2. Neuronal Activity and Imaging Techniques Quiz

9 Questions

Why is it important to discuss animal research in the context of human neuroimaging?

To relate human neuroimaging results to animal models for a comprehensive view.

What is the basis of neuronal activity?

Sodium-potassium pump in the membrane pumps sodium (Na+) out and potassium (K+) in, resulting in a negative resting potential.

How does the action potential contribute to neuronal communication?

The action potential travels along the axon and contributes to activating the next neuron.

What is optogenetic imaging and how is it used in neuroscience?

Optogenetic imaging is the technique of manipulating cell function with light via genetically modified neurons. It is used to control and monitor the activities of individual neurons in living tissue in freely-moving animals.

How can pharmacological manipulations be used to study dopamine transmission in effort-based choice?

Pharmacological manipulations can be used to disrupt dopaminergic signalling in the nucleus accumbens, biasing the decision process towards investing less effort.

What are the guidelines for the care and use of mammals in neuroscience research?

Use the minimum number of animals required to obtain valid results, conduct limited pilot studies, manage animal pain/distress, define humane endpoints, define method of euthanasia, and train staff to perform and confirm death.

How should researchers manage animal pain/distress in neuroscience research?

If pain processing is not part of the research question, pain has to be minimized using anesthesia, analgesia, pharmacological treatment, and handling.

What are some methods for recording and inducing neuronal activity in animals?

Optogenetic imaging, pharmacological manipulations, Local Field Potentials (LFPs), Electroencephalography (EEG), and functional magnetic resonance tomography (fMRI)

What are the basic rules for human research ethics in neuroscience?

Ethical board approval, informed consent, unbiased selection of subjects, special protection for special groups, subject's right to quit, and minimal risk

Study Notes

Neuronal activity can be recorded and induced in animals through methods such as optogenetic imaging, pharmacological manipulations, and Local Field Potentials (LFPs), Electroencephalography (EEG), and functional magnetic resonance tomography (fMRI) to understand brain function.
LFPs represent the local activity of a few thousand neurons together, EEG measures the electrical activity on the scalp, and fMRI measures changes in blood flow in response to neural activity.
Combining LFP recordings with EEG and fMRI in animals helps reveal what these more indirect measures reflect in the human brain.
Rodent models are valuable for cognitive neuroscience, especially for processes related to old brain structures, but not comparable to humans on the neocortical level and limited in complex cognitive tasks.
Primate models are more comparable to humans on the neocortical level and valuable for investigating higher cognitive functions, but more time-consuming and challenging to breed and train.
Human research procedures in neuroscience mostly involve non-invasive methods like EEG and fMRI, while invasive methods like pharmacological intervention and lesions are less common.
Human research ethics have a long history, with landmarks including the Nuremberg Code (1947), the Declaration of Helsinki (1964), and the Belmont Report (1979), which established principles like respect, beneficence, and justice.
Basic rules for human research ethics include ethical board approval, informed consent, unbiased selection of subjects, special protection for special groups, subject's right to quit, and minimal risk.
Historical examples of unethical human research include the Tuskegee Syphilis study (1930s-1970s) and the Belmont Report's response to these issues in 1979.