6.2 Cognitive Neuroscience Flashcards
What are the names given to the types of memory that are rooted in each of the senses?
Vision: iconic
Auditory: Echoic
Olfactory: Olfactory
Touch: Haptic (PS5; extra memory)
Gustatory: Gustatory
Describe the relationships between sensory memory, working memory, and short and long term memory
- Information must pass through “sensory buffers” and enter sensory memory
- It can then be encoded into short term memory
- This can then be consolidated into long term memory
- This LTM can then be retrieved into working memory
Short term memory has a ____ capacity, and ____ duration
Large capacity, very short duration
What is the duration of iconic, auditory, and haptic short term memory?
Iconic: 0.5sec
Echoic: 3-4sec
Haptic: <1sec
What is the relationship between working memory and short term memory
Working memory is a type of short term memory
What is the duration/capacity of working memory (be specific)
Duration 20-30sec
Capacity: 7 +/- 2
Which part of the brain, broadly, is working memory reliant on?
The prefrontal cortex
Which brain areas seem particularly important for getting information into long term memory?
- Parahippocampal cortex
- Prefrontal cortex
Declarative vs non-declarative memory?
Declarative: can consciously recall
Non-declarative: cannot consciously recall
What are the two kinds of declarative memory?
- Semantic: fact and general knowledge
- Episodic: personal experiences and events
What are the three kinds of non declarative memory?
- Procedural: motor skills and habits
- Classically conditioned: phobias/attitudes
- Priming: Earlier exposure facilitates retrieval again
What are neural ensembles, and what is their role in memory?
- It’s a population of neurons involved in a particular computation
- Can encode engrams, which enable memory formation
Describe the formation and storage of memory engrams
- Encoded in the hippocampus
- Stored in cortex for later use
What is engram consolidation?
Strengthening of neuronal connections between neurons that encode an engram
True or false: memory retrieval cues are purely external
- False
- Can be externally or internally generated
- This is why we spontaneously remember painful memories
What IS learning at a neuronal level?
Repeated retrieval and reconsolidation of memory.
True or false: environmental cues can play a role in memory
True. This could be music, smells etc.
How are memories changed when we recall them?
- When we recall an engram, it is temporarily destabilised
- This gives us an opportunity to rewire the engram in the context of new information
What are 3 possible causes of forgetting (at a neuronal level)?
- Encoding failure (engram is not encoded properly/strongly enough)
- Retrieval failure (no retrieval cue, or blockage in neuronal pathway necessary for retrieval)
- Interference theory (memories interfere with one another)
What are the two types of memory “strength”?
- Storage strength
- Retrieval strength
Within 24 hours, how much information is lost along the forgetting curve?
2/3 is lost
How can we improve long term retention of information?
- Link new information to personal experiences or existing knowledge
- Link to multiple sensory modalities (e.g. visual) to increase number of retrieval cues
- Interleaving (Claudia Stellner)
Why shouldn’t we review new information straight away when studying
- We aren’t far enough along the forgetting curve yet
- The struggle up the forgetting curve is what forms the memories
Why might spaced repetition be more important than massed trials?
- Each unit of study is more likely to require reactivation of memory trace
- Optimal reconsolidation of engrams
- Also, likely to be more contexts
- Also, Gives time for protein synthesis necessary for memory (like rest periods at the gym)
Recall the relationship between spaced repetition and the forgetting curve
- With each repetition, the curve flattens at a higher level than before.
- It’s like increasing your minimum earning capacity by skill stacking
Why might interleaving improve memory formation?
- Forces you to see connections
- Some benefits of spaced repetition
In terms of engrams, what does reading a passage do?
It just encodes information. no strengthening of retrieval cues or reconsolidation of engrams
Why is sleep such an efficient form of “study”?
- Newly encoded hippocampal representation is repeatedly reactivated, driving redistribution to long-term store in cortex
- New memories are also integrated with pre-existing memories
What is Broca’s aphasia also called?
Expressive aphasia (difficulty expressing self)
Are people with broca’s aphasia aware of their aphasia?
Frustratingly, yes.
What is Wernicke’s aphasia also called?
Receptive aphasia
True or false: Wernicke’s aphasia is completely confined to the temporal lobe
- False
- May also stretch up into parietal lobe (Wernicke didn’t zoom out enough)
What is the role of the dorsal pathway connecting Wernicke’s and Broca’s?
- Verbal motor integration - E.g. baby watching mother to learn how to say a specific word
What is the function of the ventral pathway connecting Wernicke’s and Broca’s?
- Auditory conceptual mapping
- “What” is the speech? What sounds equal what concepts?
True or false: aphasia can only occur when we have damage to Wernicke’s or Broca’s area. Nowhere else.
- False
- Many white matter tracts run between the areas; damage to these can also cause aphasia
Describe conduction aphasia
- Fluent conversation speech
- No significant difficulty in comprehension
- BUT: they cannot repeat sentences accurately, and have some phonemic paraphasic errors
(Chris Voss hates this; you can’t use mirroring!)
What is transcortical motor aphasia?
- The same as Broca’s/Expressive aphasia
- BUT: ability to repeat words is preserved
What is transcortical sensory aphasia?
- Same as Wernicke’s/Receptive
- BUT: repetition is spared
What is anomic aphasia?
Inability to name objects or body parts
What are the four components of executive function?
- Working memory
- Inhibitory control
- Cognitive flexibility
- Fluency
True or false: the prefrontal cortex is the sole site of executive function. This is why humans are so much smarter than monkeys.
- False
- It coordinates cortical and subcortical structures (that’s why it’s responsible for EXECUTIVE function!)
How might someone with damage to the orbitofrontal region of the frontal lobe present?
- Disinhibition
- Impulsiveness
- Distractibility
- Explosive behaviour
(Basically Harry Gregg; think of crazy eye = orbito)
How might someone with damage to the dorsolateral region of the frontal lobe present?
- Lack of abstract thinking
- Lack of ability to plan or strategise
- Poor working memory for verbal/spatial information
(Inability to think laterally)
How might someone with damage to the dorsomedial region of the frontal lobe present?
- Apathy
- Lack of concern
- Mutism
(Thomas Clayton; middle part)
