SAQ Biological (excitatory synapses)

Potential Q

Describe one study that demonstrates the role of excitatory neurotransmitter in the study of human behaviour.

Where are neurotransmitters released from?

• Neurotransmitters are released from the terminal buttons at the end of an axon after the action potential has sent an electrical charge down the neuron.

• The neurotransmitter then crosses the synaptic gap to reach the receptor site on another neuron.

What are excitatory neurotransmitters?

Neurotransmitters that make the target neuron more likely to fire an action potential if it binds to an excitatory receptor.

What’s an example of a neurotransmitter binding to an excitatory receptor?

The role of acetylcholine forming spatial memories

What study would u use & what’s the aim?

Antanova wanted to investigate the effect of scopolamine in hippocampus activity when making spatial memory

What was the design and sample?

Double blind trial

20 right handed males with a mean age of 28 years old

What was the method?

• participants randomly allocated to 1 of 2 conditions.

• They were either injected with Scopolamine or a placebo 70 - 90 minutes before taking part in the experimental task.

• They performed the experimental task in an fMRI so that their brain activity could be observed.

• They were asked to navigate around an "arena" with the goal of reaching a pole. After learning where the pole was, the screen went blank for 30s.

What did antanova find?

the researchers found that participants who were injected with scopolamine had reduced activity in the hippocampus compared the placebo group.

What’s the conclusion?

scopolamine makes it harder to memorise new info by decreasing hippocampus activity.