Physio: Learning and Memory

Question 1

Describe declarative memory vs. non-declarative memory.

Answer 1

Declarative: storage of material available to the consciousness and can be expressed as language

Non-declarative memories of procedures or skills, materials which are not available to the consciousness and retrieved at an unconscious level

Question 2

Describe short term vs. long term memory.

Answer 2

Short term: physiologically only involves changes in synaptic strength and occurs over seconds, minutes,or hours. Usually due to serotonin release causing increased calcium entering the post-synaptic cells.

Long term: physiologically involved structural changes to neurons and builds memories that last weeks, month, years.

Question 3

What is the most basic definition of dementia?

Answer 3

Loss of cholinergic stimulation between the cortex and hippocampus.

Question 4

What is habituation?

Answer 4

Decrease in a post-synaptic response due to repetitive stimuli.

(ex. touching a snail’s siphon)

Question 5

What is facilitation (sensitization)?

Answer 5

Augmented, prolonged postsynaptic response after a neutral stimulus to which one has habituated to when a noxious stimulus is given.

Ex. Repeated touching of a snail’s siphon would normally cause habituation and the snail would retract the siphon less and less. However, if this is combined with noxious stimuli, like shocking the tail, the post-synaptic response increases.

Then, touching the snails siphon causes a more rapid retraction because the snail associates this with a shock to its tail.

Question 6

Which receptors are most involved in long-term potentiation?

Answer 6

Glutamate NMDA receptors.

(AMPA receptors bind glutamate with every synapse, NMDA only binds glutamate with prolonged depolarization of the neuronal cell membrane from a continued stimulus that is going to be converted to memory)

Question 7

What type of amnesia results in an inability to form new memories and which structure is most often affected?

Answer 7

• Anterograde amnesia

- Hippocampus

Question 8

What type of amnesia results in an inability to retrieve memories that are stored and what structure is involved?

Answer 8

• Retrograde amnesia

- Thalamus

Question 9

Describe Korasakoff Syndrome.

Answer 9

Selective anterograde and retrograde amnesia due to a thiamine (B12) deficiency in mammillary body and medial thalamic neurons. Primary cause is alcoholism.

Question 10

Where is the short term and then long term aquisition and storage of declarative information?

Answer 10

Short Term: hippocampus and surrounding areas

Long Term: cortical areas (Wernicke, temporal cortex)

Question 11

Where is the short term and then long term aquisition and storage of non-declarative information?

Answer 11

Short Term: unknown (widespread)

Long Term: cerebellum, basal ganglia, premotor cortex

Question 12

Which neurotransmitter is gradually lost in Alzheimer Disease?

Answer 12

ACh

Question 13

What genetic locations and genes are associated with causing Alzheimer Disease?

Answer 13

Chromosome 21 – Amyloid Precursor protein
Chromosome 14 – Presenilin I
Chromosome 1 – Presenilin II

(involved in the production of the neurofibrillary tangles and the amyloid plaques that block long term potentiation)