Learning and Memory

Question 1

Intrinsic excitability

Answer 1

The number of action potentials of a neuron produced in response to an influx of positive current.

Question 2

Synaptic strength

Answer 2

Amount of current entering when a presynaptic cell has an action potential
–>amount of ion channels, vesicles, etc

Question 3

Synaptic plasticity

Answer 3

Change in the strength of the synaptic connection between two neurons

Question 4

How can we increase the synaptic strength on the post-synaptic neuron

Answer 4

• Increasing the number of receptors on the post-synaptic neuron

Question 5

How can we increase the synaptic strength on the pre-synaptic neuron

Answer 5

• Increasing the number of vesicles in the pre-synaptic terminal button
• Increasing the amount of neurotransmitter/vesicle
• Increasing the amount of Ca2+ channels

Question 6

LTD

Answer 6

-Long-term depression; the connection is weaker
- Persistent low-frequency stimulation of the inputs to a quiet neuron often causes LDP (commonly 1Hz, 10min)
- Often initiated on the postsynaptic side
- Retrograde signaling of endocannabinoids can drive presynaptic modifications (ex: less calcium influx/AP)

Question 7

LTP

Answer 7

• Long-term potentiation; the connection is stronger
• Repeated high-frequency stimulation of the inputs to a neuron often REDUCES the long-term potentiation (commonly 100Hz, 1s)
• Often initiated on the post-synaptic side
• Retrograde signaling of NO can drive presynaptic modifications (ex: more vesicles)

Question 8

How can we measure the intrinsic excitability?

Answer 8

Measuring the amount and the type of ion channels present
(more excitable= exhibits more action potentials in response to the same excitatory synaptic input)

Question 9

If a neuron starts making fewer potassium leak channels what will likely happen?

a. its resting membrane potential will be slightly depolarized and the neuron will be more excitable

b. its resting membrane potential will be slightly hyperpolarized and the neuron will be more excitable

c. its resting membrane potential will be slightly hyperpolarized and the neuron will be less excitable

d. its resting membrane potential will be slightly depolarized and the neuron will be less excitable

Answer 9

a. its resting membrane potential will be slightly depolarized and the neuron will be more excitable

Question 10

What are EPSPs

Answer 10

Excitatory postsynaptic potentials…Membrane depolarizations that are driven by neurotransmitter release and postsynaptic receptor activation.

Question 11

Habituation

Answer 11

Reduced physiological or behavioral responding to a repeated stimulus

Question 12

Sensitization

Answer 12

Increased response to a repeated stimulus

Question 13

What would be an example of a less excitable neuron?

a. same amount of current injected–> more action potential
b. same amount of current injected–> less action potential
c. less current injected–> more action potential
d. more current injected–> less action potential

Answer 13

b. same amount of current injected–> less action potential

Question 14

About Deep neural network… define:
Structure, Objective function and Learning function

Answer 14

Structure: Amount of nods and layers (input/output, hidden) and how each node gets activated
Objective function: The goal (ex: read human writing)
Learning function: Method of adjusting connections after an output to best achieve the objective function. After a “behavior”–>connection weaker of stronger

Question 15

What are the three components of the deep neural network used for AI

Answer 15

structure, objective function and learning function

Question 16

Describe NMDA receptors

Answer 16

Ionotropic glutamate receptors. When the membrane potential is less than 40mV (ex: at rest), magnesium blocks the pore, so the current only goes through AMPA receptors
When not blocked, lets calcium and sodium in

Question 17

What is responsible for gating current flow through the NMDA channel
a. Glutamate
b. NMDA receptors
c. AMPA receptors
d. Glutamate and membrane voltage

Answer 17

d. Glutamate and membrane voltage (when V<40, magnesium blocks the pore)

Question 18

Describe AMPA receptors

Answer 18

Ionotropic glutamate receptors, mediates most excitatory fast synaptic currents in the brain. Lets Na+ in, causing EPSPs. Regulate the amount of NMDA receptors present

Question 19

Describe the different types of learning

Answer 19

Perceptual: learning to recognize stimuli as distinct entities. (ex: language…pattern recognition)

Motor: learning to make skilled, choreographed movements. “procedural learning”

Stimulus-association: learning to perform a particular behavior in response to a certain stimulus. Includes classical and instrumental conditioning.

Relational: learning relationship among individual stimuli. All consciously accessible memory. “stimulus-stimulus learning”—>after you perceive something, you link it to other things

Question 20

Describe the 2 types of memory

Answer 20

Unconscious (implicit, non-declarative):

Consciously accessible (explicit, declarative):

Question 21

Give 3 examples of unconscious (implicit, non declarative) memories

Answer 21

• Procedural memories (ex: )
• Perceptual memories (ex: )
• Stimulus-response memories (ex: )

“show me”

Question 22

Give the two types of consciously accessible (explicit, declarative) memories

Answer 22

Episodic memories (ex: )
Semantic memories (ex: )
“tell me”

Question 23

Describe the two types of stimulus-response learning

Answer 23

Classical conditioning:

Instrumental conditioning:

Question 24

What are the functions of the basal ganglia

Question 25

Name and describe the three streams of input in the striatum