PSY492H1 Chapter Notes - Chapter 10: Nmda Receptor Antagonist, Dentate Gyrus, Gria1
Document Summary
The formation of a memory trace begins when a behavioural experience activates a set of weakly connected neurons. The cellular-molecule processes activated in these neurons strengthen their synaptic connection, thereby creating a neural representation of the behavioural experience (memory trace) The signaling cascades that lead to memory formation begin with release of first messenger glutamate and activation of glutamate receptors. Morris was the first researcher to experimentally test the hypothesis that initial formation of memory trace depends on the activation of nmda receptors. The control rats would spend more time in the training quadrant, while the apv rats move randomly. Researchers able to selectively delete or selectively over-express the gene for a particular molecule important for memories. The nmda receptor is composed of four subunits the subunits can be divided into two classes: glun1 and glun2, there are several subtypes of glun2 receptors (glun2a,
