Neuronal Networks
and Behavior
Minor Biomolecular science track
neuroscience
Claire Snel
Jaar 3, 2023
0
,Inhoudsopgave
Lecture 1 – Introduction and general plan of sensory system ........................................................................... 2
Part 1 Introduction ............................................................................................................................................. 2
Part 2 General plan of sensory system ............................................................................................................... 2
Lecture 2 – Visual system 1............................................................................................................................... 9
Lecture 3 – Visual system 2............................................................................................................................. 19
Lecture 4 – Auditory system ........................................................................................................................... 30
Lecture 5 – Chemical senses ........................................................................................................................... 41
Part 1 Odor ....................................................................................................................................................... 41
Part 2 Taste ....................................................................................................................................................... 45
Lecture 6 – Hippocampal memory and plasticity ............................................................................................ 50
Part 1 Memory and the hippocampus .............................................................................................................. 50
Part 2 Cellular organization and plasticity in hippocampus ............................................................................. 55
Lecture 7 – Cognition and emotion ................................................................................................................. 63
Part 1 Emotion .................................................................................................................................................. 63
Part 2 Cognition ................................................................................................................................................ 70
Lecture 8 – Movement 1................................................................................................................................. 76
Lecture 9 – Movement 2................................................................................................................................. 86
Lecture 3 – Movement 3................................................................................................................................. 94
Lecture 11 – Investigating neuronal (network) function in behavior ............................................................. 101
1
,Lecture 1 – Introduction and general plan of sensory system
Part 1 Introduction
Lecture 1 General plan of sensory system
Lecture 2 Visual system 1
Lecture 3 Visual system 2
Lecture 4 Auditory system
Lecture 5 Chemical senses
Lecture 6 Hippocampal memory and plasticity
Lecture 7 Cognition and emotion
Lecture 8 Movement 1
Lecture 9 Movement 2
Lecture 10 Movement 3
Lecture 11 Neuronal networks of cognition
Part 2 General plan of sensory system
>> How does the brain work?
The human brain is built of neurons
The human cortex:
- >86 billion neurons
- 1000-10.000 synapses per neuron
- 1014-1015 synapses
Communication between neurons: synaptic transmission
1. Axons release neurotransmitters
2. Different neurotransmitters bind to postsynaptic receptors and
determine whether the postsynaptic cell membrane will
depolarize (generate EPSP) or hyperpolarize (generate IPSP)
3. Synapses/neurons can be excitatory (release glutamate) and
inhibitory (GABA, glycine); modulation of synaptic transmission by
dopamine, serotonin, acetylcholine etc.
4. EPSPs increase excitability of the cell and increase the probability
of AP (action potential) generation
5. IPSPs decrease excitability and probability of AP generation
6. In the neuronal network each neuron will integrate multiple EPSPs
and IPSPs, the sum will determine whether the cell fires an AP
7. Frequency of AP firing conveys the signal
8. Drugs can bind to the receptors and simulate the action of
neurotransmitters
2
, General plan of sensory systems
Perception of the outside world
If you want to build a sensing machine what would you need?
Receives and translates information into the language of the machine
1. Sensory receptors/axons translate the energy of the stimulus (for example
heat/ temperature) into electrical signals
Transports information for processing
2. Axons transport the signal to the series of relay nuclei
Integrates and processes information
3. Interneurons and local circuitry in nuclei process the signal >> image →
Gives output
Sensory systems
1. Reception
- Sensory receptors translate the energy of the stimulus into electrical signals (modality,
location, intensity and timing)
2. Transport:
- Axons transport the signal to the series of relay nuclei (parallel processing, topographical
representation, cross-over, feedback connections)
3. Processing
- Interneurons and local circuitry in nuclei process the signal
Sensory receptors are activated by the energy of the stimulus
➢ Modality means, the type of the stimulus and is connected to the energy of the stimulus >
what type of energy is this?
