Neuroscience Lecture 1 & 2 Overview

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Questions and Answers

Which brain region is MOST associated with the formation of procedural memories?

Prefrontal cortex

Hippocampus

Striatum of the basal ganglia (correct)

Extrastriate visual cortex

A patient who struggles to remember events from the past, but can still form new memories has what type of amnesia?

Transient amnesia

Anterograde amnesia

Global amnesia

Retrograde amnesia (correct)

Which of the following terms best describes the process of converting short-term memories into more permanent forms?

Memory retrieval

Memory encoding

Neural plasticity

Memory consolidation (correct)

Damage to which brain structure would MOST likely lead to deficits in tasks that require learning habit-like behaviors?

Basal ganglia (A) Signup and view all the answers

If a person has difficulty remembering the emotional significance of past events, which brain area is MOST likely to be affected?

Amygdala (C) Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following best describes the primary function of the axon of a neuron?

Transmitting signals to other neurons or target cells. (D) Signup and view all the answers

Which of these accurately differentiate between neurons and glial cells?

Neurons transmit information using electrical signals, while glial cells primarily provide structural support. (A) Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary role of ribosomes in a neuron?

To synthesize proteins based on genetic information. (C) Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following correctly describes the movement of molecules within a neuron using motor proteins?

Kinesin is involved in anterograde transport, carrying molecules away from the cell body, while dynein is involved in retrograde transport, carrying molecules towards the cell body. (B) Signup and view all the answers

Which event is directly responsible for the repolarization phase of an action potential?

The inactivation of voltage-gated sodium channels and the opening of voltage-gated potassium channels. (D) Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary mechanism that terminates the positive feedback loop during an action potential?

Inactivation of voltage-gated sodium channels (A) Signup and view all the answers

The influx of which ion is most critical for the release of neurotransmitters from the presynaptic terminal?

Calcium ($Ca^{2+}$) (C) Signup and view all the answers

In Myasthenia Gravis, auto-antibodies disrupt synaptic transmission by primarily targeting which of the following?

Postsynaptic acetylcholine receptors (B) Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following best describes the role of the magnesium block in NMDA receptor function at resting membrane potential?

It blocks the receptor channel pore. (B) Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary difference between temporal and spatial summation at a postsynaptic neuron?

Temporal summation involves a single input over time, while spatial summation involves inputs at different locations. (B) Signup and view all the answers

How does the use of Ca2+ channel blockers help in treating certain neurological conditions?

They reduce neurotransmitter release at the synapse, decreasing neuronal excitability (A) Signup and view all the answers

According to Hebb's postulate, what is necessary for long-term potentiation (LTP)?

Simultaneous activation of a presynaptic neuron and a postsynaptic neuron. (C) Signup and view all the answers

How do benzodiazepines modulate the GABA receptor to produce a calming effect?

By enhancing the GABA binding affinity, resulting in increased channel opening. (B) Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Lecture 1: History and Intro to Neurons

Definitions: Trephination, ventricles, phrenology, equipotentiality, Golgi staining, synapse, nucleus, ribosomes, Cell Theory, Neuron Doctrine
Neurons: Axon, dendrite, soma, synaptic terminal
Law of Dynamic Polarization: Be able to describe, define, and/or differentiate
Aristotle vs. Hippocrates: View of brain's purpose
Axon, Dendrite, Soma, Axon Terminal: Function
Presynaptic vs. Postsynaptic Neuron: Distinction
Neurons vs. Glial Cells: Sensory, Motor, Interneurons
Modern Neuroscience: Combination of Phrenology and Equipotentiality
Ramon y Cajal: Contribution to Neuroscience and Neuron Doctrine, Law of Dynamic Polarization
Neuron Parts: Functional boundaries and what they do

Lecture 2: Cell Biology of Neurons

Definitions: Nucleus, ER, Golgi apparatus, mitochondria, cytoskeleton, plasma membrane, genotype, phenotype
Concepts: Describe, define, and/or differentiate Kinesis vs. dynein motor proteins, anterograde vs. retrograde transport, condensation reaction to form polypeptides. Protein structure levels and protein characteristics/amino acids
Proteins: How proteins are made start to finish, defining characteristics, and levels of structure
Plasma Membrane: Properties, including hydrophobic vs. hydrophilic, diffusion, active vs. passive transport, endocytosis, exocytosis

Lecture 3: Membrane Potentials

Definitions: Selectively Permeable, Electrochemical Gradient, Ohm's Law, Nernst Equation, Goldman Equation, Conductance, Equilibrium potential, Membrane potential, Current, Na+/K+ Pump, Leak Channels
Concepts: Describe, define, and/or differentiate ion concentrations inside vs. outside the neuron, current vs. membrane potential, equilibrium potential vs. resting membrane potential, concentration vs. electrical gradient, ionic basis of the resting membrane potential, and how changing ion concentrations or conductance affect resting Vm.

