Midterm Notes Flashcards
Modulation of Stimulus Evoked Behaviour
What mechanisms can modify the stimulus-response relationship of a simple reflex?
- Change in gamma motor neuron activity
- Inhibit reflex
- Facilitate reflex
Modulation of Stimulus Evoked Behaviour
How do changes in gamma motor neuron activity modify a simple reflex?
- Changes in muscle spindle receptor sensiticity
- changing alpha-gamma relationship will alter taughtness if spindle (same stretch -> weaker afferent response)
Modulation of Stimulus Evoked Behaviour
Explain what inhibiting the relfex means.
Decrease the strength of the effect of the sensory afferent on the motor neuron (called gain)
Modulation of Stimulus Evoked Behaviour
Explain what facilitating the reflex means.
Increase gain at sensory motor synapse
Modulation of Stimulus Evoked Behaviour
What is the objective of modulating stimulus evoked behaviours?
like how are they modulated
Changing the probability of AP occuring without precluding that an AP could occur
Modulation of Stimulus Evoked Behaviour
What is spatial summation?
the aggregation of post-synaptic potentials arising from multiple separate synapses
Modulation of Stimulus Evoked Behaviour
What is temporal summation?
the aggregation of multiple post-synaptic potentials occuring close in time
What are the main neurotransmitters?
and which are the most common exitatory/inhibitory?
- Glutamate (most common excitatory)
- GABA (most common inhibitory)
- Glycine (most common inhibitory in SC)
- Acetylcholine
- Dopamine
- Serotonin
- Norepinephrine
Receptors and ion channels
What is an ionotropic receptor?
- A fast acting protein/receptor.
- The neurotransmitter will bind directly to the channel.
- Some are voltage gated.
Receptors and ion channels
What is a metabotropic receptor?
and what else is it known as?
- aka 2nd messenger receptor
- slow acting
- neurotransmitter binds to a separate G protein-coupled receptor
- This activates a second messenger system/ intermediary molecule
Receptors and ion channels
What what does voltage gated ion channel mean?
The ionotropic receptor wil not open right way once the neurotransmitter is bound. It requires the neurotransmitter and the internal voltage of the cell to be in a particular state (i.e depolarized)
Receptors and ion channels
What is a 2nd messenger?
an intracellular signaling molecule released by the cell when exposed to extracellular signalling (such as neurotransmitter)
[is released when neurotransmitte binds to metabotropic receptor, neurotransmitter binds outside cell, 2nd messenger is released and binds to ion channel inside cell]
Mechanisms of modulation
What is synaptic modulation
a change in the relationship between the pre-synaptic AP and post-synapitc potential
Mechanisms of modulation
what is pre-synaptic modulation?
change in the amount of neurotransmitter released by pre-synapic neuron
Mechanisms of modulation
What is post-synaptic modulation?
change driven by the post-synaptic neuron’s response to the neurotransmitter
Mechanisms of modulation
Explain baseline synaptic response
- Sharp burst of Na+ makes internal environment of pre-synaptic neuron near synapse for +
- charged environment opens Ca2+ voltage gated ion channels allowing CA2+ to flow into neuron
- influx of Ca2+ signals vesicles holding glutamate NT to move to synapse & release their contents
- Glutamate binds to receptors attached to ion channels on post-synaptic neuron. Ion channels open, allowing NA+ to flow into post-synaptic neuron
- Na+ generates an excitatory post-synaptic potential (EPSP) that diffuses down the post-syn. dendrite. If EPSP is big enough, it will initiate AP
Mechanisms of modulation
Explain Pre-synaptic inhibition
at synapse
- Inhibitory neuron on pre-syp. neuron opens Cl- channels, making internal envionment of pre-syn. neuron more -
- Ca2+channels less likely to open, fewer vesicles move to expel glutamate
- Less glutamate = fewer receptors on post-syn. channels find a “friend” to bind to. Fewer ion channels open on post-syn. neuron
- Less open channels leads to smaller influx of Na+ into post-syn. neuron
- Smaller EPSP, less likely to be big enough to tigger AP
Mechanisms of modulation
Explain pre-synaptic facilitaion
at synapse
- facilitory neuron on pre-syn. neuron opens Na+ channels, so more Na+ and more + pre-syn. environment
- Ca2+ channels more likely to open, so more vesicles move to expel glutamate
- More glutamate means more receptor bind to ion channels. Thus more channels open
- Leads larger influc of Na+ into post-synaptic neuron
- Lager EPSP which is more likely to trigger AP
Mechanisms of modulation
Explain Post-synaptic Inhibition
at synapse
(Pre-synaptic behaviour is the same as the baseline)
1. Inhibitory neuron opens Cl- channels on post-synaptic neuron , making environment more -
2. -Cl- ions summate with + Na+ ions flowing in from pre-synaptic neuron
3. Opposing charges cancel each other to some extent, thus smaller EPSP
4. EPSP less likely to be big enough to trigger AP
More common than pre-synaptic
Mechanisms of modulation
Explain Post-synaptic facilitation
(pre-synaptic behaviour is the same as baseline)
1. Facilitatory neuron on post-synaptic neuron opens Na+ chnnels, making internal environment more +
2. Na+ ions summate with Na+ ions flowing from presynaptic glutamate release
3. Common charges add, increasing EPSP
4. EPSP more likely to cause AP
More common than pre-synaptic
Mechanisms of modulation
Explain the key points of pre vs post-synaptic interactions
(specificity, synaptic interactions)
- Pre-synaptic interactions are more specific as it only affects one neuron/synapse (even if sensory neuron synapses with multiple other neurons)
- Post-synaptic interactions will alter excitability of post-synaptic neuron, affecting every synapse even if it has multiple synapses with pre-synaptic neurons
Control of pre/post synaptic modulation
Where does the input that determines the activity of the inhibitory/facilitatory neurons come from?
2 sources
- Sensory inputs (centripetal)
[inputs from primary afferent or interneurons mediated by afferent inputs] - Central/Descending (centrifugal)
[inputs arise from ‘higher’ centres like cortex/cerebellum/brain stem]
Control of pre/post synaptic modulation
What is the control reflex
Centripetal modulation
the muscle/reflex we are measuring alone (ex soleus influence on soleus reflex)