Test Bank For Cognitive Neuroscience 4th Edition By Marie T.
Banich; Rebecca J. Compton 9781107158443 Chapter 1-17
Complete Guide .
What is synaptic plasticity? - ANSWER: The ability of synapses in the brain to become strengthened of
weakened in response to increases or decreases in firing activity
Who was the first to suggest synaptic plasticity? - ANSWER: Donald Hebb
What did Eric Kandel show in sea snails? - ANSWER: That chemical signals in the brain change the
connections (synapses) between cells
Long term memory and short term memory are formed by different signals
What is habituation? - ANSWER: A decrease in response to a stimulus after repeated presentations. It
is a form of non-declarative memory.
The EPSP still fires in the inter neuron and motor neuron but they are at weaker levels
What is habituation often used to study? - ANSWER: Perception in infants
How long does the synaptic depression last? - ANSWER: For as long as the behavioural habituation
What is long term depression? - ANSWER: Decrease in synaptic plasticity/strength of synapse.
What can long term depression cause? - ANSWER: Reduction in the synaptic boutons in the axon
terminal
Synaptic plasticity can also occur due to an increase in receptor activation. What 2 receptors are
involved in synaptic plasticity? - ANSWER: AMPA and NMDA receptors
Describe the role of AMPA and NMDA receptors in synaptic plasticty - ANSWER: AMPA receptors are
activated first at lower levels of neurotransmitter
They open ion channels.
NMDA receptors are activated when there is sufficient neurotransmitters and sufficient depolarisation
from the AMPA receptors. The binding of neurortransmitters removes the magnesium ion block and
activates a 2nd messenger system.
The more calcium there is, the more neurotransmitters released. True or false? - ANSWER: True
What is sensitisation? - ANSWER: Increased responsiveness to a noxious stimuli and increase in
synaptic strength.
It is heterosynaptic
What is long term potentiation? - ANSWER: Increase in synaptic plasticity/strength of synapse.
It is a key component of learning.
What can long term potentiation cause? - ANSWER: An increase in synaptic boutons at the axon
terminal
What is neural plasticity? - ANSWER: Ability of the brain to change structure to compensate for
changes.
, What is neurogenesis? - ANSWER: New neurons being formed/born
What happens to the new neurons from neurogenesis? - ANSWER: These new neurons can also be co-
opted into supporting the formation of these new associations of information (associative memories)
• Their axons will migrate to cortex (e.g. IT) (or everywhere else depending on what they are forming
new associations about)
• New synapses will form between the axon terminals of these neurons and dendrites from other
neurons already present in the cortex.
What effect did living in an enriched environment have on mice compared to standard hoursing mice?
- ANSWER: Mice in enriched housing had more hippocampal neurons
What was used to show more hippocampal neurons in enriched mice? - ANSWER:
Immunohistochemistry using BrdU
What is the Morris Water maze? - ANSWER: Spatial behavioural task.
The Morris water maze was a circular, water-filled maze.
The water was colored so that the rats couldn't tell it was water and to also conceal a hidden
platform.
The objective was to reach the hidden platform. Environmental cues were provided in the vicinity of
the platform to get the rats attention.
Normal rats would meander around the maze on their first try. By their 10th try they could move
directly to the platform.
The swim path was recorded and the time taken to find the platform was monitored.
You would expect to see a reduction in the time taken to find the platform
Give an example of a study done on humans into neural plasticity/motor learning - ANSWER:
Draganski et al
Some people learned to juggle and some didn't
Their brains were scanned using an MRI before and after
What were the results of Draganski's experiments? - ANSWER: Increase in grey matter in those that
learnt to juggle.
The changes in grey matter were bilateral (happened on both sides)
Occurred in areas involved in perception and spatial anticipation
There was no change in the people that didn't learn to juggle
What conclusions can be drawn from Draganski's experiement? - ANSWER: That learning-induced
cortical plasticity occurs at the structural level as well as just the synaptic level
Contradicts the old idea that the adult brain doesn't alter its structure.
