NEU 365D Unit 3 || A+ Verified Already.
What is learning? correct answers A semi-permanent change in behavior resulting from the
occurrence of a previous event
What is memory? correct answers The storage of learned information in a manner that permits its
recall into consciousness at a later time
What are the three steps in which memory occurs? correct answers 1. Registration of information
in a transitory short-term form
2. Consolidation into a longer-lasting form
3. Retrieval when required
What peptides play a role in learning and memory? correct answers Pituitary peptides
How are hypophysectomized animals affected by their lack of ACTH? correct answers Show
deficits in learning a shock-avoidance response; ACTH administration normalizes their learning
abilities
What is a consequence of isolated adrenocorticotropic hormone deficiency (IAD)? correct
answers Reversible dementia
What is the effect of Vasopressin? correct answers It delays the extinction of a learned behavior
such as shock-avoidance response, so it aids memory
How does atropine affect behavior? correct answers It impairs learning. Also, Since it is an
antagonist of muscarinic ACh receptors, it produces a dissociation between behavior and the
state of consciousness indicated by the EEG.
,How do changes in serotonin levels affect behavior? correct answers Increase in pain sensitivity
and faster acquisition of avoidance response, increased aggression, insomnia and suppression of
SWS signs in EEG, increased sexual activity. Increase in serotonin decreases food and water
intake
How do dopamine and norepinephrine affect behavior? correct answers Play roles in locomotor
activity, L-dopa used to treat Parkinsonism, norepinephrine alpha receptors inhibit satiety and
beta receptors decrease feeding
How does strychnine affect learning? correct answers Low doses of it facilitate the learning of
some tasks because it inhibits inhibitory neurotransmission, thus enhancing neuronal
transmission
How do amphetamines affect learning? correct answers Improve learning by enhancing attention
because it promotes the regalase of DA and NE and inhibits their uptake by presynaptic neurons
How do protein synthesis inhibitors affect learning? correct answers They produce amnesia and
impaired retention (memory consolidation) of a task learned previously because memory
formation follows changes in some neuronal protein levels
What are examples of protein synthesis inhibitors? correct answers Cycloheximide and
anisomycin
What are discriminative stimuli? correct answers They allow an animal to distinguish between
two or more situations in which a particular response will have different outcomes
What is an example of a discriminative stimulus affecting behavior? correct answers A rat may
be trained in an operant chamber to press one of two levers to obtain a food reward. A signal
light (discriminative stimulus) can be added so that pressing only one lever will be rewarded
when the light is on. Pressing only one lever will be rewarded when the light is on, and pressing
only the other lever will be rewarded when the light is off. When the rat has learned this, it is
responding under stimulus control.
,What is an example of a discriminative stimulus? correct answers Music
What are the two effects of drugs used as discriminative stimuli? correct answers Drug
discrimination, state-dependent learning
What is drug discrimination? correct answers Animals are trained to make one response after
administration of a particular drug and a different response after injection of a vehicle or a
different drug. The subjective state produced by the effects of the drug thus leads to stimulus
control over the behavior.
What is an example of a drug discrimination experiment? correct answers In a typical experiment
the animal receives drug and then if it presses the liver previously associated with the drugged
state, it receives a food reward. If it presses the other lever (associated with vehicle) it receives a
mild shock for being wrong. Animals quickly learn to press the correct lever. Next, the
experimenter can substitute the drug the animal was trained with for another one. The question to
be answered is if the subjective effects of this new drug are similar to that of the original drug.
What is a drug generalization gradient? correct answers A dose-response relationship of a drug
being studied to determine which doses of the drug the animal perceive to be like the training
dose of the drug administered; the training and test drugs need not be the same
What is the effect of state-dependent learning? correct answers If state-dependent learning has
occurred, the animals tested under the same conditions that were present during training
(drug/non drug) will perform the task more efficiently
What is an example of a state-dependent learning experiment? correct answers One group of
animals is trained to perform a certain task under the influence of a drug while a control group is
trained in the absence of drug. One training is complete and the groups are each divided in two.
Half of each group is then tested with drug and half with vehicle.
What drugs have demonstrated state-dependent learning? correct answers Ethanol, pentobarbital,
scopolamine, morphine, and cannabis
, What determines the discriminability of a drug? correct answers 1. The rate of acquisition of
discrimination
2. Maximum degree of control over behavior
What factors are important for drug effects on stimulus control? correct answers 1. Drugs must
act centrally
2. Sensory stimuli may be perceived differently under influence of drug
3. Receptor antagonists may allow one to determine the exact molecular site of action of the
discriminable drug
4. Acquisition of drug discrimination may also be blocked by antagonists
What are the criteria for assessing validity of behavioral models of mental disorders? correct
answers Face validity, construct validity, content validity, and predictive validity
What questions does face validity pose? correct answers "On its face" does the animal model
appear to model the human condition? Do other people you show the model to think that it
models what you believe it does?
Is face validity objective or subjective? correct answers Subjective
What is construct validity? correct answers It is an assessment of the behavioral model
What questions does construct validity pose? correct answers Does it measure what it is
purported to model? For example, does an IQ test really measure intelligence?
What is content validity? correct answers Content validity refers to the extent to which your
model assesses all facets of the human condition you are trying to model.
