Who Am I?

Question 1

What two theories are combined in order to help explain “Who I am?”

Answer 1

interacting memory systems theory and GDE factors

Question 2

What does GDE stand for

Answer 2

Genetic makeup, accumulated Experience throughout the lifespan, and Developmental events during pre- and post-natal time periods

Question 3

Explain what GDE Factors (theory) means

Answer 3

that normal and abnormal causes of behaviours are largely determined and influenced by complex set of interactions between individuals, these factors are what GDE stands for

Question 4

What are the affects that GDE factors can have

Answer 4

1. affects on organization of the brain
2. affects the overall balance and relationships between each learning and memory system
3. can also affect relationships of memory systems to the rest of the brain

Question 5

how does changes in balances of learning and memory systems affect individuals

Answer 5

it can lead to changes in personality, affective style, interpreting, thinking, and reaction, and choices and actions.
Can also lead to certain individual strengths and weaknesses.
Can also produce “unusual” talents
Changes in balances can lead to abnormal behaviours/ disorders.

Question 6

What is the difference between the causes of fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) and the developmental perturbations that are being tested

Answer 6

FAS = exposure to high levels of alcohol in utero
Perturbations = moderate to low levels of alcohol exposure (equivalent to 1-2 drinks a night) while in utero.

Question 7

What are the symptoms of FAS (3)

Answer 7

growth deficits
craniofacial abnormalities (10-20th week of gestation) (small narrow eyes far apart on face, smooth philtrum, thin upper lips
significant brain damage and NS leading to wide range of cognitive impairments

Question 8

What are the brain related damage that results from FAS (8)

Answer 8

smaller brain
lower IQ
seizure activity
developmental delays
coordination
attention problems
visual motor deficits
hyperactivity

Question 9

Why is moderate exposure to alcohol harder to “diagnose” than FAS

Answer 9

Because the symptoms to moderate exposure is that there are no changes that can be observed whereas there are many observable alterations from FAS

Question 10

What are the symptoms of low exposure to alcohol

Answer 10

learning difficulties in older years of school/when material is more challenging
poor capacity for abstraction
problems in memory, attention, or judgement

Question 11

why might cognitive deficits not be apparent in child/adults

Answer 11

they are only apparent once being challenged, such as in later and advanced educational years.

Question 12

While testing and experimenting with low levels of alcohol in utero in rats, what results are we looking at (3)

Answer 12

1. look at neuronal communication in the hippocampus and LTP
2. look at brain receptors that support LTP and hippocampus
3. look at hippocampal based behaviours

Question 13

What was the design of this experiment and what methods/tests were used

Answer 13

3 groups:
all of their diet was given to rats in liquid form
1. added 5% alcohol
2. gets higher calories (control_)
3. lower calories (control)

1. behaviour: water task
2. Neurochemical: NMDA receptor assays
3. electrophysiology: LTP induced in the perforant path to dentate gyrus synapses

Question 14

What is the summary of physical changes that result from low alcohol exposure vs. FAS (4)

Answer 14

1. no alteration in birth weight/litter size
2. no changes in mortality
3. no morphological changes/deficits seen that are seen in FAS
4. offspring growth curves and whole brain weight are normal

Question 15

What neurochemical changes occur in individuals with low exposure (4)

Answer 15

various changes in glutamate receptors and plasticity associated enzymes
NMDA receptor binding affinities are altered
levels of protein kinase C, phospholipases, etc. are altered
metabotropic glutamate receptors-stimulated PI hydrolysis
(overall has to do with ability to encode new experiences, because NMDA focused, changes are found in the hippocampus!)

Question 16

What electrophysiological changes were seen in individuals with low exposure

Answer 16

they found synaptic transmission was normal and intact
BUT found that after inducing LTP, there were clear changes in biochemical pathways and do not show normal hippocampal plasticity that is important for the support of learning and memory functions. hippocampus is vulnerable to low levels of alcohol.

Question 17

Explain the water task method used

Answer 17

Originally used the standard version of the water maze task, but did not show differences between groups. They needed a more challenging version so used the 3:1 cue-place and competition learning. (3 days with visible platform, 1 day were not visible, repeated 3 times, then 13th day is competition = invisible where usually was or visible on the completely opposite quadrant.

Question 18

What are the water task results

Answer 18

They were great on cue, okay on place. This is because Habit system takes over without the hippocampus which means they go to the cue (the visible platform)
Which is shown because almost all animals go to the cue. (specifically the dorsal striatum controls the habitat system and that is taking over)

Question 19

What is the overall summary of this experiment and lecture

Answer 19

alteration of one system enhances behavioural control of another system - prenatal development altered the hippocampus which led to enhanced control by the dorsal striatum

shows that complex behavioural patterns in adulthood can be permanently altered by single prenatal events

these types of events can fundamentally alter the overall organization of the brain and lead to behavioural changes (making one system weaker and one stronger which impacts behaviour)