Lecture 4: Action Potentials

Definitions: Action Potential (AP), rising phase, falling phase, repolarization, undershoot, refractory period, threshold, tetrodotoxin (TTX)
Concepts: Describe, define, and/or differentiate depolarization vs. hyperpolarization, voltage-gated vs. ligand-gated vs. leak channels. Voltage-gated sodium and potassium channels kinetics, Positive feedback loops in an AP, how positive feedback loops are interrupted, ionic basis of the action potential, how channels/events/ions work during an AP, voltage-gated ion channel function during the AP, two events causing membrane repolarization, and the effects of ion channel blockers on the AP or currents).

Lecture 5: AP Conduction

Definitions: Conduction Velocity, Membrane resistance, Membrane capacitance, Internal Resistance, Myelination, Nodes of Ranvier, Saltatory Conduction, CNS, Blood Brain Barrier, White Matter, Grey Matter, Optic Nerve, Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)
Concepts: Define, describe, and differentiate invertebrate vs. vertebrate solutions for increasing AP conduction, relative conduction speed of unmyelinated vs. myelinated axons, location of sodium channels vs. potassium channels in myelinated axons, Astrocytes vs. Schwann Cells, and how myelination speeds up the action potential

Lecture 6: Synaptic Transmission

Definitions: Affinity, potency, agonist, antagonist, ligand, exogenous, endogenous, neurotransmitter, neuromuscular junction, synaptic vesicle, SNARE complex, acetylcholinesterase, acetylcholine receptor, GABA receptor
Concepts: Define, describe, and differentiate local vs. long-distance signaling, agonist vs. antagonist, endogenous vs. exogenous ligands, excitatory vs. inhibitory postsynaptic potentials, locations of excitatory vs. inhibitory synapses, spatial vs. temporal summation, postsynaptic potentials vs. action potentials

Lecture 7: Learning and Memory

Definitions: Learning, Memory, Classical conditioning, Conditioned Stimulus, Unconditioned Stimulus, Hippocampal Place Cells, Hebb's Postulate, Magnesium Block, Glutamate Receptor
Concepts: Describe, define, and/or differentiate procedural vs. declarative memory, conditioned vs. unconditioned stimulus, synaptic depression vs. facilitation, sensitization vs. habituation, hippocampus of taxi vs. bus drivers, AMPA vs. NMDA receptors, LTP vs. LTD, taxi driving experience effects on brain structure, NMDA receptor activation effects, how frequency stimulation effects postsynaptic neuron, spatial learning assays in rats, water maze vs. radial arm maze and neuroanatomy terms for memory formation/storage (locate and describe function)

Lecture 8: Epilepsy and Memory Loss

Definitions: Epilepsy, Seizures, EEG recording, Korsakoff's syndrome, Confabulation, Neural plasticity
Concepts: Ability to differentiate partial vs. generalized seizures, anterograde vs. retrograde amnesia, sensory vs. short-term vs. long-term memory, explicit vs. implicit memory, semantic vs. episodic vs. procedural memory, memory consolidation vs. memory storage, Basal ganglia vs. hippocampus for memory formation, striatum and basal ganglia, habit forming, Parkinson's, Huntington’s, Hippocampus for declarative memory, H.M's seizure/memory symptoms, brain areas removed during H.M. surgery, neural mechanisms underlying memory formation, and effects of enriched environments on neural structures.

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Description

Explore the foundational concepts of neuroscience in this quiz covering the history of neurons, key definitions, and the structural components of the nervous system. Delve into the distinctions between neurons and glial cells, as well as the contributions of notable figures in the field. This quiz is essential for understanding the basics of cell biology and neuron function.