4- Declarative Learning

Question 1

What does declarative learning look at?

Answer 1

Cellular and molecular bases of long-term memory

Question 2

What is the crucial brain structure involved in declarative memory?

Answer 2

The hippocampus

Question 3

What was one of the first brain structures to develop?

Answer 3

The hippocampus

Question 4

What structure do all animals share?

Answer 4

The hippocampus

Question 5

What is the key role of the hippocampus?

Answer 5

Forming new memories

Question 6

What 3 mechanisms are controlled by the hippocampus?

Answer 6

Long-term potentiation
Long-term depression
cAMP-response-element-binding regulated protein

Question 7

Why was HM studied?

Answer 7

Couldn’t form any new memories

Question 8

When does long-term potentiation (LTP) occur?

Answer 8

With high frequency stimulation of CA1 neurons via Schaffer collaterals

Question 9

When are Schaffer collaterals stimulated?

Answer 9

When taking in new information

Question 10

What is the main mechanism used in LTP?

Answer 10

Glutamatergic synapses

Question 11

Which neurotransmitter is used by glutamatergic synapses?

Answer 11

Glutamate

Question 12

What characterises glutamate?

Answer 12

As the most common excitatory neurotransmitter in the CNS

Question 13

What are the 2 types of glutamate postsynaptic receptors?

Answer 13

AMPA receptors and NMDA receptors

Question 14

How is the LTP glutamatergic mechanism started?

Answer 14

By frequent presynaptic action potentials

Question 15

What does the frequent presynaptic action potentials cause in LTP?

Answer 15

Strong glutamate release

Question 16

How is postsynaptic depolarisation (increase in sodium ions) caused in LTP?

Answer 16

Glutamate binding to AMPA receptors

Question 17

How does unblocking occur in LTP?

Answer 17

Glutamate binds to NMDA receptors

Question 18

What is created by a strong Ca2+ influx? (LTP)

Answer 18

Protein kinase

Question 19

What is the fast mechanism involved in protein kinase creation? (LTP)

Answer 19

Relocation of new AMPA receptors to postsynaptic

Question 20

What is the slow mechanism involved in protein kinase creation (LTP)?

Answer 20

Activating gene transcription

Question 21

What 2 processes are triggered when gene transcription is activated? (LTP)

Answer 21

Protein synthesis and synapse sprouting

Question 22

What is the overall response from glutamatergic synapses in long-term potentiation?

Answer 22

More efficient connection

Question 23

What is a second mechanism involved in long-term potentiation?

Answer 23

Protein synthesis

Question 24

What is the main aspect of the protein synthesis mechanism? (LTP)

Answer 24

A strong calcium ion influx creating protein kinase

Question 25

Why is the protein synthesis mechanism slow? (LTP)

Answer 25

Gene transcription is activated via phosphorylating transcription factors

Question 26

What experimental evidence demonstrates protein synthesis in long-term potentiation?

Answer 26

Inhibiting protein synthesis means more postsynaptic potentials are excited

Question 27

What is the third mechanism of long-term potentiation?

Answer 27

cAMP-response-element-binding transcription factor (CREB)

Question 28

What are the 3 processes involved in the CREB mechanism? (LTP)

Answer 28

1. CREB-2 represses transcription 2. CREB-1 replaces CREB-2 3. Protein kinase A activates CREB-1 to cause transcription

Question 29

What is the fourth mechanism of long-term potentiation?

Answer 29

Transcription

Question 30

What experimental evidence demonstrates transcription in LTP?

Answer 30

Knocking out CREB transcription factor

Question 31

What was found by knocking out a CREB transcription factor? (LTP)

Answer 31

Long-term but not short-term spatial memory was impaired

Question 32

When does long-term depression (LTD) occur?

Answer 32

In low frequency stimulation of CA1 neurons via Schaffer collaterals

Question 33

What cause does long-term depression have?

Answer 33

Not be able to effectively learn long-term

Question 34

What is the mechanism of LTD?

Answer 34

Glutamatergic synapses

Question 35

How does the glutamatergic mechanism of LTD begin?

Answer 35

Rare presynaptic action potentials causing reduced firing

Question 36

What is caused by rare presynaptic action potentials? (LTD)

Answer 36

Weak release of glutamate

Question 37

How is postsynaptic depolarisation caused? (LTD)

Answer 37

Glu binding to AMPA receptors

Question 38

What does a weak influx of Ca2+ create? (LTD)

Answer 38

Protein phosphate

Question 39

What does protein phosphate creation cause? (LTD)

Answer 39

Internalisation of AMPA receptors from postsynaptic membrane

Question 40

What is the result of the glutamatergic synapse mechanism of LTD?

Answer 40

Less efficient connection

Question 41

What is the cause of more activation and more distribution?

Answer 41

We are more likely to link information long-term

Question 42

Why do we remember a stimulus?

Answer 42

Neurons encode a stimulus

Question 43

Why do we have a problem recognising competing inputs?

Answer 43

None are able to elicit an action potential

Question 44

How do we learn to recognise stimuli?

Answer 44

We pay attention to a certain stimulus

Question 45

When is LPD created by competing inputs?

Answer 45

One stimulus is recognised on its own

Question 46

When is LTP created by competing inputs?

Answer 46

Other two stimuli are cooperative

Question 47

Why can the first stimulus not elicit a response?

Answer 47

Due to LDP

Question 48

Why can the other two stimuli alone not elicit a response?

Answer 48

Due to LTP

Question 49

What are important mechanisms underlying synaptic plasticity?

Answer 49

LTP and LTD

Question 50

How do LTP and LTD underlie synaptic plasticity?

Answer 50

Via controlling Ca2+ influx, creating protein kinase/photophatase balance

Question 51

What is there with a high frequency/correlated stimulus, and what does this cause?

Answer 51

Unblocked NMDA receptor, causes Ca2+ influx that produces kinase

Question 52

What response is there with a high frequency/correlated stimulus?

Answer 52

A more efficient connection

Question 53

What is there with a low frequency/uncorrelated stimulus and what does this cause?

Answer 53

Blocked NMDA receptor, causes decreased Ca2+ influx that produces phosphataese

Question 54

What response is there with a low frequency/uncorrelated stimulus?

Answer 54

A less efficient connection