things I don't understand (5-8) Flashcards
define learning
the strengthening of responses or the formation of new responses to stimuli due to repetition or practice
define memory
the storage and retrieval of knowledge gained through learning
what does STM involve
covalent modifications of pre-existing proteins at synapses by kinases
what does LTM involve
CREB-mediated gene expression, new mRNA and protein synthesis
how many neurons in aplysia
20,000 large identifiable nerve cells
does aplysia have a brain
nooooo, just a collection of ganglia - hence why they are easy to study
what is the full name of c. elegans
Caenorhabditis elegans
what does CREB stand for
cAMP response element binding protein
what happens if you microinject CRE oligonucleotides into sensory neurones co-cultured with motor neurons
CREB cannot bind and activate genes = prevents protein expression
- this selectively blocked long term facilitation
what is apCREB2
a crab repressor that contributes to the LTF process
what happens if anti-apCREB2 antibodies are injected into sensory neurones of aplysia
when their is a single pulse of serotonin, it is able to induce long term facilitation lasting days (when it should of only activated short term facilitation)
what is the storage place for LTM
the neocortex
what is the parietal cortex responsible for
consolidation and retrieval
how do rats with beta-amyloid perform in the Morris water maze
impaired performance
when conducting electrophysiology on Schaffer collateral cells, what Hz is used
50-100 Hz
name 3 peieces of evidence suggesting LTP is the basis of memory formation
- NMDA receptor antagonists impaired learning of the Morris water maze (wasn’t inhibited just slowed)
- KO mice with no NMDA receptor in the CA1 subfield have impaired memory and LTP
- protein synthesis blockers prevent LTM formation
LTP is associative, what does this mean, give an example
it pairs stimuli together
e.g. in the perruchet effect (air puff and tone = strengthens the synapse and results in blinking response)
what does long low frequency of Schaffer collateral cells do
decrease the size of the response in the CA1 subfield
what is the behavioural relevance of LTD
may be involved in behavioural flexibility - mice with impaired LTD are unable to learn a new location in the Morris water maze
how may new neurons be implicated in learning
they migrate out from the dentate gyrus and become highly sensitive to LTP
what is the evidence that neurogenesis is involved in learning
genetic ablation of neurogenesis impairs performance in the Morris water maze task
what happens in memory consolidation
temporary labile memory is transformed into stable long-lasting memory
this involves transfer from the hippocampus to the neocortex
what is a hypothesised cause of dreams
researchers speculate that neural replay that consolidates memory is the basis of dreams
mice with hypo function of what channel show reduced recognition of novel objects 24 hours post experiment
CaV1.2 channels
what were the different theories backed by Tolman and skinner
Tolman = cognitive learning theory
skinner = behaviourism
what were tolmans ideas about learning
he thought animals do more than merely respond to stimuli, they act on beliefs, attitudes and changing conditions, and they strive towards goals
