Block 4 Flashcards
What properties can neuromodulators effect?
-synaptic strength-
neuronal excitability
-circuit dynamics
which all shape behavioral states
How do neuromodulators effect the brain?
can have both diffuse, widespread effects and specific,
spatiotemporally precise effects
the effect any neurotransmitter has on behavior depends on what?
co transmission of other neurotransmitters/modulators
What does dopamine modulate?
Reward, saliency, uncertainty, invigoration
what does seratonin modulate?
impulsivity, harm aversion, anxious state, punishment, withdrawl.
what does Noradrenaline modulate?
exploration vs. exploitation, network reset, unexpected uncertainty
what does ACh modulate?
memory consolidation, attention, expected uncertainty
3 common characterisitics of Neuropeptides
- processed from precursor proteins and packaged into dense core vesicles
- they diffuse from their release site to act on distant neurons
- they act primarily on cells in the brain but can also act as signaling molecules in the periphery
how are neuropeptides secreted?
through dense core vesicles. usually paired w/ G protein coupled receptors. distance can be from nm to mm. Large dense core vesicles are not localized @ synapse. signaling is also spatiotemporal precise
upon what does neuromodulator release rely?
2 calcium sensors, Syn-1 and Syn-7
upon what does the duration of neuromodulator release rely?
calcium sensor Syn-1
Does the same neuropeptide function uniformally across the brian?
No, neuromodulatory neurons can be functionally heterogeneous and influence specific behaviors
Neuromodulatory receptors
usually signal through G-protein coupled receptors which give them the ability to affect gene transcription, the flow of ionos across the cell membrane and the secretion of substances from the cell
do neuromodulatory afferents primarly act on pre or post synaptic cells?
neuromodulatory afferents affect cellular signaling through both presynaptic and postsynaptic modifications!
How do neuromodulators affect synaptic properties?
can affect syn props in many different ways depending on how/where they signal!
They can increase or decrease synaptic strength through the addition or removal of receptors from the postsynaptic membrane
in what processes do neuromodulators play a role?
network development, migration, differentiation of axons, synapse formation, remodeling. They can also influence behavioral states by changing how a stimulus responds to a stimulus
how do neuromodulators effect individual neurons?
neuromodulators alter the excitability of neurons by changing conductances, distribution and expression and gating properties of ion channels
Oxytocin
love, sensory processing, locomotion initation, CPG modulation, social bonding, anxiolytic, analgesic, nocifensive, developmental, vocalization, learning and memory
Which parts of brain mediate Oxytocin in pain processing
Magnocellular (SON) vs. parvocellular (PVT) oxytocin (OT) signaling secretes OT to rest of brain and periphery through posterior pituitary
How does OT effect fear response?
small set of OT neurons (from PVN/SON) are involved in fear expression and their activation reduces contextual fear response
OT role in pain processing (PVN)
Astrocytes in amygdala express OT receptors and are activated by OT released from PVN. Astrocytes then release D-serine which helps reulgate emotional states in response to pain. (also synapses onto SON neurons)
Nature paper also says OT from PVT to periaqueductal gray is an analgesic
project to vlPAG. OT increases pain threshold ( a result of decreased LTP) at synapses connecting WDR and C-type fibers
OT role in pain processing (SON)
PVT OT neurons synapse onto SON neurons and WDR neurons in spinal cord. the release of OT onto WDR neurons decreases nociceptive processing and pain responses
OT in Pain processing overview
What is an internal state?
a centralized brain (+ body) state which integrates information about our external environment and internal physiological conditions to orchestrate appropriate behavioral and physiological responses.
how can we tell what an animal’s internal state is?
it’s inferred from observations of an animal’s overt behavior, systemic physiology, brain activity (LOF,GOF)
examples of internal states?
arousal, motivation, emotion, varying homeostatic needs
Are internal states mutually exclusive?
No, independent states are indepenedently controlled but can co-exist or compete with each other (e.g. hunger and fear)
Pleiotropy
each state influences multiple aspects of behavior and physiology in parallel, such as body temp, respiration, locomotion, sensory responsiveness
persistence
the ability of internal states to produce behavioral and physiological responses that outlast the termination of the stimulus that initiated the response
scalability
the ability of responses to scale with the magnitude of the stimulus
generalizability
the degree to which an internal state can produce responses to stimuli that are distinct from the original stimulus that elicited the response
valence
the positive or negative affect associated w/ that state
how to improve our understanding of an internal state
integrated multidimensional analyses including behavioral but also physiological measurements
improvements in methods to classify behaviors and internal states. This will involve making more measurements
make tools for behavior and neural recording, analysis
dive deeper into how brain encodes internal states
how do we infer internal states?
measure behavior and manipulate experience. observe behaviora across multiple contexts.
inducing need states
observing motor transitions
higher-order behavior
multiple state interactions
individual differences
Internal states can be controlled by….
discrete population of neurons
some neurons in specific locations may promote states like hunger, arousal, dwelling, thirst