Learning and Memory + Review Q’s

Question 1

Short-lived form of synaptic plasticity that results in increased frequency of miniature EPSPs and thus results in increased probability of action potentials in the post-synaptic cell

Answer 1

Post-tetanic potentiation (PTP)

Question 2

A persistent increase in synaptic strength following high-frequency stimulation of a chemical synapse; requires repeated strong stimulation

Answer 2

Long-term potentiation

Question 3

Mechanism of long-term potentiation

Answer 3

Increased phosphorylation of AMPA receptors and insertion of additional AMPA receptors into post-synaptic membrane

Eventually, activation of calcium-calmodulin-CREB mechanism

Question 4

Long-term declarative memories are widely stored in the _________

Answer 4

Cerebral cortex (area depends on memory - visual, auditory, association areas, etc.)

Question 5

Long-term non-declarative memories are widely stored where?

Answer 5

Areas related to motor behavior

Question 6

Consolidation of memory is the process by which labile memory is stabilized; it involves the process of __________ as well as physical changes in synaptic structure

Answer 6

Long-term potentiation

[anatomically involves hippocampus, temporal lobes, papez circuit, and cingulate cortex]

Question 7

Short term memory is associated with more synaptic ______ changes, while long term memory is associated with more _____ changes

Answer 7

Chemical; structural

Question 8

Retrieval of memory typically involves what areas of the brain?

Answer 8

Cortex, parahippocampal gyrus, and hippocampus

Memory itself is reconstructed in hippocampus

Question 9

Important site of adult neurogenesis

Answer 9

Dentate gyrus

[proposed function of time-stamping new information—aka giving it context]

Question 10

Working (short-term) memory involves accessing memories and using what you remember.

What are the 3 components to this model?

Answer 10

Phonological loop — Wernicke’s and Broca’s areas (provides auditory info associated with memory)

Visuospatial loop — Occipital cortex (visual info associated with memory)

Executive control processes — Prefrontal cortex (allocates attention)

Question 11

Spatial memory involves place cells in the _______, specifically specialized ______ cells in CA1

It also involves grid cells in the _________ ______, which work in conjunction with the cell type above for spacing and orientation

Answer 11

Hippocampus; pyramidal

Entorhinal

Question 12

A 27 y/o man with severe epilepsy, characterized by major convulsions and lapses of consciousness every few minutes, underwent experimental neurosurgery to help relieve his seizures. The operation had a significant beneficial effect on the epilepsy, but led to a devastating memory deficit. He had normal procedural memory, maintained long-term memory for events that occurred prior to surgery, and his short-term memory was intact, but he could not commit new events to long-ter memory (loss of declarative memory). Which of the following areas of the brain was bilaterally resected in this patient?

A. Cerebral cortex
B. Cingulate gyrus
C. Hypothalamus
D. Parietal lobe
E. Temporal lobe

Answer 12

E. Temporal lobe

Temporal lobes play critical role in converting short-term declarative memories into long-term memories.

The hippocampus is the primary structure within the temporal lobe involved in this conversion. Because the patient retained memories from before the surgery, his case shows that the hippocampus is not involved in the storage of declarative memory

Question 13

Activation of the indirect pathway of the basal ganglia is produced by which neurotransmitter?

A. GABA
B. Serotonin
C. Acetylcholine
D. Dopamine

Answer 13

C. Acetylcholine

[2 major NTs associated with activation of the indirect pathway: ACh via the intrastriatal cholinergic pathway and EAA coming in from the cortex — mostly from areas related to judgement of whether motion is appropriate]

Question 14

A patient enters a comatose state after a large hemorrhagic stroke. In a few weeks time, the release of glutamate and ACh from medullary and pontine areas increases to normal levels. What change would this produce in the pt?

A. The appearance of decorticate rigidity when pt’s head is turned to the left
B. The appearance of clear sleep/wake cycles
C. The appearance of the ability to answer questions verbally
D. The appearance of involuntary flailing motions of the arms

Answer 14

B. The appearance of clear sleep/wake cycles

Question 15

After a near drowning, a young child regains consciousness and was able to follow simple commands. Within a few hours, he becomes comatose as swelling of his brain occurs. An experimental tx using an ion channel blocker is initiated in an attempt to improve his condition. What is the most likely target of the treatment?

A. D1 receptors
B. GABA-A receptors
C. Nicotinic cholinergic receptors
D. NMDA receptors

Answer 15

D. NMDA receptors

The cascade initiated in response to ischemia in the brain depends on the entrance of calcium into the neurons; of those listed, NMDA is associated with calcium channel

Question 16

Following a TBI, a veteran experiences an increase in gamma-motoneuron discharge of the skeletal muscles innervated by the now damaged area of the brain. What sign/symptom will she experience as a result of this?

A. Rigidity
B. Spasticity
C. Tonic-clonic seizures
D. Hemiballism

Answer 16

B. Spasticity

Question 17

While studying for Monday’s test, Student Dr. Still realizes he must devote extra attention to the physiology of long-term potentiation as he is having a hard time with the concept. His efforts result in a prolonged activation of synapses in his hippocampus and an increase in the amount of sodium that enters via the post-synaptic AMPA receptors. Which of the following events is most directly responsible for this increase?

A. Decreased glycine binding to the NMDA receptor on post-synaptic cell membranes
B. Activation of nitric oxide synthase within the post-synaptic neuron
C. Binding of CREB and expression of new AMPA receptors within the post-synaptic cell
D. Calcium binding to calmodulin within the post-synaptic neuron

Answer 17

D. Calcium binding to calmodulin within the post-synaptic neuron

Question 18

Student Dr. Scully has been made an involuntary research participant and given an experimental drug. She remembers nothing of the next 6 hours despite the fact that her secret video camera recordings indicate that she was fully functional and, in fact, was rehearsing the script for her next show from memory during that time. Which of the following is the most likely mechanism of action of the experimental drug she was given?

A. Inhibition of nitric oxide synthase
B. Inhibition of protein synthesis
C. Inhibition of NMDA receptors
D. Inhibition of muscarinic cholinergic channels

Answer 18

B. Inhibition of protein synthesis