IB Psych II PowerPoint - Eric Kandel
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Transcript IB Psych II PowerPoint - Eric Kandel
Johnia Murray
Imani Ross
IB Psychology II
1A
Background Info
Kandel was a pioneer in moving the study of the
mind from an investigation of behavior to an
investigation of impulses
Deals with learning and memory in the
hippocampus of the brain
Memories don’t reside in a single, specific spot of the
brain
Neural (neurons->synapses->impulses) change
occurs between the synapses
What is this?
Synapses
Sites at the end of a neuron
Place where nerve cells communicate with one
another
Use neurotransmitters as messages to each other
Getting Down to
Specifics. . .
1982 Experiment
Eric Kandel and James Schwartz
Observing changes in sending neurons
Used a California sea snail, the Aplysia
Aplysia Study
A California Sea Snail
Observed changes in sending neurons
Has 20,000+ unusually large nerve cells
Classically conditioned (Ch. 8 from last year) the
snail to withdraw its gills when water is squirted at it
Learning occurs
Snail releases serotonin at certain synapses
Becomes more efficient at transmitting signals
Aplysia Study cont’d
NOVAscienceNOW – A Memorable Snail - PBS
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yLa-cXg8BwM
Synapses and Memory
Increased synaptic efficiency makes for a more
efficient neural circuit
Sending neurons now need less imprinting to release
neurotransmitters
The receiving neuron receptor cites may increase
Long Term Potentiation
a long-lasting strengthening of the response of a
postsynaptic nerve cell to stimulation across the
synapse that occurs with repeated stimulation and is
thought to be related to learning and long-term
memory
Synapses and Memory
cont’d
LTP provides a neural basis for learning and
remembering associations (reference to Ch.8)
Drugs that block LTP, interfere with learning
At least 40 cognitive enhancers are currently in some
phase of development or clinical trial
Target market: those with Alzheimer’s Disease, with
mild cognitive impairment
Hippocampus: Where is it
located?
Hippocampus
Where initial events must come here in order to be
turned from short term to long term memory
Short term memory is processed in the hippocampus
Neurons have to cross over the synapses to leave a
mark or ‘tag’
Declarative Memory
A memory for fact and events
People, places and objects
Hippocampus cont’d
Contains a cognitive map of external environment
Registers spatial information
Space surrounding you (or animals)
Registers single sensory modality
Sight, sound, touch or pain
In short. . .
Synaptic changes affect our learning ability and
memory
Memories are stored in different places
A lot of work is done in the hippocampus
Don’t do drugs
Snails are more than just slimy creatures that look
nasty
There’s still a lot to be discovered about the brain
Reference List
Myers, David G. (2006) Psychology (AP Edition).
:Macmillan – Worth Publishers.
Mayford, Mark; Siegelbaum, Steven A; Kandel, Eric
R. (2012) Synapses and memory storage. CSH
Perspectives in Biology, 4(6). Retrieved from
http://cshperspectives.cshlp.org/content/4/6/a005
751.full