Dr. Arianna Maffei gave a wonderful presentation on Neural Circuits Plasticity. During her presentation, we learned so much about neurobiology and the mechanism of learning. For example, how food that is good for you is palatable and spoiled food is that is bad for you. Before the presentation, I knew about how the different tastes such as sweet, salty, and the others. However, I did not know about the pathways from the mouthto the brain. It was very interesting to learn how the pathway starts from the TRCto the Insular Cortex. Another topic that was apart of the presentation was on how taste has sensory and affective components. Dr. Maffei explained about an experiment featuring a rat and drinking sucrose. But, during the experiment, the scientist made the rat sick and this affected his experience. After that experience, the rat avoided the sucrose and chose the water instead. This experiment was a perfect example about conditioned taste aversion. Dr. Maffei also showed us how the parts of the brain involving our taste buds. We saw how the neuron in motor cortex look similar to those in taste cortex but respond to different stimuli through the images Dr. Maffei provided. Some of the neurons in the motor cortex project their signal to the spinal cord. They are known as corticospinal neurons. Dr. Maffei explained how a lot of research of Parkinson’s disease involves the corticospinal tract and the neurons. It was amazing experience having Dr. Maffei give a presentation based on Neural Circuits Plasticity and seeing all the different images of the neurons and the brain was incredible.
Category Archives: Reflections
Reflection: Amanda Russo
Amanda Russo’s presentation was very informational, and I enjoy learning about the case studies of the patients she discussed. I learned many things from her presentation. Before the presentation, I have an intermediate knowledge of the human brain and how it functions. I understood how Memory is important for our survival. At the beginning of the presentation, she defines Memory as chemicals changes in the brain that we remember, it’s adaptive to remember for survival. While memory is essential for our lives, there are times when memory can be a bad thing. Memory can be bad in terms of situations dealing with trauma, nightmares, and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. During the presentation, we learn about two types of amnesia: Anterograde and Retrograde. Anterograde is an inability to form new memories after the brain damage the inability. Retrograde inability to information learned prior to brain damage. Amanda explains a case of a patient named H.M. He suffered from epilepsy and went through a surgery removed a part of brain medial temporal lobe that was the source of epilepsy. He no longer suffered from epilepsy, but he was having memory-related issues. He couldn’t remember things he had done in the previous day. Cured his seizures but left him with anterograde amnesia, temporally graded retrograde amnesia. H.M. had to have people look after him due to this condition. From this presentation, I learned about how the medial temporal lobes are important for forming new memories and for recalling recently formed memories. I also learn how the hippocampus and the Amygdala are in the medial temporal lobe. This presentation was wonderful experience and I’m happy that Amanda was able to share it with us.