Circuit formation & refinement of circuits Flashcards
What are the four main neurotrophins and their receptors?
NGF, BDNF, NT-3, NT-4.
Receptors: p75, TrkA, TrkB, TrkC.
What is the main function of neurotrophins?
They keep neurons alive
How are neurotrophins used to regulate neuronal networks?
When an axon grows towards a target, the target will have to express trophic factors for the connection to be formed.
What does activity in a neuron induce in it’s neighbour?
Release of neurotrophins
What happens to the net number of synapses during synaptogenesis?
It does not change
What is the benefit of activity dependent development?
It promotes adaptability
What is the new hypothesis on how the brain functions?
Predictive coding: The brain tries to predict what information means. Sensations become more and more predictions as we age.
What does cortical maps show?
What neurons are active after a certain stimulus or during a specific task
By what activity dependent mechanisms can neuronal circuits be formed?
feedforward excitation, feedforward or feedback inhibition, lateral inhibition or mutual inhibition
