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Welcome to the future: computational neuroscience Flashcards

1
Q

Why is computational neuroscience important?

A

It helps us understand complex networks like those in the brain.

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2
Q

Why do we use it?

A

To model neural circuits and network functions

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3
Q

What is it?

A

The mathematical modelling of core features of cells, circuits and neural networks

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4
Q

What are sequences of actions?

A

Units that are either hierarchical or serially organised into adaptive behaviour

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5
Q

What are the two brain regions that are known to be involved in action selection?

1 human and 1 from the fruit fly

A

human: basal ganglia

Insect : central complex

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6
Q

What are the 4 main components of the basal ganglia?

A

1) caudate nucleus
2) the putamen, which together forms the striatum
3) the globus pallidus, which is the outer and inner segment
4) subthalamic nucleus and the substantia nigra, and they together innervate the thalamus.

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7
Q

the mushroom bodies, MB, which are kind of the hippocampus in an insect

true or false

A

tRUE

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8
Q

What are the three fundamental features of the insect central complex?

A

1) Connections from the protocerebral bridge (PB) to the ellipsoid body (EB) (columnar neurons)
2) FB-EB neurons and EB ring neurons: intersect the neuropil (meshwork) (tangential neurons)
3) Columnar and tangential neurons innervate these neuropil.

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9
Q

All of the cells responded in the same way, and together they produce a coherent output

true or false

A

FALSE

None of the cells responded in the same way, but together they produce a coherent output

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10
Q

What are the parts needed to generate an action potential in an insect?

A

Soma, axon, synaptic currents, voltage-gated currents

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11
Q

Who developed a model and insight into action potential propagation?

A

Huxley and Hodgkin

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12
Q

What are the physiological features of a neuron and its axon. There are 3 currents and one potential?

A

potassium current

sodium current

leakage current

membrane potential

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13
Q

Core features of neural activity

A
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14
Q

Action potential resembles core aspects of a sine wave.

true or false?

A

TRUE

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15
Q

What does a sine wave resemble?

A

a circular motion

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16
Q

What is a Period T?

A

a full circle

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17
Q

Circular frequency is also called what?

A

angular velocity omega

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18
Q

Circular frequency can be defined by?

A

period T

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19
Q

the frequency of the angular movement can only be short.

true or false?

A

False

The frequency of the angular movement can be short or long

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20
Q

Frequency in the time domain is called?

A

Hertz

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21
Q

To describe idealised action potential, we need what 2 things?

A

period T and amplitude

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22
Q

We can describe a sinusoidal wave by what 3 things?

A

angular velocity [ω], period t and frequency in the time domain.

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23
Q

Action potential resembles core aspects of 2 things?

A

rotating phasor and sine wave

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24
Q

A firing action potential can be described as a?

