Consciousness and memory 💘

Question 1

Reticular activating system nuclei

Answer 1

Locus coeruleus
Raphe nuclei
Ventral regimental area
Chokinergic nuclei

Question 2

Locus coerulus

Answer 2

Located in pons
Hypoactivity associated with depression destruction obliterates rem sleep
Neurotransmitter used is noradrenaline

Question 3

Raphe nuclei

Answer 3

Located in midline of midbrain pons medulla
Active during waking state
Neurotransmitter is serotonin

Question 4

Ventral tegmental area

Answer 4

I’m ventral region of midbrain 
Modulates frontal activity 
Reinforces pleasurable sensations 
Implicates in drug addiction 
Neurotransmitter is dopamine

Question 5

Cholinergic nuclei

Answer 5

One set in basal forebrain other in dorsolateral pontine 
Active during arousal 
Contribute to synaptic plasticity 
Involved in learning and memory 
Damage causes dementia 
Neurotransmitter is ach

Question 6

Other areas involved in consciousness and sleep

Answer 6

Anterior hypothalamus damage associated with insomnia neurotransmitter GABA
Posterior hypothalamus damage associated with too light sleep neurotransmitter histamine

Question 7

When awake

Answer 7

ACH system active sensory thalamus facilitated reticular nucleus inhibited, cortical neurons active EEG desynchronous
ALL OPPOSITE WHEN ASLEEP

Question 8

Two main types of sleep

Answer 8

Synchronized/ non rem EEG waves slow and synchronized
Low frequency
Desynchronised rem high frequency abolition of muscle tone and associated with dreams

Question 9

Memory stores

Answer 9

Sensory stores (kept in visual neurones)
Short term store
Long term store

Question 10

Dependencies

Answer 10

Context dependency The environmental conditions in which you learn the info, state dependency which is the feeling the same as when you learn it and
mood dependency eg is recalling sad information when you’re feeling sad

Question 11

Amnesia

Answer 11

Long term memory impairment
Childhood memory fine
Memories become less dependent on hippocampus and more reliant on neocortex for consolidation
Non declarative memory (motor) and semantic information (factual knowledge) is preserved

Question 12

Semantic dementia

Answer 12

Damaged in the cortical store
the progressive loss of conceptual knowledge and can’t recognize objects things that remain intact include memory for recent events phonology visual spatial skills nonverbal reasoning
need damage to both sides of hippocampus for amnesia
there’s a reverse temporal gradient which is impaired repository of distant events as well as facts

Question 13

Ltm stores

Answer 13

Hippocampus does episodic memory unique episodes involving places people as an objects and is damaged in amnesia
Anterior temporal lobe contains semantic memory similarities between experiences to form concepts and it’s damaged in SD

Question 14

Over what time span are short term memories stored

Answer 14

A few seconds but can be longer with rehearsal

Question 15

What type of encoding provides most distinctive cues for recall of info

Answer 15

Semantic memory

Question 16

Two types of neurotransmitters

Answer 16

Small molecule: clear core vesicles for fast signalling

Lathe neuropeptides: dense vesicles and slower signalling. Modify ongoing synaptic function

Question 17

Glutamate

Answer 17

Formed from glutamine via glutaminase
Has three Ionotrpic receptors which are AMPA, NMDA, kainate. Entry of na in AMPA receptor depolarize cell causing magnesium Ion to be ejected opening NMDA receptor channel Calcium flows in and activates secondary messages

Question 18

GABA

Answer 18

Glutamate converted into gaba bia glutamate decarboxylase
GABA transaminase converts it back into glutamate
Gaba has five subunits

Question 19

Epilepsy

Answer 19

Uncontrolled excitation in the brain imbalance between exciting and inhibitory neurotransmitters
treatments include diazepam which enhances gabas inhibition.
Sodium valproate which increases GABA content in brain

Question 20

Glycine

Answer 20

Acts mainly in brainstem and Ispinal cord
associated with general motor and somatosensory systems and there’s a major spinal cord inhibitory neurotransmitter
it’s ionotropic receptor which is linked to chloride channels
defects can be implicated in hyperplexia
serine is converted into glycine via SHMT and glycine can be converted into carbon dioxide and ammonia
Tetanus blocks glycine so overactivation

Question 21

Renshaw cell

Answer 21

Controls activity of motor neuron and requires glycine

Question 22

Tyrosine and other biogenic amines

Answer 22

Tyrosine>dopa>dopamine> noradrenaline> adrenaline

These are catecholamines all contain catechol group all contain tyrosine hydroxylase

Question 23

Serotonin

Answer 23

Synthesized from tryptophan
Aka 5ht
Reuptake into presynaptic mediated by SERT
Seven types of receptors mostly metabotropic

Question 24

Neuro modulators

Answer 24

Modify post or pre synaptic responses

Question 25

Dopamine

Answer 25

Dopamine receptors classified as d1 like and are positively coupled to adenylate Cyclase via gs (synthesis) protein (d1&5)
Or classified as d2 like and negatively coupled to ac via gi (inhibition) protein (d234)
Dopamine removed by MAO or COMT