molecular mechanisms of behavior formation
DESCRIPTION
Molecular Mechanisms of Behavior Formation. Ed Ziff Skirball Molecular Neuroscience Program Departmen of Biochemistry. How does the Brain Respond to Information from the Senses to Generate Behavior?. B E H A V I O U R. Sight. Nervous System (memory). S ENSES. Playing piano. - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
Molecular Mechanisms of Behavior Formation
Ed ZiffSkirball Molecular Neuroscience Program
Departmen of Biochemistry
How does the Brain Respond to Information from the Senses to Generate Behavior?
Sight
Hearing
Touch
Taste
Smell
Pain
Balance
SENSES
BEHAVIOUR
Speaking
Walking
Planning
Heart rate
Playing pianoNervousSystem
(memory)
NervousSystem
(memory)
Synapses connect neurons to form circuits
Receptor
Synapse
Direction of signal
Synapses: Sites of Neuron Communication
Vesicle
Synapses connect neurons to form circuits
Synapse
Direction of signal
Neurotransmitter is released
Receptor
Vesicle
Synapses connect neurons to form circuits
Synapse
Direction of signal
Receptors are activated
Receptor
Vesicle
Synapses connect neurons to form circuits
Synapse
Direction of signal
Neuron fires
Receptor
Vesicle
Neuron “Fires”
Synapses connect neurons to form circuits
Synapse
Direction of signal
Receptor
Vesicle
Fire!
Adding Receptors Strengthens Synapses
How do rewards create behavior?
Train rat in cage to drink sucrose
Rat seeks sucrosewhen placed back in
cage
Nucleus accumbens gathers information
SuSu
Collaboration with Dr. Ken Carr, Psychiatry Department
Drinking sucrose
SensoryCortex
VTA
PFC
N Acc
Seeing cageRat
brain
Nucleus accumbens controls prefrontal cortex and behavior
SuSu
Collaboration with Dr. Ken Carr, Psychiatry Department
SensoryCortex
VTA
PFC
N AccRat seeks sucrose
when placed again
in cage
Ratbrain
Seeing cage
Rewards Strengthen Specific Synapses
SuSu
Sucrose
Synapses in nucleus accumbens strengthenWeak Strong
SensoryCortex
VTA
PFC
N Acc
Ratbrain
Collaboration with Dr. Ken Carr, Psychiatry Department
Rat sees cage
Rat seeks sucrose
when placed again in cage
Addictive Behavior Formation•Natural rewards, such as sucrose, strengthen synapses in the nucleus accumbens, a part of the brain’s reward system.•These changes contribute to sucrose-seeking behavior•Similar changes take place during cocaine addiction.•These findings are relevant to the mechanisms of compulsive eating behavior and the epidemic of obesity.
Supported by the NYU Langone Medical Center Center of Excellence on Addiction and the NIH