Problem 2

Question 1

What does Hebb’s postulate state?

Answer 1

Synaptic terminals are strengthened by correlated activity during development, whereas those that receive uncorrelated activity will weaken

Question 2

What happens if a young child is not exposed to appropriate stimuli during critical periods?

Answer 2

The skill is not developed correctly and it is nearly impossible to remedy after.

Question 3

What are oscillations and retinal waves?

Answer 3

Oscillations are waves below the threshold for an action potential that occurs prior to experience driven activity.
Retinal waves are waves of activity in the retina long before birth that leads to modest competitive interaction

Question 4

Why is the visual system best for studying critical periods?

Answer 4

The orginization of the visual pathways provide ideal opportunities to evaluate how experience influences ongoing function and connections.

Question 5

What is ocular dominance?

Answer 5

Ocular dominance refers to one eye having a stronger connection to the cells in layer 4 than the other eye

Question 6

What is the consequence of visual deprivation in kittens? (One and both eyes)

Answer 6

One eye: the ocular dominance shift to the undeprived eyes

Both eyes: the distribution of ocular dominance does not shift

Question 7

What is strabismus and what effect does it have?

Answer 7

Strabismus is the failure of an ocular muscle causing double vision. Because the visual representations of both eyes no longer fall on the same area of the retina, the cells in all layers are driven exclusively by one eye.

Question 8

Which excitatory neurotransmitter and which secondmessenger play important roles in critical periods?

Answer 8

Glutamate and calcium

Question 9

When is the critical period for language?

Answer 9

0-12 years

Question 10

Hoe do gray matter and white matter volume change over time?

Answer 10

First an increase in gray matter, then a decrease during adolescence and an increase in white matter

Question 11

Which are the three types of neuronal recovery?

Answer 11

• Peripheral nerve generation
• Restoration of damaged central nerve cells
• Genesis of new neurons

Question 12

Describe the role of Schwann cells in regeniration of a peripheral nerve?

Answer 12

When a peripheral axon is severed, the dead part is cleared by macrophages. The axon then becomes a growth cone which interacts with adjacent Schwann cells. The Schwann cells secrete neurotrophins which stimulate the regrowth.

Question 13

What are the major reasons for the differences in recovery between PNS and CNS?

Answer 13

Glial scarring and the inflammatory response in CNS inhibit growth

Question 14

What are 3 types of damage to the CNS?

Answer 14

Physical trauma, neurodegenerative disease. Hypoxia

Question 15

What is excitotoxicity?

Answer 15

Elevated neuronal activity releases a large amount of neurotransmitters which can cause cell death

Question 16

Which cells contribute to glial scarring

Answer 16

Astrocytes and oligodendrocytes

Question 17

Where does neurogenesis happen most in adult mammal brains?

Answer 17

Hippocampus and olfactory bulb

Question 18

What is the rostral migratory stream?

Answer 18

A migratory route that facilitates migration of newly generated neurons from the anterior SVZ to the olfactory bulb

Question 19

What is a transit amplifying cell?

Answer 19

A precursor cell that devides into two cells, the new neuron and a new transit amplifying cell

Question 20

What is the role of the amygdala in classical conditioning?

Answer 20

The CS and US cause the weak synapses in the lateral amygdala to be strengthened causing a learned response

Question 21

What is the role of the basal ganglia in operant conditioning?

Answer 21

The basal ganglia pathway starts to learn behavior after frequent repitition, and then the behavior becomes automatic.

Question 22

Which areas play an important role in motor learning?

Answer 22

Cortex and basal ganglia

Question 23

What cortical regions play an important role in perceptual recognition and remembering?

Answer 23

The objects are recognized in the Extrastriate cortex and sends this to the Ventral stream and Dorsal stream. In remembering the Extrastriate cortex and PFC are involved. The left basal ganglia filters out the irrelevant and the right PFC keeps the relevant info.

Question 24

What role does the hippocampus play in relational learning?

Answer 24

The hippocampus receives information and starts processing it to link it to memories that are being consolidated there. This allows us to remember episodes and contexts

Question 25

What areas are involved in semantic learning?

Answer 25

Left inferior PFC, left posterior temporal cortex and hippocampal areas

Question 26

What is the role of neurogenesis in memory consilidation?

Answer 26

Evidence suggests that involving the hippocampus doubles the number of new neurons, thus suggesting that these new neurons in the dentate gyrus participate in learning.

Question 27

Does hippocampal damage lead to issues in stimulus response learning?

Answer 27

No, they just no longer have the awareness of learning it

Question 28

Does hippocampal damage lead to issues in motor learning?

Answer 28

No. They just do not have the awareness of having learned it

Question 29

Does hippocampal damage lead to issues in perceptual learning?

Answer 29

No. But again they do not have awareness of learning

Question 30

Does hippocampal damage lead to issues in relational learning?

Answer 30

Yes. The hippocampus is involved in spatial relations, thus damage disrupts the ability to learn spatial relations

Question 31

What are the roles of NMDA and AMPA receptors in LTP?

Answer 31

Both receptors are required for LTP. NMDA receptors are blocked by a magnesium ion, once depolarized the Mg2+ ion is removed. The depolarization causes the channels to open and Ca2+ to enter the cell this starts the process of LTP. AMPA receptors contribute to local depolarization to facilitate the removal of Mg2+.

Question 32

What is LTD?

Answer 32

Long term depression. LTD is induced by low frequency stimulation and results in decreased synaptic strength and fewer AMPA receptors in the post synaptic membrane.