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PSYC 325 > Week 2 > Flashcards

Week 2 Flashcards

1
Q

Memories from the brain’s view are _____

A

the changes in connectivity among the collection of neurons responding to an experience

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2
Q

The strengthening of neuronal connections happens at the ____

A

synapse

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3
Q

Who discovered the phenomenon of long-term potentiation?

A

Bliss & Lomo

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4
Q

Neurons in the entorhinal cortex connect to ____ by the _____

A
  • A region of the hippocampus called the dentate gyrus

- perforant path

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5
Q

Neurons in the dentate gyrus connect to ____ by ____

A
  • the CA3 region

- mossy fibers

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6
Q

Neurons in the CA3 region connect to ____ by _____

A
  • the C1 region

- Schaffer collateral fibers

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7
Q

What is the most common method of studying LTP?

A

In vitro preparation

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8
Q

To study LTP, Bliss & Lomo stimulated _____ and recorded _____

A
  • The axonal fibers in the perforant path

- The synaptic response in the dentate gyrus

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9
Q

What is EPSP, and what is it also known as?

A
  • Excitatory postsynaptic potential - what researchers measure after stimulating an area in the brain
  • Also known as field potential
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10
Q

What is long-term potentiation?

A

A persistent strengthening of synapses

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11
Q

A neuron is which 4 types of ‘devices’?

A
  • input
  • integrative
  • conductive-output
  • representation
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12
Q

What are the three components of a synapse?

A
  • presynaptic terminal
  • postsynaptic dendrite
  • synaptic cleft
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13
Q

The terminal ending of the sending neuron contains _____, which are packaged in ____

A
  • packages of molecules called neurotransmitters

- synaptic vesicles

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14
Q

What are action potentials?

A

Spikes of electrical activity that travel along the axon

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15
Q

After neurotransmitters are released, they _____

A

Bind to receptors located on the dendrites of the receiving neuron

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16
Q

When enough receptors are occupied, ____ is generated in the _____

A
  • a post-synaptic potential

- receiving neuron

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17
Q

Fluid inside neurons is called _____ and fluid outside neurons is called _____, and they are separated by the ______

A
  • intracellular fluid
  • extracellular fluid
  • cell membrane
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18
Q

Both intracellular and extracellular fluids contain _____

A

Positively and negatively charged molecules called ions

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19
Q

What is a membrane potential?

A

The difference between the electrical charge inside the neuron’s body compared to outside

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20
Q

There are more negatively charged ions _____

A

in the intracellular fluid

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21
Q

What is resting membrane potential?

A

The membrane potential in an inactive state, typically -50 to -80 mV

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22
Q

What is the difference between depolarization and hyperpolarization?

A

With depolarization, the membrane potential gets less negative, while with hyperpolarization, it gets more negative

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23
Q

Depolarization drives the neuron ____ action potentials, while hyperpolarization drives it ____ action potentials

A
  • towards

- away from

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24
Q

What is postsynaptic depolarization?

A
  • The electrical stimulation used to produce LTP in the hippocampus generates action potentials in the axons of the sending neurons
  • positive ions flow into postsynaptic neurons, causing them to depolarize
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25
Q

Synaptic strength is measured by ______

A

The amount of postsynaptic depolarization produced by the stimulus

26
Q

What is the fiber volley?

A

The action potentials produced by an electrical stimulus

27
Q

How is field potential detected?

A

The downward slope of the waveform, which reflects the amount of post-synaptic depolarization

28
Q

What are the functions of the test stimulus in generating LTP?

A
  • establish a baseline level of synaptic activity
  • determine if the inducing stimulus changed the strength of connections between the presynaptic fibers and postsynaptic neurons
29
Q

What is long-term depression?

A

When synaptic activity weakens the strength of synaptic connections

30
Q

What can cause LTD?

A

Many (~900) low-frequency pulses over ~15 minutes

31
Q

The synaptic cleft is occupied by the _____, which is composed of _____

A
  • extracellular matrix

- molecules synthesized and secreted by neurons and glial cells

32
Q

Changes in synaptic potentials produced by an LTP-inducing stimulus are primarily the result of _____

A

Modifying excitatory synapses

33
Q

A major feature of excitatory synapses is ____

A

A thickening of the postsynaptic membrane called the postsynaptic density

34
Q

How does postsynaptic density contribute to glutamate receptors responding to glutamate from dendritic spines?

A
  • aligns the postsynaptic receptors with the presynaptic neurotransmitter release zones
  • position signalling molecules near the glutamate receptors so they can be activated
35
Q

What do endosomes do?

A

Translate internalized receptors to and from the plasma membrane

36
Q

What do ribosomes do?

A

Translate new protein

37
Q

The molecular composition of synapses constantly ____

A

Changes

38
Q

Excitatory synapses are modified by synaptic activity that begins when ____

A

Glutamate is released by the presynaptic neuron

39
Q

What is the structure of signaling cascades?

A

First messenger –> second messenger –> proteins –> kinases/phosphatases –> structural/functional proteins

40
Q

A protein kinase is an _____ that modifies other _____ by ____

A
  • enzyme
  • proteins
  • chemically adding phosphate groups to them (phosphorylation)
41
Q

What do phosphatases do?

A

Remove phosphates from proteins

42
Q

What are the three principles of synaptic connections?

A
  1. The duration of LTP can vary
  2. The duration of LTP depends on the set of molecular processes engaged by synaptic activity
  3. Synapses are strengthened and maintained in a sequence of temporal, distinct but overlapping processes
43
Q

Grey matter corresponds to _____ and white matter corresponds to _____

A
  • cell bodies

- axons

44
Q

What is the main function of microtubules in neurons?

A

Provide structural integrity

45
Q

What produces neurotransmitters in the neuron?

A

Ribosomes

46
Q

What is tau and what gene codes it?

A
  • A microtubule-associated protein

- Coded by the MAPT gene

47
Q

What does tau do, and what happens to it with AD?

A
  • maintains the stability of microtubules

- forms inside the neuron as tangles

48
Q

Sensory neurons carry information ______, and motor neurons transmit signals from ______

A
  • PNS to CNS

- CNS to PNS

49
Q

Saggital cuts go from ______ and coronal cuts go from _____

A
  • front to back

- side to side

50
Q

What are the main functions of the frontal lobe?

A
  • Executive functions
  • Personality
  • Attention
  • Impulse control
51
Q

What are the main functions of the temporal lobe?

A
  • Episodic memories

- integrating memories with sensory information

52
Q

What is the main function of the parietal lobe?

A

Processing somatosensory information

53
Q

What is the main function of the frontal lobe?

A

Vision

54
Q

Neurodegeneration in the temporal lobe is associated with _____ and in the frontal lobe is associated with _____

A
  • Alzheimer’s disease

- Frontotemporal dementia

55
Q

A lumbar puncture may be done to ____, and injection into ventricles allows _____

A
  • Extract cerebrospinal fluid

- Diffusion throughout the brain

56
Q

What is the representational hierarchical theory?

A

The complexity of neural representations differ across brain regions in the ventral stream

57
Q

____ receive information and _____ send information

A
  • Dendrites

- Axons

58
Q

What did Hebb propose about memories?

A

Modified ensembles of neurons called cell assemblies could provide a substrate for memories

59
Q

Memories from the brain’s POV are _____

A

Changes in the connectivity of the collection of neurons responding to a particular experience

60
Q

What two things need to happen for NMDA channels to open?

A
  • Glutamate binds to the receptor

- Cell depolarizes

PSYC 325 (8 decks)

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