L5 - Learning and Memory Flashcards
The primary motor and primary somatosensory cortex sit either side of what and send and receive information from the what side of the brain?
Sit either side of the central sulcus and send/receive information from the contralateral side.
What is Brodmann’s area 3a important for?
Proprioception
What is Brodmann’s area 3b important for?
Cutaneous input and our sense of touch
What does Brodmann’s area 1 receive input from and what is it’s purpose?
Receives input from Brodmann’s area 3b and defines texture.
Where does Brodmann’s area 2 receive input from what is its purpose?
Receives input mostly from area 3b and defines shape and size.
What is stereognosis?
Identifying objects based solely on how they feel
What is the term that describes the mental perception of 3D objects, enabling the identification of solid objects solely based on how they feel?
Stereognosis/Haptic perception
What is haptic perception?
Identifying objects based solely on how they feel
What does PPC stand for?
Posterior parietal cortex
Which Brodmann’s area is the PPC in?
area 5
What is the function of the PPC?
Integrates information from different areas. Grasping and interacting with objects. Passes information between motor and sensory cortices
What is the secondary somatosensory cortex?
Brodmann area 40 which receives input from the PPC and S1. It has capacity for stereognosis/haptic perception.
What happens to the S1 map if someone lost an arm/had it amputated?
The map would re-organise based on altered use.
Define non-associative learning.
A relatively permanent change in the strength of a response to a single stimulus due to repeated exposure to that stimulus.
Define associative learning
The process by which an association between two stimuli or a behaviour and a stimuli is learnt. (classical/Pavlovian conditioning)
Motor learning and operant conditioning are also types.
What is relational learning?
Learning relationships and declarative statements
In what ways might the strength of a synapse be increased from the pre-synapse?
- Increased vesicle volume
- Increased availability of vesicles
- Increased release probability
In what ways might the strength of a synapse be increased from the synaptic cleft?
- Reduce re-uptake mechanisms
- Reduce gap dimensions
In what ways might the strength of a synapse be increased from the post-synapse?
Increase receptor density/area
What is the synaptic mechanism behind habituation?
Synaptic depression - down-regulation of synapse
What is the synaptic mechanism behind sensitisation?
Synaptic facilitation, up-regulation of synapse.
Where is the typical location that synapses are regulated?
Pre synaptic
What are 3 reasons that sensory re-mapping might occur?
- Gradual changes after training involving specific body parts
- Denervation caused by amputation
- Blocking of peripheral nerves, or thalamic lesions
How does sensory re-mapping manifest in neuronal networks?
- Long term changes in functional connectivity
- Branching/pruning of dendritic connections
