16397077
Description
Flashcards by Sam Hewings, updated more than 1 year ago
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Created by Sam Hewings
over 5 years ago
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| Question | Answer |
| What are the four types of learning? | Perceptual - occurs through sensory interaction with the environment Stimulus-response learning - Classical and Operant conditioning Motor learning - e.g. swimming, knitting Relational Learning - involves associations between multiple stimuli contexts e.g. listening to a song and it triggers a memory |
| What is long-term potentiation | Process by which synaptic connections between neurons become stronger with frequent activation |
| What is associative LTP? | When a strong and a weak synapse are both being stimulated, both synapses will be potentiated. Underlies associative learning |
| What is non associative LTP? | Repeated application of one stimulus. Underlies habituation and sensitization. |
| What is glutatmate? | Primary excitatory neurotransmitter |
| What are NMDA & AMPA receptors? | Glutamate receptors |
| What are the physiological processes involved in LTP? | 1. When a neuron is stimulated glutamate is released. 2. Glutamate activates AMPA receptor 3. Nearby NMDA receptors are not activated by low levels of glutamate as it's ion channel is blocked by a magnesium ion 4. When frequent action potentials occur, stimulating the AMPA receptors further, the postsynaptic neuron will depolarise. 5. This depolarisation causes the magnesium blockage to be removed, allowing calcium ions to flow in through the NMDA receptor 6. This influx of calcium causes for new, more responsive AMPA receptors to be inserted into the neuron membrane. 7. As these extra recpetors can allow more positively charged ions into the cell, the synapse is now 'stronger' and is more likely to be activated again 8. This process is also linked to changes in gene transcription which is important for the effects to be long lasting. |
| What is long term depression? | Vice versa of LTP. Weak stimulation of neurons weakens them over time. |
| What is the amygdala? | Part of the brain which processes emotions and stimuli and induces the fight or flight response. Part of the limbic system. |
| What is the basal ganglia? | Part of the brain involved in motor movement, procedural learning and habit learning. |
| What is the role of the amygdala in stimulus-response learning? | 1. When an unconditioned stimulus (e.g. electric shock) is projected via the thalamus to the amygdala activates the neurons which in turn produce a response e.g. fear. 2. When a neutral stimulus (e.g. bell) is projected to the amygdala, the signal won't be strong enough to depolarise the neurons so no activation and no fear. 3. When the unconditioned and neutral stimuli neurons fire together, synaptic plasticty/LTP occurs, strengthening the synapses in the amygdala 4. This continues until there is a point where the neutral stimulus of the bell is strong enough to activate the neurons in the amygdala that code for a fear response |
| What is the role of the basal ganglia in stimulus-response learning? | Facilitates operant conditioning. Dopamine levels in the striatum (part of basal ganglia) teaches us to repeat or not repeat an action based on its reward/punishment. Can lead to addiction. |
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