Week 10 - Neuroethology Flashcards by Gabriella Smith

What is neuroethology a blend of ?

Neurobiology and ethology

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What types of action do detecting and responding to a stimulus require?

Detecting - sensory action
Responding - motor action

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What is the main function of dendrites and spines ?

To receive incoming signals (chemical or electrical) from other neurons

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What is the function of cell bodies ?

To integrate all incoming signals and control the neurons activities

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What is the function of the axon?

To transmit electrical signals (action potentials away from the cell body to other neurons/ muscles/glands

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What is the function of synaptic terminals ?

To release neurotransmitters into the synapse to communicate with the next cell

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What is the function of Glial cells ?

To support neurons :
Provide nutrients
Protect from damage
Maintain homeostasis (stable environment)

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What is an example of glial cells?

Schwann cells - wrap axons with myelin, which speeds up electrical transmission.

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What did Golgi and Cajal use silver nitrate for ?

Golgi developed a silver nitrate staining method that made individual neurons visible under a microscope.

Showed different neuron morphologies have different functions

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What symmetry do simple nerve nets have ?

Radial

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What symmetry do nerves, ganglia and connectives have ?

Bilateral

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What is neuroethology ?

Experimental analysis of releasing and controlling mechanisms of behaviour

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What are innate releasing mechanisms (IRM)?

Neuronal circuits (pre-set brain wiring) that respond automatically to specific signals (stimuli) from the environment.
Results in a fixed action pattern

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What is a fixed action pattern?

A pre-programmed series of
movements that are an adaptive
reaction to the releasing stimulus.

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What is an example of innate releasing mechanisms ?

Imprinting in Lorenz geese
Bee waggle dance - indicates direction and distance of food

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What is the function of the temporal lobe ?

Memory + Hearing- language comprehension

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What is the function of the Frontal lobe ?

Decision making + motor control

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What is the function of the motor cortex ?

Controls muscle movement

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What is the function of the sensory (somatosensory) cortex ?

Detects/ receives sensory inputs

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What is the function of the parietal lobe?

Processes sensory inputs

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What is the function of the cerebellum?

Fine motor skills e.g. playing piano

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What is rhythmic movement ?

Swimming, walking, breathing, flying

How can rhythms be generated (2 ways) ?

By endogenous busters
By emergent property of synaptic coupling between non-bursting neurons

What are endogenous bursters ?

Neurons that can generate rhythmic activity on their own without needing external input. They do this because of their intrinsic membrane properties, which allow them to produce periodic bursts of action potentials. These neurons act like pacemakers

How does synaptic coupling between non-bursting neurons create rhythms ?

Neurons that don’t rhythmically fire on their own but, when linked together, spark each other in a repeating loop to create a rhythm. - These neurons synchronize their activity through synaptic coupling—that is, the way they communicate with each other via synapses

What is a network oscillator?

When 2 neurons fire in alternating bursts due to reciprocal inhibition

What are Central pattern generators (CPGs)?

Self-organizing neural circuits that produce rhythmic motor patterns, like walking or breathing, without needing sensory feedback or external timing signals

How do CPG in the brain stem control breathing?

They produce rhythmic synaptic drive for motoneurons controlling respiratory muscles

Which muscles control Inspiration?

DRG descending muscles (dorsal respiratory group)

Which muscles control inspiration?

Muscles controlled by VRG decending (ventral respiratory group)

What is the neuronal oscillator in terms of breathing?

VRG and DRG - Inspiration and expiration occur in rhythmic alternation.

What is the function of the motor cortex ?

Controls movement

What is the function of the basal ganglia ?

Controls voluntary movements, habitual behaviours and emotions

What is the function of the Thalamus ?

Acts as a relay station, transmitting motor commands from the motor cortex to other brain regions. (In the centre of the brain)

What is the function of the brain stem ?

Coordinates rhythmic movements like breathing and also integrates sensory and motor signals.

What is the function of the cerebellum ?

Helps with coordination and fine-tuning of movements.

Where are upper motor neurons located?

Cell bodies are in the brain Axons project down to lower motor neurons in the spinal cord to control voluntary body movement

What is meant by decussation?

Crossing over of neurons - left side of brain control right side of body

What function does the descending pathway have?

Carry motor commands from the brain to the spinal cord

What is a an example of a descending neuronal pathway tract?

Corticospinal tract

What is the function of an ascending pathway?

Carry sensory information from the spinal cord to the brain

Give 2 examples of ascending pathways

Dorsal column (DC) tract = vibration, proprioception and fine touch Spinothalamic tract (STT) = Pain, temperature, touch and pressure

What is the difference between Troglomorphy and trogloboints?

Troglomorphy = Unique convergent phenotypes associated with subterranean adaption (below earths surface) Trogloboints = Animals strictly bound and adapted to underground habitats

What have troglobitic species lost that surface species have?

Pigmentation and eyes

What are neuromasts involved in mechanosensitisation?

Specialized sensory organs on the skin of fishes and amphibians that detect the flow of water. Main non-visual sensory modality that is enhanced

What is the difference between superficial and canal neuromasts?

Superficial = on surface Canal = occurs in ducts

How does noise in an environment affect the abundance of neuromasts?

Noisy = more canal type

How does high pressure affect membranes ?

Turn gel like

What is homeoviscous adaption (HVA)?

Increasing the proportion of unsaturated fatty acids prevents the membrane from entering a gel phase under pressure.

What are antifreeze proteins ?

Discovered in Antarctic fish, 1969) also contribute to membrane fluidity at low temperatures and high pressures; they act at far lower concentrations than chemical antifreezes.

How does a deep sea animals visual system adapt ?

Shift in amino acid sequence - Visual pigments in deeper living animals are less compressible

How does the hippocampus create mental maps of places?

Contains place cells that fire when an animal occupies specific locations

What is the function of the hypothalamus ?

Controls the pituitary gland - links the CNS and endocrine system via HPA (hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal Regulating hunger, thirst and temperature