Methods In Modern Neuroscience Research Flashcards
What are 5 ways in which we can study the brain?
lesions - these can be used to silence neurones in the brain
Morphological and anatomic studies - studying the connections between neurones
FMRI and electrophysiological recordings
Modelling and theoretical simulations
Physiological methods and illusions.
Examples of physiological experiments we can do?
This is just tests on creatures..
We can use primates and humans
Lower vertebrates - zebrafish
Invertebrates - drosophila
Why are genetic studies on humans and primates hard to do?
They have long lifespans
Instead we choose organisms with shorter life spans to do genetic experiments such as drosophila
What is the issue with using drosophila for models for genetics?
Although the short life snap
They are small and also their nervous system may differ significantly to ours
Once you have a model organism, what questions should we ask ourselves when studying their brains?
We should ask what areas of the brain are involved in the processes we want to observe e.g. the visual system.
We then need to ask how we could observe these areas - such as with induced fMRI, lesions, multi-electrodes recordings in different brain areas.
When can we study the affect of lesions in human brains in a humane way? What is an example?
We can do this after subjects have suffered from neurodegenerative disease - which cause lesions themselves
There are examples of how lesions can affect object recognition and colour perception. In individuals. Seen when a woman who had a stroke.
What is fMRI good for studying? And what experiment can we do to test this?
This is good for studying the brain areas involved in visual processing
To test we can move dots on a screen left or right and watch how the brain activity changes
What are the methods to study new neuronal types?
Describe morphology - look at connections in the brain already between neurones)
Map these connections
Describe the activity of these neurones
Then engage in theoretical study.
The process - how to study neurones via mapping connections
Stimulate one neurone and record the other to see if the neurones are connected - but this process would require billions of batches
Use electron microscopy - you get a slice of the brain and do electron miscroscopy. You take continuous slices until you get a 3d stack. (Live brain)
You then look at neurones firing and see what affects firing rate.
What were calaj and Golgi’s experiments to label cells?
They used staining such as the Golgi stain. Note this want just done on the Golgi!
Through this method they stained the Golgi and other organelle
This method ensured neurones were labelled in a sparse way
You can see individual neurones
What did Cajal use Golgi staining to observe and map?
Retinal cells
What is the problem of using the Golgi staining method?
You rarely stain individual neurones
You cant combine electrophysiological (studying electrical activity) and morphological (looking at connections between neurones ) assessment on the same cell.
How do you carry out electrophysiological assessments on the brain?
Through sharp electrode recording - this helps to stimulate regions
You fill a needle and electrode with electrolyte such as potassium chloride
You insert this needle gently into the cell
When you stimulate the neurones with these electrodes it causes the membrane potential to decrease.
sharp electrode recording - this helps to stimulate regions In the brain
How can this be used in drosophila’s brains
You can stimulate light receptors with the electrode and ground electrode
You put a recording receptor in a hole in the head
Disadvantage of using sharp electrode recording to stimulate and record regions
There is limited possibility to control membrane potential
You can’t measure single channels as you look at potential of entire membrane
