Neurotransmission

• What is a neurotransmitter?

  Chemical messenger carrying signals between neurons
• How do neurotransmitters travel from one neuron to another?

  They cross the synaptic gap to reach receptor sites
• What is the role of terminal buttons in neurotransmission?

  Release neurotransmitters into the synaptic gap
• What is the difference between excitatory and inhibitory synapses?

  Excitatory increases, inhibitory decreases likelihood of firing
• What happens to neurotransmitters after they bind to receptors?

  Broken down by enzymes or reabsorbed (reuptake)
• What is the role of acetylcholine in memory?

  Facilitates memory consolidation in the hippocampus
• What is an agonist?

  Chemical that binds to receptors and causes a reaction
• What is an antagonist?

  Chemical that blocks receptors and reduces neurotransmitter effects
• How does scopolamine affect acetylcholine?

  Blocks acetylcholine receptors, reducing its effects
• What was the aim of Antonova's study?

  Investigate scopolamine's effect on hippocampal activity in spatial memory
• How many participants were in Antonova's study?

  20 healthy male participants
• Why was a double-blind procedure used in Antonova's study?

  To prevent bias from participants and researchers
• What task did participants perform in Antonova's study?

  Virtual reality game (Arena task) to find a pole
• What were the findings of Antonova's study?

  Scopolamine group performed worse in spatial memory tasks
• How does Antonova's study demonstrate the role of acetylcholine in memory?

  Scopolamine blocked acetylcholine, impairing spatial memory performance
• What does the placebo group's performance indicate about acetylcholine?

  Acetylcholine functioned freely, supporting memory and learning
• What is the role of acetylcholine in the hippocampus?

  Facilitates memory consolidation and spatial learning
• How does scopolamine disrupt cognitive processes?

  Blocks acetylcholine receptors, impairing memory and learning
• What does Antonova's study reveal about the importance of acetylcholine?

  Acetylcholine is critical for memory and spatial learning
• What neurotransmitter was studied in Antonova's research?

  Acetylcholine
• Why did the scopolamine group perform worse in Antonova's study?

  Acetylcholine receptors were blocked, impairing memory
• How does Antonova's study link neurotransmitters to behavior?

  Blocking acetylcholine impaired spatial memory performance
• What is the role of acetylcholine in spatial memory?

  Facilitates encoding and recall of spatial locations
• How does scopolamine demonstrate the role of antagonists?

  Blocks acetylcholine receptors, reducing its effects on memory
• What does the placebo group's performance indicate about synaptic activation?

  Acetylcholine operated freely, supporting synaptic activation and memory
• How does Antonova's study highlight the role of agonists?

  Acetylcholine acted as an agonist, supporting memory and learning
• What is the primary function of acetylcholine in the brain?

  Facilitates memory consolidation and spatial learning
• How does Antonova's study demonstrate the importance of neurotransmitters in behavior?

  Blocking acetylcholine impaired spatial memory, showing its role
• What does the scopolamine group's performance indicate about acetylcholine?

  Acetylcholine is essential for memory and learning
• What is the role of acetylcholine in the hippocampus?

  Facilitates memory consolidation and spatial learning
• How does scopolamine disrupt cognitive processes?

  Blocks acetylcholine receptors, impairing memory and learning
• What does Antonova's study reveal about the importance of acetylcholine?

  Acetylcholine is critical for memory and spatial learning
• What neurotransmitter was studied in Antonova's research?

  Acetylcholine
• Why did the scopolamine group perform worse in Antonova's study?

  Acetylcholine receptors were blocked, impairing memory
• How does Antonova's study link neurotransmitters to behavior?

  Blocking acetylcholine impaired spatial memory performance
• What is the role of acetylcholine in spatial memory?

  Facilitates encoding and recall of spatial locations
• How does scopolamine demonstrate the role of antagonists?

  Blocks acetylcholine receptors, reducing its effects on memory
• What does the placebo group's performance indicate about synaptic activation?

  Acetylcholine operated freely, supporting synaptic activation and memory
• How does Antonova's study highlight the role of agonists?

  Acetylcholine acted as an agonist, supporting memory and learning
• Para 1 (Neurotransmitter + Inhibitory/ Excitatory)

  - Neurotransmitter- Chemical messenger which carries signals between neurons.- Neurotransmitters are released from terminal buttons at theend of an axonafter theaction potential has sent anelectrical charge down the neuron.They are then released fromterminal buttonson the neuron 's (nerve cells that sendelectrochemical messagesto the brain so people can respond to stimuli) and crosses thesynaptic gapto reach the receptor site on another neuronSynapses can either be excitatory or inhibitorywhen a neurotransmitter binds to receptors on itspost synaptic neuronsExcitatory - increases likelihood that neuron will fire an action potential, depending on the receptor site.Inhibitory- decreases likelihood that neuron will fire an action potential, also depending on receptor site.Neurotransmitters are then eitherbroken down by enzymeorreabsorbedby terminal buttons (reuptake process)There are also different chemicals which can bind to receptors in the brain to affect the function of neurotransmitters, known asagonists and antagonists. Agonists (such as neurotransmitters) bind to receptor to cause a reaction while antagonists bind and reduce the effect of a neurotransmitter.Neurotransmitters, in affecting the transmissions of impulsesmay affect behaviors like memory.Therefore, changing the levels ofneurotransmitters (thus synaptic activation) may affect behavior differently. Example of neurotransmitter is acetylcholine which plays a role in the consolidation of memory in the hippocampus used in Antanova's study.