A

quasi-periodic sine wave

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25
Multiple firing action potentials can be described as?
multiple quasi-periodic rotating phasors
26
Circuit and network activity can be described as?
the sum of multiple sinusoidal waves in the time and frequency domains.
27
Circuit and network activity is the result of multiple sinusoidal waves that influence each other; the resulting sum can be calculated and described with?
the Fourier Transform (FT)
28
Neural activity is not always periodic. true or false?
true | Neural activity is often aperiodic.
29
Each 360 degree turn in phase space corresponds to a burst of the neuron true or false?
true
30
What is an Attractor state?
a point in phase space to which the system converges
31
Neural activity is not only aperiodic, its also?
Chaotic
32
Neural activity of an open nonequilibrium system can be described as a?
dynamical nonlinear phase transition of attractor state.
33
Neural activity of circuits in networks are nonlinear dynamical systems, and cannot be described with linear dynamics. true or false?
true
34
Neural circuits and networks can be described as nonlinear dynamical systems What are the 3 nonlinear systems?
(1) Instability Dynamical systems operate near instability: • respond rapidly with a large, flexible repertoire of sensory and motor patterns • rapid response is important for animal behaviour (eg avoiding predators) (2) Phase space Dynamical systems can be described in a phase space: • a mathematical space with independent coordinates representing the dynamic variables needed to specify the instantaneous state of the system (3) Activity changes of dynamical systems can be described by attractor states: • a trajectory or point in phase space to which the system will converge from a set of initial coordinates • a nonlinear system may have more than one attractor
35
Neural circuits and networks can be described as nonlinear dynamical systems What are the 3 nonlinear systems?
(1) Instability Dynamical systems operate near instability: • respond rapidly with a large, flexible repertoire of sensory and motor patterns • rapid response is important for animal behaviour (eg avoiding predators) (2) Phase space Dynamical systems can be described in a phase space: • a mathematical space with independent coordinates representing the dynamic variables needed to specify the instantaneous state of the system (3) Activity changes of dynamical systems can be described by attractor states: • a trajectory or point in phase space to which the system will converge from a set of initial coordinates • a nonlinear system may have more than one attractor
36
What is the Lorenz attractor?
a very specific form of an attractor and its description in phase space (makes a butterfly winged shape)
37
TOPIC 2: Applied computational neuroscience | Action selection in health and disease
38
What are the two most important pathways of the basal ganglia?
direct and indirect pathway
39
Explain the direct pathway in more detail?
The direct connection is by GABAergic inhibitory interneurons. These interneurons also express the dopamine receptor, D1. (a) from the stratum to the (b) GPi/SNr (substantia nigra pars reticulata) (c) to the thalamus
40
Explain the indirect pathway in more detail?
the input nuclei striatum and the output nuclei GPi and SNr are not directly connected, it's indirect. (a) striatum (GABA) (b) to the GPE (globus pallidus external segment) (GABA) (c) STN ( subthalamic nucleus) (Glutamate, excitatory to the (d) output nuclei GPi and SNr
41
Both the direct and indirect pathways are gateways to the?
associative and sensory motor cortex, which then coordinates behavioural output
42
explain the 3 steps of Optogenetics?
1. light sensitive proteins are expressed in targeted neurons 2. fibre optic cable plus electrode are implanted in the brain 3. light activates the targeted neuron
43
activity in the D1 (direct) pathway facilitates what?
movement
44
activity in the D2 (indirect) pathway terminates what?
movement
45
D1 and D2 pathways work together to manage a directed movement. true or false?
TRUE
46
Why is it important to have coordinated activity between the direct and indirect pathways?
``` Impaired action selection may lead to Dyskinesia Motor neuron disease (MND) Parkinson’s disease (PD) Frontotemporal dementia (FTD) ```
47
Basal ganglia dysfunction. What are the pathological manifestations?
* motor abnormalities * impaired memory formation * attention deficits * affective disorders * sleep disturbances
48
Name a few Basal ganglia-related disorders?
``` • Parkinson’s disease • Huntington’s disease • dystonia • abulia • dementia • Tourette’s • attention deficit hyperactivity disorder • obsessive-compulsive disorder • depression • schizophrenia ```
49
What is Parkinson’s disease?
Dysfunction and loss of nigrostriatal pathway
50
What are the symptoms of PD?
``` Symptoms: • tremor • rigidity • bradykinesia - motor and non-motor symptoms ```
51
Explain the Behavioural manifestations regulated by neuronal activity of vertebrate basal ganglia and insect central complex?
Basal ganglia: Vertebrate ``` Striatum, globus pallidus subthalamic nucleus, substantia nigra Postural muscle tone Coordinated locomotion Goal-directed movement Saccadic eye movement Visual orientation and space integration Sleep Arousal Attention Sensorimotor learning Habit learning Reward-seeking behaviour Emotional expression ``` Central complex: Insect ``` Protocerebral bridge, fan-shaped body, ellipsoid body, lateral accessory lobe Coordinated locomotion Goal-directed movement Visual orientation and space integration Sleep Arousal Attention Courtship behaviour Place memory Reward-seeking behaviour ```
52
What is the common denominator between behaviours?
shared action selections
53
Does the insect central complex have an direct and indirect pathway like the vertebrate?
No, only a direct pathway (GABAergic)
54
The ellipsoid body ring neurons and especially the central complex are involved in what? 6 things
higher motor control visual short-term memory and place learning direction selective orientation tuning landmark orientation and angular path integration attention and arousal Decision making
55
These behaviours are controlled by the same neural network, which is involved in the regulation of?
Action selections
56
the three core functions of R-neurons implementing action selection in the central complex?
Salience detection, switching and activity maintenance
57
Part 3 | Similarities between the basal ganglia and the insect central complex
58
It is the loss of what pathway, that characterises this kind of Parkinsonism in Drosophila?
the dEB/LAL pathway
59
Despite the differences in size and composition between the basal ganglia and the insect central complex, there are underlying similarities in their neuromechanisms and computations. True or false?
TRUE
60
Facilitation, inhibition, and disinhibition of activities and their intricate interplay enables what?
directed actions
61
Spatially organised parallel-projecting loops integrate and convey sensorimotor representations that?
select and maintain behavioural activity
62
Topic 3: The future within reach: Brain-machine interface in neuro-prosthetics
63
Define neuroprosthetics?
a neuroprosthetic is a device that supplants or supplements the input/output of the nervous system.
64
Explain a spinal cord injury (SCI) in more detail?
a damage to any part of the spinal cord or nerves at the end of the spinal canal that can lead to changes in strength, mobility and sensations.
65
With spinal cord injury the sooner treatments are implemented, the better the prognosis. true or false?
true
66
What are 4 current recovery strategies after SCI?
Physical therapy Surgery Steroid injections Stem cells
67
What are 3 ways in which neuroprosthetic devices can be implanted?
(1) EEG (electroencephalography): most common Non-invasive method where electrodes are placed on the scalp and brain electrical rhythms are recorded (2) Electrodes implanted into the brain: For more serious and severe injuries of spinal cord More invasive, provides a higher resolution measurement (3) Neuroprostheses can be used in other areas of the body: Eg through implementation in the sacral nerve to treat bladder dysfunction
68
What is a limitation of electrical neuromodulation of spinal circuits? specifically epidural electrical stimulation (EES)
EES (epidural electrical stimulation) alone was not able to allow severely impaired patients to walk alone
69
computerised simulations can predict the onset, modulation and strength of motor responses, evoked in leg muscles, when delivering EES in rats true or false
TRUE
70
EES activates interneurons and motor neurons directly true or false?
FALSE | EES activates interneurons and motor neurons indirectly

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