Banich; Rebecca J. Compton 9781107158443 Chapter 1-17
Complete Guide .
What is synaptic plasticity? - ANSWER: The ability of synapses in the brain to become strengthened of
weakened in response to increases or decreases in firing activity
Who was the first to suggest synaptic plasticity? - ANSWER: Donald Hebb
What did Eric Kandel show in sea snails? - ANSWER: That chemical signals in the brain change the
connections (synapses) between cells
Long term memory and short term memory are formed by different signals
What is habituation? - ANSWER: A decrease in response to a stimulus after repeated presentations. It
is a form of non-declarative memory.
The EPSP still fires in the inter neuron and motor neuron but they are at weaker levels
What is habituation often used to study? - ANSWER: Perception in infants
How long does the synaptic depression last? - ANSWER: For as long as the behavioural habituation
What is long term depression? - ANSWER: Decrease in synaptic plasticity/strength of synapse.
What can long term depression cause? - ANSWER: Reduction in the synaptic boutons in the axon
terminal
Synaptic plasticity can also occur due to an increase in receptor activation. What 2 receptors are
involved in synaptic plasticity? - ANSWER: AMPA and NMDA receptors
Describe the role of AMPA and NMDA receptors in synaptic plasticty - ANSWER: AMPA receptors are
activated first at lower levels of neurotransmitter
They open ion channels.
NMDA receptors are activated when there is sufficient neurotransmitters and sufficient depolarisation
from the AMPA receptors. The binding of neurortransmitters removes the magnesium ion block and
activates a 2nd messenger system.
The more calcium there is, the more neurotransmitters released. True or false? - ANSWER: True
What is sensitisation? - ANSWER: Increased responsiveness to a noxious stimuli and increase in
synaptic strength.
It is heterosynaptic
What is long term potentiation? - ANSWER: Increase in synaptic plasticity/strength of synapse.
It is a key component of learning.
What can long term potentiation cause? - ANSWER: An increase in synaptic boutons at the axon
terminal
What is neural plasticity? - ANSWER: Ability of the brain to change structure to compensate for
changes.
, What is neurogenesis? - ANSWER: New neurons being formed/born
What happens to the new neurons from neurogenesis? - ANSWER: These new neurons can also be co-
opted into supporting the formation of these new associations of information (associative memories)
• Their axons will migrate to cortex (e.g. IT) (or everywhere else depending on what they are forming
new associations about)
• New synapses will form between the axon terminals of these neurons and dendrites from other
neurons already present in the cortex.
What effect did living in an enriched environment have on mice compared to standard hoursing mice?
- ANSWER: Mice in enriched housing had more hippocampal neurons
What was used to show more hippocampal neurons in enriched mice? - ANSWER:
Immunohistochemistry using BrdU
What is the Morris Water maze? - ANSWER: Spatial behavioural task.
The Morris water maze was a circular, water-filled maze.
The water was colored so that the rats couldn't tell it was water and to also conceal a hidden
platform.
The objective was to reach the hidden platform. Environmental cues were provided in the vicinity of
the platform to get the rats attention.
Normal rats would meander around the maze on their first try. By their 10th try they could move
directly to the platform.
The swim path was recorded and the time taken to find the platform was monitored.
You would expect to see a reduction in the time taken to find the platform
Give an example of a study done on humans into neural plasticity/motor learning - ANSWER:
Draganski et al
Some people learned to juggle and some didn't
Their brains were scanned using an MRI before and after
What were the results of Draganski's experiments? - ANSWER: Increase in grey matter in those that
learnt to juggle.
The changes in grey matter were bilateral (happened on both sides)
Occurred in areas involved in perception and spatial anticipation
There was no change in the people that didn't learn to juggle
What conclusions can be drawn from Draganski's experiement? - ANSWER: That learning-induced
cortical plasticity occurs at the structural level as well as just the synaptic level
Contradicts the old idea that the adult brain doesn't alter its structure.
