Neurotransmitters

Question 1

Shea et al (2006)

Answer 1

• whether apple juice consumption increases ACh + memory
• adult & old mice, some specifically bred to have Alzheimer’s like symptoms fed 3 dif diets
• standard diet, nutrient deficient, & nutridient deficient diet w/ apple juice
• increased ACh in brains after apple juice + memory
• tests using Y maze tests
• consumption of antioxidant-rich foods such as apples and apple juice can help reduce problems associated with memory loss

Question 2

Strengths of Shea et al (2006)

Answer 2

• human implication + new treatments
• benefits of everyday food items
• use of animals = strict control of variables
• could be conducted in humans but not to same level of control (operationalised for memory)

Question 3

Weaknesses of Shea et al (2006)

Answer 3

• transferability is low as it is an animal study
• animals exposed to harm to induce symptoms

Question 4

Gais & Born (2004) (interaction of neurotransmission w/ env factors)

Answer 4

• Investigated role of ACh in human hippocampus while a person is in slow-wave sleep
• 29 healthy male participants b/w 18 & 35 engaged in 1 adaptation night & 2 experimental nights
• Split into 2 groups: sleep group & control (Awake)
• All participants in both groups completed a word memory task (declarative / explicit) b/w 10 & 10:30 am
• Received infusion of physostigmine which stimulates ACh production
• On second night, all participants received placebo
• Sleep group: woken up 3 hours after falling asleep, asked to recall words they remembered
• Control group: stayed awake, also asked to recall words
• For sleep: memory significantly decreased after physostigmine compared to placebo
• Slight increase in memory performance for ACh group AWAKE

Question 5

Conclusion of Gais & Born (2004)

Answer 5

• Concluded that acquisition of declarative info when we are awake needs high ACh levels
• However, the processing + storage of the materials into neocortical networks require a period of low ACh levels to prevent suppression of feedback from hippocampus to the other areas of the brain
• So, high acetylcholine is needed for information to be retained in the hippocampus, and low acetylcholine is needed for that information to enter long‐term memory.

SLEEP MITIGATES THE EFFECTS OF ACH ON MEMORY BY STIMULATING FEEDBACK FROM THE HIPPOCAMPUS & ITNERFERING W/ TRANSMISSION OF MATERIAL TO LTM

Question 5

Conclusion of Gais & Born (2004)

Answer 5

• Concluded that acquisition of declarative info when we are awake needs high ACh levels
• However, the processing + storage of the materials into neocortical networks require a period of low ACh levels to prevent suppression of feedback from hippocampus to the other areas of the brain
• So, high acetylcholine is needed for information to be retained in the hippocampus, and low acetylcholine is needed for that information to enter long‐term memory.

SLEEP MITIGATES THE EFFECTS OF ACH ON MEMORY BY STIMULATING FEEDBACK FROM THE HIPPOCAMPUS & ITNERFERING W/ TRANSMISSION OF MATERIAL TO LTM

Question 6

Evaluation of Gais & Born (2004)

Answer 6

• study should be repeated w. older participants
• gender balance + mixture of ethnicities in order that the results be replicated
• some people could just have naturally better memory / naturally higher levels of ACh –> ASSUMPTIONS
• sleeping in unnatural env could also have an effect