1.

Shortly describe the key components and sequence of steps involved in long-term
Potentiation.

Long-term potentiation is the improvement in synaptic connections caused by frequent

activation.

In NMDA receptor dependent LTP, the release of glutamate activates the adjacent AMPA
receptor. To activate the NMDA receptor, the concentration of glutamate needs to be higher,
since its ion channel is blocked by a magnesium ion. An increase in Na+ ions in the
surrounding stimulates the AMPA receptors, causing a depolarization of the postsynaptic
neuron, which inactivates the magnesium ion blockage in the NMDA receptor, allowing an
inflow of Ca2+ ions. This in turn causes more AMPA receptors to be inserted into the neuron’s
membrane, which indices a higher inflow of positively charged ions into the neuron when
activated.

The result is a postsynaptic cell that’s more sensitive to glutamate, which makes the synapse
stronger and more likely to be activated in the future and also strengthens the connection
between neurons.

2. What is the difference between the specific and associative long-term

potentiation?

For the specific LTP there’s a strong activation that leads to a strengthening in that specific
pathway. But for the associative LTP the stimulation in all the strengthened pathways do not
heritage from a strong stimulation. Even weaker stimulations can cause strengthening.

3. What makes up a motor unit and a motor pool?

The terms used to describe the relationship between the motor neurons and the muscles are
motor units and motor pools.
A motor unit is the smallest unit of force to be executed. There are different types of motor
units. There are red muscular fibers (slow fibers), which have a large number of mitochondria
and enzymes and also contracts slowly with the ability to substain contraction. Then there’s
also white muscular fibers (fast fibers) that have fewer mitochondria, it executes anaerobic
metabolism and contracts and fatigue rapidly. The white muscle fibers can further be devided
into two different types of fast fibers: fatigue-resistant and fast-fatigue.
In a muscle, the three different types of muscle fibers coexist, but when a motor unit only
connect to one of the two types, either a slow motor unit, or two fast ones.
All motor neurons in the same motor pool innervate a specific muscle.
To summarize, we can say that a motor unit is the functional unit of a muscle and a collection
of a specific motor unit is called a motor pool.

4. Describe what it takes to contract a muscle, include the terms: T-tubule,

neuromuscular junction, ATP, Calcium and sarcomere.

The connection between the alpha motor neurons and the muscle fibers is called a
neuromuscular junction.

The axon terminals of the alpha motor neurons initiate the muscle contraction through the
release of ACh, which generates a series of Excitatory postsynaptic potentials (EPSPs) in the
postsynaptic membrane. These action potentials leads to a release, and later an uptake, of
Calcium ions, which generates a excitation-contraction coupling.

The Ca2+ ions will, with help. From the action potential, be transferred through the T-tubule,
which connects to the sacroplasmic reticulum (SR), which encloses the myofibrils which is a
part of the sarcomere complex together with two Z-lines, through membrane proteins. The
ions will here, due to a change in position of the T-tubule caused by the action potential, leak
out into the cytosol.

The leakage makes it possible for the Ca2+ ions to reach the myofibrils and the filaments
Troponin, Actin and Myosin. Troponin binds Ca2+, causing myosin to bind to actin which in
turn makes the myosin head bend, leading to the filaments to start sliding. When ATP then
binds to the myosin heads, the filaments separate. When this happens repeatedly, the myosin
wanders along the filament. This Is very necessary for a muscle contraction to happen.

5. What are the different proprioceptive “measurements” taken by the golgi tendon
and muscle spindles?

The muscle spindles are stretch sensitive and play an important role in keeping proper body
position. The muscle spindles act as receptors that provide information regarding muscle
length and the rate of change in muscle length. The function relies on sensory feedback from
the muscle to the alpha motor neurons in the spinal cord.

Golgi tendon organs monitor the force during muscle contraction. The organ receives
information regarding tension. Golgi tendon tells you how much tension the muscle is
exerting. This information is transferred by inhibitory interneurons.

6. Name the components involved in reciprocal inhibition.

Inhibitory interneurons, alpha motor neurons, axon, muscle spindle and antagonist muscle.