3.3 Neurobiology of Learning and Memory

Question 1

neuroplasticity

Answer 1

• change in neural connections caused by learning or a response to injury
• dec with age

Question 2

Synaptic pruning

Answer 2

adjustment of neural connections throughout life, involving breaking of weak neural connections and bolstering of strong neural connections [removing weak neural connections]

Question 3

Long-term potentiation

Answer 3

responsible for the conversion of short-term to long-term mem is the strengthening of neuronal connections resulting from inc neurotransmitter release and adding of receptor sites [strengthening memory connections]

Question 4

How a memory is formed

Answer 4

• Memory starts its life as a sensory memory in the projection area of a given sensory modality.
• This sensory mem is brief, unless maintained in consciousness and moved, as a short-term memory, into the hippocampus in the temporal lobe
• The men can then be manipulated through working men while in the hippocampus and even stored for later recall
• Over very ling periods of time, memories are gradually moved form the hippocampus back to the cerebral cortex