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Neuroscience > Memory and learning > Flashcards

Memory and learning Flashcards

1
Q

Intrinsic excitability

A

Number of action potentials a neuron exhibits overtime in response to depolarizing current injections into the neuron.

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2
Q

Synaptic strength

A

The size of the response in a postsynaptic neuron when a presynaptic neuron has an action potential.

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3
Q

synaptic plasticity

A

A change in synaptic strength

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4
Q

Changes in intrinsic excitability and synaptic strength can be measured with …

A

Brain slice recordings

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5
Q

We measure intrinsic excitability by injecting depolarizing current into a neuron and counting …

A

the number of action potentials it has.

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6
Q

Neuronal excitability is strongly affected by the number of ____ ____ channels on the membrane.

A

Potassium leak

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7
Q

Neurons with ____fewer/more potassium leak channels are more excitable

A

Fewer

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8
Q

EPSP (excitatory postsynaptic potentia)

A

When the postsynaptic response is depolarization

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9
Q

On the presynaptic side, there can be changes in …

A

The number of vesicles, the filling of vesicles, or the release of vesicles.

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10
Q

On the postsynaptic side, there can be changes in the …

A

Number of receptors, their sensitivity to neurotransmitters, and their response to neurotransmitter binding.

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11
Q

More neurotransmitter filled ___ on the presynaptic side and more ___ on postsynaptic cause stronger synaptic response.

A

Vesicles and receptors

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12
Q

Scientists studied the alkyd gill withdrawal reflex and habituation by looking at …

A

The response of motor neurons to brief puffs of glutamate

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13
Q

Repeated light touches of the siphon _____increases/decreases the magnitude of the gill withdrawal reflex to the point where light touches are ignored. It stops withdrawing its gill.

A

Decreases

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14
Q

True or false : After habituation, the sensory neuron depolarizes the same amount in response to touch before and after habituation.

A

True

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15
Q

After habituation, when the sensory neuron spikes, there is a ____smaller/bigger response in the motor neuron.

A

Smaller

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16
Q

After habituation, on the presynaptic side, there are fewer vesicles (yes/no), less glutamate per vesicle (yes/no). Some vesicles are not being released (yes/no).Fewer vesicles (yes/no)

A

Yes, no, yes

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17
Q

When a synaptic connection becomes stronger in an enduring manner, the postsynaptic side grows ____ and contains ____ neurotransmitter receptors

A

Larger and more

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18
Q

Long-term potentiation (LTP)

A

An enduring (long-term) increase in the connection strength between two neurons (i.e., increased synaptic strength).

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19
Q

LTP an be elicited in reduced preparations (e.g., brain slices) by repeatedly stimulating the inputs to a neuron at a ____low/high -frequency.

A

High

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20
Q

LTP is often initiated on the ____presynaptic/postsynaptic side (more receptors).

A

Postsynaptic

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21
Q

The release of retrograde signaling molecules, such as nitric oxide (NO), from ______ membranes triggers complementary changes on the ______ side (e.g., more neurotransmitter released per spike).

A

Postsynaptic, presynaptic

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22
Q

Long-term depression (LTD)

A

An enduring (long-term) decrease in the connection strength between two neurons (i.e., decreased synaptic strength).

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23
Q

Repeated ___low/high-frequency stimulation of the inputs to a quiet neuron often causes LTD.

A

Low

24
Q

LTD is often initiated on the _____presynaptic/postsynaptic side (fewer receptors).

A

Postsynaptic

25
Q

The release of retrograde signaling molecules, such as _______, from postsynaptic membrane triggers complementary changes on the presynaptic side in LTD.

A

Endocannabinoids

26
Q

High frequency stimulation (~100 Hz) of afferent inputs often produces LTP. The same number of stimulations at a slower rate (1 Hz) often produces ___.

A

LTD

27
Q

LTP and LTD are a function of the number of times the synapse is _____ as well as whether the postsynaptic neuron ____ action potentials at those precise times.

A

Activated and fired

28
Q

For LTP to occur, the release of neurotransmitters into the synapse must coincide with a substantial _____hyperpolarization/depolarization of the postsynaptic cell (normally associated with an action potential).

