Lab One: A beginner’s guide to the spikerbox

Brain Cells need to communicate with each other to control the body

A brain with only one neuron is not a brain

A brain is a network (friendship) of neurons

How do neurons talk?

Method 1: Chemical communicatione.g. Bacteria

Con: slow, limited by diffusion

How do neurons talk?

Method 2: Chemical communication through synapsee.g. stretching the neuron to cover more space

Con: still slow, signal must travel long way through cell

How do neurons talk?Method 3: Electrical and chemical combination

Electricity carries signal quickly down long axon to synapse, chemical transmission at synapse to the next neuron

Electrical Neural Communication: The Action Potential

Action potentials (“spikes”) are generated by Na infusion depolarizing the cell membrane and K expulsion repolarizing it.

Spike “moves” as depolarization propagates down axon

Wikipedia.org

Anatomy of the Neuron

Model of the nervous system: Discoid cocroach (Blaberus discoidalis)

Neuroanatomy of Cockroach

Neuroanatomy of Cockroach Leg

Procedures: Put the cockroach in a jar of ice water

Procedures: Cut off one of roach’s legs near the body

(Put petroleum jelly on exposed wound on body and leg, return cockroach to house, leg will grow back if cockroach not full grown adult)

Procedures: Place leg on cork of SpiderBox, with a bit of leg

overhang

Procedures: Put one electrode in the femur and the other in the

coxa

Procedures: Observe the spike trains, demonstrating neuron

communication

Classify spikes by amplitude: binning

Entering Your DataCondition Method Notes Timing Notes

No Stimulation

Toothpick Stimulation

Blowing Through Straw