Memory in Simple Organisms Flashcards
What is declarative memory?
Memory of facts
What is non-declarative memory?
Skills that we learn
What is a synaptotagmin?
A calcium sensor
All have different calcium sensitivities
Three pools of vesicles
Reserve or resting pool
Proximal pool
Readily releasable pool
AMPA receptor
Binds glutamate
Opens and massive Na+ influx
Leads to depolarisation
What does Phospholipase C do?
Increases Ca2+ concentration in the cytoplasm
NMDA receptor
Binds glutamate
When membrane depolarised, Mg2+ leaves receptor and receptor opens
Leads to calcium influx into the membrane
Advantages of simple systems
Usually large neuron size
Circuit complexity much simpler (easier to study)
Not as temperature-dependent as human neurons
Allow for mapping of neurons
What is habituation
A decrease in responsivity of a sensory system when it is stimulated many times
Sensitisation
When the nervous system responds to a particular stimulus more and more
Examples of habituation in humans
Eye blink reflex
Repetitive non-harmful stimulus presentation (living on a noisy road)
Visual attention
Emotional response (flying, exam stress)
Aplysia refelx
Withdrawal of the gill when siphon is touched (to protect the gill which is necessary for survival)
If you touch the siphon many times what happens?
The gill is withdrawn less, the reflex disappears
Habituation results from…
A reduced synaptic strength
When the synapse is stimulated many times, _____ vesicles are available for release, resulting in _____
Less
A smaller response