Learning is an essential process for survival in humans and other animals. Choose a learned behavior that was discussed in class this semester.

2. Learning is an essential process for survival in humans and other animals. Choose a learned behavior that was discussed in class this semester.

a) First, describe the behavior including relevant stimuli and the animal's response.

b) Then, describe the underlying neural circuit and molecular mechanisms that allow the animal to learn the behavior. Include relevant cells, their connections to each other, and how those connections change in strength over the course of learning. You may draw a picture to illustrate your answer.

c) Finally, propose one experiment to artificially stimulate learning of the behavior in the absence of the stimulus using optogenetics to manipulate activity of neurons in the circuit. Be sure to clarify which synaptic weights have changed and any learning rules that were required to change them.