genetics and learning part 1

Question 1

what is long term potentiation

Answer 1

strengthening of connections (synapses) between nerve cells involved in memory

Question 2

what occurs when you block LTP (long term potentiation) with drugs (inhibitors)

Answer 2

mice have decreased ability to learn spatially

Question 3

what are problems with alpha CaMKII mutatnts

Answer 3

-kinase may have multiple effects
-mutant mice (diff kinase) have problems swimming
knockouts can learn, but have trouble swimming

Question 4

what did Mayford discover in the mutant mice

Answer 4

1. forebrain specific promoter combined with tetracycline transactivator system (feeding tetracycline temporarily suppresses CAMKII)
2. provided both regional and temporal control of transgenic expression
3. could use this promoter to: switch alpha CaMKII transgene on and off in adult animal

Question 5

what is optogenetics

Answer 5

controlling neurons with light

Question 6

what is learning

Answer 6

a change in behavior as a rest of experience

Question 7

what are the types of learning

Answer 7

1. adaption (neurophysiology): a sensory receptor continually stimulated for a prolonged period stops responding
2. simple forms of learning: events are not associated

Question 8

what is an example of simple forms of learning

Answer 8

1. habituation
2. dishabituation

Question 9

what is habituation

Answer 9

habituation: the reduction or elimination of a whole organism behavioral response to a stimulus repeatedly presented without positive or negative reinforcement (young turkeys)

Question 10

what is dishabituation

Answer 10

dishabituation: the recovery of a habituated response following the presentation of a strong or novel stimulus

ex: aplysia

Question 11

when does dishabituation occur

Answer 11

only after habituation, no resting period

Question 12

what is sensitization

Answer 12

the enhancement of a response to an unhabituated stimulus by: first presenting a different strong or novel stimulus

ex: aplysia

Question 13

how are aplysia an example of sensitization

Answer 13

tail sensory neurons synapse on interneurons. interneurons synapse on sensory neurons from the siphon: this enhances neurotransmitter release at the synapse with the motor neuron

Question 14

what is memory in terms of short term facilitation

Answer 14

existing proteins modified (no translation or transcription)

Question 15

what is long term facilitation in terms of memory

Answer 15

translation and transcription needed to make new synapses
-protein synthesis
-growth of synaptic connections

Question 16

what is associative learning

Answer 16

2 events are associated, the second reinforcing the first (conditioning)

Question 17

what is an example of classical conditioning

Answer 17

pavlov’s dogs

Question 18

what is operant conditioning

Answer 18

unconditioned behavior is associated with a reward and does not look at a natural response to a natural behavior.

instead an entirely new response which is at first undirected becomes associated with a stimulus through reinforcement

ex: skinner box

Question 19

You feed a lobster a piece of fish, it extends its mouthparts, and you simultaneously expose it to a flash of green light. After multiple trials, the lobster extends its mouthparts to the flash of green light alone. What kind of learning is it showing?

Answer 19

associative learning