Plasticity Flashcards
What is the ability of the brain to change called?
Plasticity
Plasticity is analogous to plasticine, which can be reshaped.
What is synaptic plasticity?
The science of how neurons alter their ability to communicate with one another.
What principle describes how synaptic connections are maintained or lost?
Use it or lose it principle.
What are the two processes that neuroscientists are interested in for long-lasting changes in synaptic strength?
- Long-term potentiation (LTP)
- Long-term depression (LTD)
What neurotransmitter is primarily involved in synaptic plasticity?
Glutamate.
What types of glutamate receptors are there?
- AMPA
- NMDA
- Kainate
- mGluR
What role do AMPA receptors play in synaptic transmission?
They generate an excitatory post-synaptic potential (EPSP).
True or False: NMDA receptors are essential for triggering synaptic plasticity.
True.
What ion blocks the NMDA receptor channels under resting conditions?
Magnesium (Mg2+).
What happens to NMDA receptors during strong neuronal activity?
Mg2+ is displaced, allowing Ca2+ to enter the neuron.
What is the function of calcium (Ca2+) in NMDA receptor activation?
It signals to the neuron when NMDA receptors have been activated.
What structural changes occur in the brain as memories become more permanent?
- Synapses may grow bigger
- New synapses may sprout
- Synapses may die if AMPA receptors are lost
How does mental exercise affect synaptic connections?
It can make synaptic connections more numerous and better organized.
What factors influence how well we learn?
- Emotional state
- Attention
What are some neuromodulators that influence learning?
- Acetylcholine
- Dopamine
- Noradrenaline
- Cortisol
What role does synaptic plasticity play in recovery from brain injury?
It can allow other neurons to adapt and take on similar functional roles.
What are the first stages of memory formation linked to?
Chemical modifications of proteins activated by calcium (Ca2+).
How can AMPA receptors express changes in synaptic strength?
- More transmitter can be released
- AMPA receptors can work more efficiently
- More AMPA receptors can be inserted
What can lead to long-term depression (LTD)?
A reduction in the efficiency or number of AMPA receptors.
Who is Jeffery Watkins?
A medicinal chemist known for developing drugs that act on specific glutamate receptors.
