PSYU2236 W6 | Neurogenesis and Psychiatric Disorders

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Questions and Answers

What type of memory primarily involves recalling specific events?

Nondeclarative memory

Declarative memory (correct)

Implicit memory

Spatial memory

Which of the following tasks is primarily associated with assessing spatial memory in rodents?

Delayed matching-to-sample task

Aphasia assessment

Object recognition test

Radial arm maze (correct)

Which receptor subtype is NOT associated with Acetylcholine in memory processing?

Nicotinic receptors

Cholinergic receptors

Adrenergic receptors (correct)

Muscarinic receptors

What condition is characterized by memory loss and changes in personality?

Alzheimer's Disease Signup and view all the answers

What effect does the muscarinic antagonist atropine have on memory?

Disrupts memory processing Signup and view all the answers

Which symptom is NOT typically associated with Alzheimer's Disease?

Increased spatial memory Signup and view all the answers

What type of memory tests are used to determine an animal's recognition of familiar versus novel objects?

Object recognition tests Signup and view all the answers

Which brain region is crucial for memory processing and is affected in patients with Alzheimer's Disease?

Hippocampus Signup and view all the answers

What type of stimulation is primarily involved in the process of long-term depression?

Low frequency stimulation Signup and view all the answers

Which ion is primarily associated with the postsynaptic dendrite during the small EPSP generated in long-term depression?

Calcium (Ca) Signup and view all the answers

What is the outcome when there is a small amount of calcium in the postsynaptic dendrite?

Activation of Phosphatase Signup and view all the answers

Which receptor is required for calcium entry into the postsynaptic cell during the process of long-term depression?

NMDA receptor Signup and view all the answers

What effect does low frequency stimulation have on the overall postsynaptic potential in long-term depression?

Produces a small excitatory postsynaptic potential (EPSP) Signup and view all the answers

What is the term for the development of new neurons?

Neurogenesis Signup and view all the answers

Where in the brain is a significant amount of neurogenesis found?

Hippocampus Signup and view all the answers

How do antidepressants affect neurogenesis in the hippocampus?

They enhance neurogenesis. Signup and view all the answers

What was observed in rats subjected to chronic stress in relation to neurogenesis?

Decreased DCX levels. Signup and view all the answers

What is one benefit of regular cardio exercise on the brain?

It increases neurogenesis. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following factors is NOT associated with enhancing neurogenesis?

Sedentary lifestyle Signup and view all the answers

What impact does stress have on neurogenesis in the hippocampus according to studies on rats?

It leads to neurogenesis stagnation. Signup and view all the answers

In the context of learning and cognitive health, what effect does environmental enrichment have?

It promotes benefits for learning and memory. Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Neurogenesis

Neurogenesis refers to the development of new neurons.
A significant amount of neurogenesis takes place in the dentate gyrus of the hippocampus.

Neurogenesis and Psychiatric Disorders

Depression is linked to decreased neurogenesis in the hippocampus, specifically in the dentate gyrus.
Antidepressants help enhance neurogenesis in the dentate gyrus.

Research Findings

Experiments on rats showed that administering a corticosteroid (simulating stress) led to depression and reduced neurogenesis (evidenced by decreased DCX levels).
Prozac administration reversed the decline in neurogenesis in stressed rats.

Neurogenesis and Exercise

Physical exercise boosts neurogenesis; rats that were allowed to run exhibited a significant increase in DCX levels.
Regular exercise is associated with improved mental health, aiding in depression treatment, and preventing cognitive decline.
Exercise enhances learning and neurogenesis in the hippocampus.

Environmental Enrichment

Enriched environments contribute positively to learning and memory development.

Memory Types

Declarative Memory (explicit):
- Comprises episodic memories (single events).
- Assessed through “object recognition” tests and tasks like “delayed matching-to-sample” and “delayed nonmatching-to-sample” in primates.
Spatial Memory:
- Relates to the memory of the spatial arrangement of objects.
- Evaluated using tasks like the “radial arm maze” and “Morris water maze”.
- Damage to the hippocampus impairs performance in these tasks.

Alzheimer's Disease

Characterized by selective death of acetylcholine (ACh) cells, leading to slow-progressing dementia and memory loss.
Symptoms also include personality changes, apraxia, aphasia, and agnosia.

Acetylcholine's Role

Patients with Alzheimer's show reduced levels of ACh, crucial for memory in the hippocampus and cortex.
Acetylcholine interacts with nicotinic and muscarinic receptors; muscarinic antagonists like atropine can hinder memory processing.

Long-Term Depression (Weakening)

Low-frequency stimulation of presynaptic terminals leads to glutamate release, triggering a small excitatory postsynaptic potential (EPSP) through AMPA receptors.
Insufficient calcium entry in postsynaptic dendrites results in activation of phosphatase rather than CaMKII, which indicates a weakening of synaptic strength.

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Description

Explore the concept of neurogenesis, particularly its significance in the dentate gyrus of the hippocampus. This quiz covers the relationship between neurogenesis and psychiatric disorders, focusing on how depression is linked to decreased neurogenesis and how antidepressants can enhance this process.