Alzheimers diseases, Aphantasia + the use of mnemonics Flashcards
What are autobiographical events?
Autobiographical events are personally lived experiences. They are stored in long-term memory, and can be retrieved every time they are given thought to or are spoken about.
What brain areas are involved in the retrieval of autobiographical memories?
Research shows that the hippocampus is primarily involved in the retrieval of episodic memories and that the frontal and temporal lobes are involved in the retrieval of semantic memories.
However, studies have found that the retrieval of autobiographical events involves the activation of both these brain areas, suggesting that autobiographical events involve an overlap of episodic (how you felt, what you did, the experience) and semantic memories (the location, what you wearing, name of the friend you saw).
Why are autobiographical memories important?
Autobiographical memories are important because they enable us to predict our future based on our semantic and episodic memories, so that we are able to make more informed decisions, which may help guide our future behaviour.
What are possible imagined futures? Give en example.
These refer to hypothetical situations or experiences that an individual has the ability to create and conceptualise in their mind. E.G., Imagining yourself in an argument with your parents and what to say if they potentially disapprove of you doing what you want to do, such as going out with your friends.
Describe how semantic and episodic memories are involved in possible imagined futures.
Semantic memories are involved in the construction of possible imagined futures as individuals must be able to envision possible scenarios that are consistent and fit in with what they already know about the world.
Episodic memories are also involved by allowing individuals to construct a possible imagined future that is subjective and includes more richly detailed elements, such as the people involved or the emotional reactions.
Why are possible imagined futures important towards survival?
Possible imagined futures is very important, as they enable us to mentally ‘try out’ different scenarios, which guides our future behaviour.
What is Alzheimers disease?
Alzheimers disease is a structural, neurodegenerative disease, characterised by memory decline. Alzheimers involves lesions which contribute to the loss of approximately 3 quarters of the neurone’s in the hippocampus.
List 3 symptoms of Alzheimers disease.
A patient with Alzheimers disease may experience a decrease in cognitive functions (such as the ability to plan ahead, problem solve and think logically).
A patient with Alzheimers disease may experience fluctuating personality changes (such as being confused, or suspicious).
A patient with Alzheimers disease may experience a change in emotions and mood.
How does Alzheimers disease affect the brain?
Alzheimers disease affects the brain, by causing the hippocampus to die first. So, someone with Alzheimers disease will have trouble forming new memories, as the hippocampus plays a vital role in forming new memories. Additionally, due to the loss of brain matter, Alzheimers causes the brain to shrink overtime, as its a neurodegenerative disease, caused by the brain lesions being widespread.
How does Alzheimers disease disrupt memory?
Alzheimer’s disease starts when abnormal proteins build up within (INSIDE) and between neurones, thereby disrupting their process, and ultimately destroying them. As the neurones die, affected brain areas begin to shrink and waste away. By the final stages of the disease, brain lesions are widespread.
Describe the early stages of Alzheimers disease.
Alzheimers disease first starts in the hippocampus, which is the internal part of the brain. Thus, this affects explicit memories first, which are episodic and semantic memories.
The damage then travels to the neocortex, affecting short-term memory and the external part of the brain.
Ultimately, this begins to cause the brain to shrink, due to the widespread of lesions.
What is a post-mortem examination?
A post-mortem examination is an assessment to a dead body that occurs to determine the cause of death.
What are lesions?
This refers to an area of tissue that has been damaged due to disease or injury, and can be examined through neuroimaging.
What are amyloid plaques?
Amyloid plaques are fragments of the protein beta-amyloid that accumulate into insoluble plaques and inhibit communication BETWEEN NEURONES.
What are neurofibrillary tangles?
This is an accumulation of the protein tau that forms insoluble tangles WITHIN neurone’s, which inhibit the transportation of essential substances, causing the NEURONE to die entirely.
