Lecture 8 Learning

Question 1

What is Hebb’s rule in regards to learning?

Answer 1

• hebb’s rule states that a connection between two neurons will strengthen if they are
  activated in the same space and at the same time
• the connections will be weakened if they don’t

Question 2

if we want to measure physiological changes, what part of a neuronal response would we measure?

Answer 2

Action Potentials

Question 3

What is learning at the neuronal level?

Answer 3

• A stimulus from a neuron produces a typical response from the neuron to which it connects
• If the “Stimulus” reliably produces a “Response”, the strength of the
  physiological response increases
• If the “Stimulus” DOESN’T reliably produce a “Response”, the strength of the physiological response decreases

Question 4

What does the response of a neuron depend on?

Answer 4

The response of a neuron depends on the frequency that one neuron excites another.

Question 5

What does learning look like physiologically pre/post- synapse?

Answer 5

You could release more Neurotransmitters Pre-synapse, post-synapse could have more receptors/binding sites

Question 6

What did Dr. Eric Kandel do?

Answer 6

Related learned behaviour to changes in neurons via. sea slug experiment

Question 7

What is Sensitization and Habituation?

Answer 7

• sensitization: increased response to stimuli following the presentation of a prominent
  stimulus
• you become more aware of the stimulus
• habituation: decreased response to a stimulus following the repeated presentation of that
  stimulus
• examples: loud sound (living in a dorm right beside a bus stop analogy)

Question 8

Describe a structural change of plasticity

Answer 8

Standard vs Enriched environment for mice:
mice develop higher order branching in their dendrites

Musicians:
Greater volume in pre-central gyrus (motor)

London Taxi Driver:
Larger Hippocamp

Blind woman unable to read braille w same precision after stroke in visual cortex

Question 9

What is the difference between a NMDA vs non-NMDA receptor?

Answer 9

Glutamate binds to both receptors to let through ions but non-NMDA lets through NA ions where NMDA lets through Ca ions, but it only does this when the cell is already polarized as there is a Mg ion which acts like a cork stopping ions from passing through if the cell is not already polarized

Question 10

What does the release of Ca ions from NMDA receptors cause?

Answer 10

Affect intracellular enzymes that cause more AMPA (non-NMDA) to be produced and inserted into membrane and also increases the conductance of NA, K ions

Also produces a retrograde transmitter which travels back and causes the presynaptic neuron to release more neurotransmitters