Plasticity Flashcards
Teacher: Kessels
Where is episodic memory and emotional memory located?
Episodic –> hippocampus
Emotional –> amygdala
Hebbs his law for associative learning.
Neurons that fire together, wire together ;))))
What are the 3 domains of a glutamate receptor subunit?
- Amino-terminal domain
- Ligand binding domain
- Transmembrane domain
How many subunits does a GluR have?
4
Why is the amount of Ca2+ for each vesicle almost the same?
Because of the probability that a vesicle releases
Why do we do extracellular field potential recording?
For measurement of synaptic transmission
Where in a extracellular field potential recording can you see the corresponding current which shows the strength the synaps response with?
After the field excitatory post-synaptic potential (fEPSP)
What are the glutamate analogs?
NMDA and AMPA
For what is AMPA important?
Synaptic communication
For what is NMDA important?
For memory
Why are NMDA called coicidence detectors?
NMDA receptors do not directly play a role in synaptic communication because they are blocked by Mg2+
–> NMDA only opens when Glu is release + depolarisation of posty synaps, which makes it a coicidence detector
What happens to the post-synaps when there is LTP?
More AMPA receptors in the membrane
What is required for LTP?
NMDA activation
How can stimulating the brain with a certain frequency cause LTP increasement?
Cause it helps NMDA receptors to depolarize
How can it be that CaMKII autophosphorylates itself?
It has a 12 subunit ring structure –> when one of the subunits is triggered by Ca2+, it will phosphorylate the other subunits automatically because of the ring structure
Why is CaMKII autophosphorylation important for LTP?
CaMKII will bind to NMDA and from there phosphorylate AMPARs which causes LTP
What is the composition of subunits in immature and mature hippocampal CA1 neuron?
Immature: N1 &N2B
Mature: N1 & N2A
Whats up with CaMKII and N2A and B?
N2A can not bind to CaMKII
N2B can bind to CaMKII via its c-tail –> immature brain has to learn a lot more than mature brain –> how older we get,
how more selective our memory becomes
What is the structural function of CaMKII in a synaps?
It effects the cytoskeleton of the synaps –> making it bigger
What are the subunits of AMPARs and the composition of the subunits?
GluA1/2/3
Composition:
- A1&A2
- A2&A3
Which AMPAR subunit is required for LTP?
GluA1
What is the difference between early and late phase LTP?
Early phase is independent of protein sythesis (<3 hours) (LTP)
Late phase is dependent on protein synthesis (>3 hours) (structural plasticity)
What is the difference between LTP and structural plasticity?
LTP is the strengthening of existing synapses and essential for short-term memory
Structural plasticity is the making of new synaptic connections and important for long-term memory
How does structural plasticity express itself?
By stabilization of new synapses
What is the difference in baseline activity and learning-related activity when we talk about structural rewiring of synaptic networks?
- Baseline activity: addition and removal of small transient spines that can contribute to temporal changes in cortical circuit connectivity
- Learning-related activity: After learning some of these transient connections can be stabalized
What is LTD?
Long term depression –> loss of spines –> forgetting
What happens when a post synaps has a strong connection with one synaps and a weak connection with another synaps?
The strongness of the synaps (where LTP does happen) helps strengthen the weaker connection –> more depolarization which also helps unblock Mg2+
