Learning B&B)
Synchronising activity at different brain regions (beta waves)
What do the waves of neuronal activity show? (Learning B&B)
- Hippocampal theta rhythms
- Involved in arousal and alertness during exploration
What do the peaks and troughs of the waves show? (Learning B&B)
- Peaks = LTP
- Troughs = LDP
How can LTP be enhanced genetically? (Learning B&B)
Increased amounts of NR2B (type of NMDA receptor)
How characteristic can diminish memory and LTP? (Learning B&B)
Age
What characteristic can enhance memory and LTP? (Learning B&B)
Enrichment
What were the findings from the spacial maze task? (Learning B&B)
- Mistakes = old mice>young mice
- Aged mice in poor conditions make more mistakes than those in enriched conditions
- Moving the same mouse from impoverished to enriched condition improved performance
What is the effect of a weak synapse? (Learning B&B)
Activation does not lead to action potential in the cell
What is the effect of a strong synapse? (Learning B&B)
Activation leads to an activation potential in the cell
What is associative LTP? (Learning B&B)
Weak and strong stimulation occurs together allowing synapses to pair and fire together
What is an example of associative LTP? (Learning B&B)
- Loud nose leads to activation of somatosensory system firing a neuron
- Tone of the nose leads to activation of the auditory system firing a neuron
- Firing at the same time to create the fear response
- As they fired together they are both strong now, even if they weren’t before
What is optogenetics? (Learning B&B)
Artificial manipulation in mice, so we can switch on and off cells
What has optogenetics shown is necessary for fear association? (Learning B&B)
Synaptic activation in Lateral amygdala
What does an increase in NMDA in the forebrain lead to? (Learning B&B)
Increased spacial memory