A

Depolarization

29
Q

High frequency stimulation of afferent inputs typically causes postsynaptic neurons to ____ (summation of EPSPs)

A

Spike

30
Q

Low frequency stimulation is often ______sufficient/insufficient to get postsynaptic neurons to spike

A

Insufficient

31
Q

The only synapses we strengthen are the ones releasing _____.

A

Glutamate

32
Q

Whether a synapse going to be strengthened or weakened is going to depend on if when the synapse was activated, the postsynaptic cell was also _____ and caused it to spike.

A

Depolarized

33
Q

If a cell spikes, what’s going to be strengthened is all the synapses that were ____ when that cell spikes

A

Active

34
Q

Glutamate NMDA receptor measures…

A

The activity of the synapse and the voltage of the postsynaptic cell.

35
Q

NMDA is a regular _____ glutamate receptor

A

Ionotropic

36
Q

What happens when glutamate binds to an NMDA receptor ?

A

The receptor opens, and positive sodium comes in.

37
Q

How does the NMDA receptor differ from other ion channels ?

A

It differs from other ion channels because it’s got a large pore that lets some other ions besides sodium go through, like calcium.

38
Q

When the NMDA receptor opens, _____ tries to go through and it clogs the pore, which prevents any current flow.

A

Magnesium

39
Q

If a molecule of glutamate binds with the NMDA receptor, the calcium channel cannot open because …

A

The magnesium ion blocks the channel.

40
Q

he Mg2+ blockade of the NMDA receptor only occurs when the membrane potential of the cell is ______ (< -40mV), like when the cell is at ___.

A

Hyperpolarized, rest

41
Q

Calcium (with diffusion ) and sodium can enter the channel when the membrane potential of the cell is slightly ______ (i.e., more positive than -40 mV),

A

Depolarized

42
Q

Why is NMDA a coincidence receptor ?

A

It needs glutamate binding to open, but it also can’t be very hyperpolarized or magnesium will block it.

43
Q

NMDA receptors play a large role in ____ and memory.

A

Learning

44
Q

NMDA receptors are permeable to Na+ and Ca2+ ions, but only when these 2 conditions are met :

A
  1. Glutamate is bound to the receptor
  2. Mg2+ is not clogging the pore (when slightly depolarized membrane potential)
45
Q

AMPA receptor

A

The ionotropic glutamate receptor that mediates most of the fast excitatory synaptic currents in the brain. It lets in sodium ions when open, causing EPSPs (excitatory postsynaptic potentials) and membrane depolarization. Most glutamate synapses in the brain contain AMPA and NMDA receptors.

46
Q

Open, unblocked NMDA receptors are permeable to _____ and _____ ions.

A

Sodium and calcium

47
Q

CaMKII

A

Type II calcium-calmodulin kinase. It is an enzyme that is activated by calcium influx through NMDA receptors.

48
Q

CaMKII participates in the intracellular signaling cascade that establishes long-term potentiation at glutamate synapses, by increasing the number of ____NMDA/AMPA glutamate receptors in the postsynaptic membrane.

A

AMPA

49
Q

For glutamatergic synapses that form on dendritic spines, the strength of the synaptic connection correlates with the ___ of the spine and the number of ____ receptors in it.

A

Size and AMPA

50
Q

The size of many spines is constantly fluxed during the day, but some spines are ____

A

Stable

51
Q

The learning in association learning is done through more ___AMPA/NMDA receptors

A

AMPA

52
Q

Associative long-term potentiation

A

The increase in synaptic strength that occurs in weak synapses that happen to be active when stronger inputs get the postsynaptic neuron to spike.

53
Q

Hebb’s rule

A

Hypothesis proposed by Donald Hebb: The cellular basis of learning involves the strengthening of synaptic connections that happen to be active when the postsynaptic neuron fires an action potential. “Fire together, wire together”

54
Q

The hippocampus is essential for long term ____ memory and learning.

A

Conscious

55
Q

If you strengthen a synaptic connection because it was always active when a cell was spiking, we weaken it by making it always _____ when the cell’s not spiking.

A

Active

56
Q

When one synapse gets strong, it maintains its strength by being active when other strong synapses are ____too.

A

Active

57
Q

The amount of ____ through the NMDA receptor will determine whether a synapse is useful in association learning

A

Calcium

Neuroscience (12 decks)

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