Plasticity

Question 1

Where is episodic memory and emotional memory located?

Answer 1

Episodic –> hippocampus
Emotional –> amygdala

Question 2

Hebbs his law for associative learning.

Answer 2

Neurons that fire together, wire together ;))))

Question 3

What are the 3 domains of a glutamate receptor subunit?

Answer 3

• Amino-terminal domain
• Ligand binding domain
• Transmembrane domain

Question 4

How many subunits does a GluR have?

Answer 4

4

Question 5

Why is the amount of Ca2+ for each vesicle almost the same?

Answer 5

Because of the probability that a vesicle releases

Question 6

Why do we do extracellular field potential recording?

Answer 6

For measurement of synaptic transmission

Question 7

Where in a extracellular field potential recording can you see the corresponding current which shows the strength the synaps response with?

Answer 7

After the field excitatory post-synaptic potential (fEPSP)

Question 8

What are the glutamate analogs?

Answer 8

NMDA and AMPA

Question 9

For what is AMPA important?

Answer 9

Synaptic communication

Question 10

For what is NMDA important?

Answer 10

For memory

Question 11

Why are NMDA called coicidence detectors?

Answer 11

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

Question 12

What happens to the post-synaps when there is LTP?

Answer 12

More AMPA receptors in the membrane

Question 13

What is required for LTP?

Answer 13

NMDA activation

Question 14

How can stimulating the brain with a certain frequency cause LTP increasement?

Answer 14

Cause it helps NMDA receptors to depolarize

Question 15

How can it be that CaMKII autophosphorylates itself?

Answer 15

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

Question 16

Why is CaMKII autophosphorylation important for LTP?

Answer 16

CaMKII will bind to NMDA and from there phosphorylate AMPARs which causes LTP

Question 17

What is the composition of subunits in immature and mature hippocampal CA1 neuron?

Answer 17

Immature: N1 &N2B
Mature: N1 & N2A

Question 18

Whats up with CaMKII and N2A and B?

Answer 18

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

Question 19

What is the structural function of CaMKII in a synaps?

Answer 19

It effects the cytoskeleton of the synaps –> making it bigger

Question 20

What are the subunits of AMPARs and the composition of the subunits?

Answer 20

GluA1/2/3
Composition:
- A1&A2
- A2&A3

Question 21

Which AMPAR subunit is required for LTP?

Answer 21

GluA1

Question 22

What is the difference between early and late phase LTP?

Answer 22

Early phase is independent of protein sythesis (<3 hours) (LTP)
Late phase is dependent on protein synthesis (>3 hours) (structural plasticity)

Question 23

What is the difference between LTP and structural plasticity?

Answer 23

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

Question 24

How does structural plasticity express itself?

Answer 24

By stabilization of new synapses

Question 25

What is the difference in baseline activity and learning-related activity when we talk about structural rewiring of synaptic networks?

Answer 25

• 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

Question 26

What is LTD?

Answer 26

Long term depression –> loss of spines –> forgetting

Question 27

What happens when a post synaps has a strong connection with one synaps and a weak connection with another synaps?

Answer 27

The strongness of the synaps (where LTP does happen) helps strengthen the weaker connection –> more depolarization which also helps unblock Mg2+