What is an example of content validity? correct answers Schizophrenia involves much more than
delusions and paranoia
What is learning? correct answers A semi-permanent change in behavior resulting from the
occurrence of a previous event
What is memory? correct answers The storage of learned information in a manner that permits its
recall into consciousness at a later time
What are the three steps in which memory occurs? correct answers 1. Registration of information
in a transitory short-term form
2. Consolidation into a longer-lasting form
3. Retrieval when required
What peptides play a role in learning and memory? correct answers Pituitary peptides
How are hypophysectomized animals affected by their lack of ACTH? correct answers Show
deficits in learning a shock-avoidance response; ACTH administration normalizes their learning
abilities
What is a consequence of isolated adrenocorticotropic hormone deficiency (IAD)? correct
answers Reversible dementia
What is the effect of Vasopressin? correct answers It delays the extinction of a learned behavior
such as shock-avoidance response, so it aids memory
How does atropine affect behavior? correct answers It impairs learning. Also, Since it is an
antagonist of muscarinic ACh receptors, it produces a dissociation between behavior and the
state of consciousness indicated by the EEG.
,How do changes in serotonin levels affect behavior? correct answers Increase in pain sensitivity
and faster acquisition of avoidance response, increased aggression, insomnia and suppression of
SWS signs in EEG, increased sexual activity. Increase in serotonin decreases food and water
intake
How do dopamine and norepinephrine affect behavior? correct answers Play roles in locomotor
activity, L-dopa used to treat Parkinsonism, norepinephrine alpha receptors inhibit satiety and
beta receptors decrease feeding
How does strychnine affect learning? correct answers Low doses of it facilitate the learning of
some tasks because it inhibits inhibitory neurotransmission, thus enhancing neuronal
transmission
How do amphetamines affect learning? correct answers Improve learning by enhancing attention
because it promotes the regalase of DA and NE and inhibits their uptake by presynaptic neurons
How do protein synthesis inhibitors affect learning? correct answers They produce amnesia and
impaired retention (memory consolidation) of a task learned previously because memory
formation follows changes in some neuronal protein levels
What are examples of protein synthesis inhibitors? correct answers Cycloheximide and
anisomycin
What are discriminative stimuli? correct answers They allow an animal to distinguish between
two or more situations in which a particular response will have different outcomes
What is an example of a discriminative stimulus affecting behavior? correct answers A rat may
be trained in an operant chamber to press one of two levers to obtain a food reward. A signal
light (discriminative stimulus) can be added so that pressing only one lever will be rewarded
when the light is on. Pressing only one lever will be rewarded when the light is on, and pressing
only the other lever will be rewarded when the light is off. When the rat has learned this, it is
responding under stimulus control.
,What is an example of a discriminative stimulus? correct answers Music
What are the two effects of drugs used as discriminative stimuli? correct answers Drug
discrimination, state-dependent learning
What is drug discrimination? correct answers Animals are trained to make one response after
administration of a particular drug and a different response after injection of a vehicle or a
different drug. The subjective state produced by the effects of the drug thus leads to stimulus
control over the behavior.
What is an example of a drug discrimination experiment? correct answers In a typical experiment
the animal receives drug and then if it presses the liver previously associated with the drugged
state, it receives a food reward. If it presses the other lever (associated with vehicle) it receives a
mild shock for being wrong. Animals quickly learn to press the correct lever. Next, the
experimenter can substitute the drug the animal was trained with for another one. The question to
be answered is if the subjective effects of this new drug are similar to that of the original drug.
What is a drug generalization gradient? correct answers A dose-response relationship of a drug
being studied to determine which doses of the drug the animal perceive to be like the training
dose of the drug administered; the training and test drugs need not be the same
What is the effect of state-dependent learning? correct answers If state-dependent learning has
occurred, the animals tested under the same conditions that were present during training
(drug/non drug) will perform the task more efficiently
What is an example of a state-dependent learning experiment? correct answers One group of
animals is trained to perform a certain task under the influence of a drug while a control group is
trained in the absence of drug. One training is complete and the groups are each divided in two.
Half of each group is then tested with drug and half with vehicle.
What drugs have demonstrated state-dependent learning? correct answers Ethanol, pentobarbital,
scopolamine, morphine, and cannabis
, What determines the discriminability of a drug? correct answers 1. The rate of acquisition of
discrimination
2. Maximum degree of control over behavior
What factors are important for drug effects on stimulus control? correct answers 1. Drugs must
act centrally
2. Sensory stimuli may be perceived differently under influence of drug
3. Receptor antagonists may allow one to determine the exact molecular site of action of the
discriminable drug
4. Acquisition of drug discrimination may also be blocked by antagonists
What are the criteria for assessing validity of behavioral models of mental disorders? correct
answers Face validity, construct validity, content validity, and predictive validity
What questions does face validity pose? correct answers "On its face" does the animal model
appear to model the human condition? Do other people you show the model to think that it
models what you believe it does?
Is face validity objective or subjective? correct answers Subjective
What is construct validity? correct answers It is an assessment of the behavioral model
What questions does construct validity pose? correct answers Does it measure what it is
purported to model? For example, does an IQ test really measure intelligence?
What is content validity? correct answers Content validity refers to the extent to which your
model assesses all facets of the human condition you are trying to model.
What is an example of content validity? correct answers Schizophrenia involves much more than
delusions and paranoia
