Cellular Basis of Learning & Memory

Question 1

Define explicit memory

Answer 1

• Declarative memory
• Modeling the external worlds
• Storage f facts & episodic
• Conscious
• Highly flexible

Question 2

Types of explicit memory

Answer 2

Episodic & semantic

Question 3

Episodic

Answer 3

Memory of personal experence

Question 4

Semantic

Answer 4

Words or concepts

Question 5

Implicit

Answer 5

Non-declarative, changes in skilled behavior, not conscious

Question 6

Four types of explicit memory

Answer 6

1. Encoding
2. Storage
3. Conclusion
4. Retrival

Question 7

Where do the 4 phases of explicit memory occur

Answer 7

Medial temporal lobe & hippocampal formation

Question 8

Name structures involved in spatial recognition

Answer 8

• Hippocampus
• Dentate gyrus
• Subiculum
• Entorhinal cortex

Question 9

Name 2 structures involved in object recognition

Answer 9

• Perihinal

* Parahippocampal

Question 10

Name 2 components of working memory or short term memory

Answer 10

1. Verbal

2. Visuospatial

Question 11

What are the 2 components regarding the control and regulation of short term memory?

Answer 11

1. Executive control (attention)

2. Altered activity of the frontal cortical neurons

Question 12

What NT and its receptor are involved in altering prefrontal neuron activity?

Answer 12

Ach through muscarnic receptors

Dopamine through D1 receptors

Question 13

Define LTP

Answer 13

Long lasting activity depedent increase in the synaptic efficiency between 2 neurons

Question 14

Hebbs postulate

Answer 14

If A excites B repatedly there are neurological snd growth\metabolic changes that increase A’s ability to excite B

Question 15

3 steps in LTP

Answer 15

1. ↑ presynaptic pathway activity
2. ↑ glutamate released into the cleft
3. DEPOLAIZATION & ↑ GLU RECEPTORS in post-synaptic cleft
4. Influx of Ca into the post synaptic cells

Question 16

What recpetors are involved in depolarization

Answer 16

AMPA

Question 17

What receptors are involved in the ↑ GLU receptors

Answer 17

NMDA

Question 18

Why does a low level result in depolarization but not LTP

Answer 18

NMDA receptors have Mg bound at rest, need repeated activity on order to displace the MG and get LTP

Question 19

NMDA receptors act as

Answer 19

Co-incidence detectors

Question 20

What does the influx of Ca do to the post-synaptic cell

Answer 20

Influences PKA, PKC & CAMK-II
Kinases result in insertion of new AMPA receptors
Restructuring of actin skeleton

Question 21

What changes occur in the presynaptic cell?

Answer 21

↑ glutamte (retrograde messangers & brain derrived neurtrophic factor), changes in gene expression

Question 22

Name 2 mechanisms of epigentic changes

Answer 22

1. DNA methylation (fear related memory)

2. Phoshprylation of CREB

Question 23

Define LTD (Long Term Depression)

Answer 23

Similar to LTP but requires lower levels of activity

Erasing or downgrading the importance of past actvity so that new items can be salient

Question 24

What induces LTD

Answer 24

Stress

Question 25

Name 2 difference in the mechanism for LTD

Answer 25

1. Lower Ca and activity for activation

2. Activate phosphatases not kinases

Question 26

Role of the following on learning
Moderate stress
Severe stress
Ability to control stress

Answer 26

Moderate: Facilitate LTP & learning
Severe: Impair learning
Control: Better learning if you can control the stress