BIO SCI 38 Lecture Notes - Lecture 1: Nmda Receptor, Hebbian Theory, Kainic Acid
11 Jan 2020
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Document Summary
A cellular candidate (or analog) of memory to test whether synaptic plasticity is the basis of memory. Prior to the discover of ltp (and then ltd), researchers were limited to saying a brain region was (or was not) important for memory. These two forms of hebbian plasticity have provided a much more refined way to understand how the brain changes as a consequence of experience. Ltp has had a dramatic impact on the progress of research into learning and memory, neurodevelopmental disorders, drug addiction, and cognitive diseases. Put more neurotransmitter receptors on the postsynaptic side. Release more neurotransmitter from the presynaptic side. Any combination of the above could work. Involvement of two different types of glutamate receptors. Ampa and kainate receptors are functionally very similar. Nmda receptors, however, serve a very different function. For our purposes, we will only consider ampa and nmda receptors. Please note that all of the receptors bind the same neurotransmitter, glutamate.