- Non-sensory neuron; any type of neuron in the brain
- If this neuron receives information, it receives it from other
neurons, they receive them from axons
- This is the canonical way of information transfer
- This neuron can either EPSP (excitatory postsynaptic
potential) or IPSP (inhibitory) and then finally sum up those
potentials to generate or not generate an action potential
➢ However, with receptors its different because they don’t have axons that will come from
other cells > they need to react to the energy of the stimulus
➢ For the visual system we have rod and cones in the retina (in yellow in the image) that will be
filled with receptors that react only to light
➢ The structure of these neurons is very different from pyramidal cells (left in image)
3
and Behavior
Minor Biomolecular science track
neuroscience
Claire Snel
Jaar 3, 2023
0
,Inhoudsopgave
Lecture 1 – Introduction and general plan of sensory system ........................................................................... 2
Part 1 Introduction ............................................................................................................................................. 2
Part 2 General plan of sensory system ............................................................................................................... 2
Lecture 2 – Visual system 1............................................................................................................................... 9
Lecture 3 – Visual system 2............................................................................................................................. 19
Lecture 4 – Auditory system ........................................................................................................................... 30
Lecture 5 – Chemical senses ........................................................................................................................... 41
Part 1 Odor ....................................................................................................................................................... 41
Part 2 Taste ....................................................................................................................................................... 45
Lecture 6 – Hippocampal memory and plasticity ............................................................................................ 50
Part 1 Memory and the hippocampus .............................................................................................................. 50
Part 2 Cellular organization and plasticity in hippocampus ............................................................................. 55
Lecture 7 – Cognition and emotion ................................................................................................................. 63
Part 1 Emotion .................................................................................................................................................. 63
Part 2 Cognition ................................................................................................................................................ 70
Lecture 8 – Movement 1................................................................................................................................. 76
Lecture 9 – Movement 2................................................................................................................................. 86
Lecture 3 – Movement 3................................................................................................................................. 94
Lecture 11 – Investigating neuronal (network) function in behavior ............................................................. 101
1
,Lecture 1 – Introduction and general plan of sensory system
Part 1 Introduction
Lecture 1 General plan of sensory system
Lecture 2 Visual system 1
Lecture 3 Visual system 2
Lecture 4 Auditory system
Lecture 5 Chemical senses
Lecture 6 Hippocampal memory and plasticity
Lecture 7 Cognition and emotion
Lecture 8 Movement 1
Lecture 9 Movement 2
Lecture 10 Movement 3
Lecture 11 Neuronal networks of cognition
Part 2 General plan of sensory system
>> How does the brain work?
The human brain is built of neurons
The human cortex:
- >86 billion neurons
- 1000-10.000 synapses per neuron
- 1014-1015 synapses
Communication between neurons: synaptic transmission
1. Axons release neurotransmitters
2. Different neurotransmitters bind to postsynaptic receptors and
determine whether the postsynaptic cell membrane will
depolarize (generate EPSP) or hyperpolarize (generate IPSP)
3. Synapses/neurons can be excitatory (release glutamate) and
inhibitory (GABA, glycine); modulation of synaptic transmission by
dopamine, serotonin, acetylcholine etc.
4. EPSPs increase excitability of the cell and increase the probability
of AP (action potential) generation
5. IPSPs decrease excitability and probability of AP generation
6. In the neuronal network each neuron will integrate multiple EPSPs
and IPSPs, the sum will determine whether the cell fires an AP
7. Frequency of AP firing conveys the signal
8. Drugs can bind to the receptors and simulate the action of
neurotransmitters
2
, General plan of sensory systems
Perception of the outside world
If you want to build a sensing machine what would you need?
Receives and translates information into the language of the machine
1. Sensory receptors/axons translate the energy of the stimulus (for example
heat/ temperature) into electrical signals
Transports information for processing
2. Axons transport the signal to the series of relay nuclei
Integrates and processes information
3. Interneurons and local circuitry in nuclei process the signal >> image →
Gives output
Sensory systems
1. Reception
- Sensory receptors translate the energy of the stimulus into electrical signals (modality,
location, intensity and timing)
2. Transport:
- Axons transport the signal to the series of relay nuclei (parallel processing, topographical
representation, cross-over, feedback connections)
3. Processing
- Interneurons and local circuitry in nuclei process the signal
Sensory receptors are activated by the energy of the stimulus
➢ Modality means, the type of the stimulus and is connected to the energy of the stimulus >
what type of energy is this?
- Non-sensory neuron; any type of neuron in the brain
- If this neuron receives information, it receives it from other
neurons, they receive them from axons
- This is the canonical way of information transfer
- This neuron can either EPSP (excitatory postsynaptic
potential) or IPSP (inhibitory) and then finally sum up those
potentials to generate or not generate an action potential
➢ However, with receptors its different because they don’t have axons that will come from
other cells > they need to react to the energy of the stimulus
➢ For the visual system we have rod and cones in the retina (in yellow in the image) that will be
filled with receptors that react only to light
➢ The structure of these neurons is very different from pyramidal cells (left in image)
3
