Chapter 11 - Learning, Memory, and Amnesia Flashcards
Learning
The brain’s ability to change in response to experience
Memory
The brain’s ability to store and access the learned effects of experiences
Amnesia
Any pathological loss of memory
Bilateral medial temporal lobectomy
The removal of the medial portions of both temporal lobes, including the hippocampus, the amygdala, and the adjacent cortex
Hippocampus
A structure of the medial temporal lobes that plays a role in various forms of memory
Amygdala
A structure in the anterior temporal lobe, just anterior to the hippocampus; plays a role in emotion
Lobectomy
An operation in which a lobe, or a major part of one, is removed from the brain
Lobotomy
An operation in which a lobe, or a major part of one, is separated from the rest of the brain by a large cut but is not removed
Retrograde amnesia
Loss of memory for events or information learned before the amnesia-inducing brain injury
Anterograde amnesia
Loss of memory for events occurring after the amnesia-inducing brain injury
Short-term memory
Storage of information for brief periods of time while a person attends to it
Long-term memory
Memory for experiences that endures after the experiences are no longer the focus of attention
Digit span
The longest sequence of random digits that can be repeated correctly 50 percent of the time—most people have a digit span of 7
Global amnesia
Amnesia for information presented in all sensory modalities
Incomplete-pictures test
A test of memory measuring the improved ability to identify fragmented figures that have been previously observed
Remote memory
Memory for experiences in the distant past
Memory consolidation
The transfer of short-term memories to long-term storage
Explicit memories
Conscious memories
Implicit memories
Memories that are expressed by improved performance without conscious recall or recognition
Medial temporal lobe amnesia
Amnesia associated with bilateral damage to the medial temporal lobes; its major features are anterograde and retrograde amnesia for explicit memories, with preserved intellectual functioning
Repetition priming tests
Tests of implicit memory; in one example, a list of words is presented, then fragments of the original words are presented and the subject is asked to complete them
Semantic memories
Explicit memories for general facts or knowledge
Episodic memories
Explicit memories for the particular events and experiences of one’s life
Global cerebral ischemia
An interruption of blood supply to the entire brain
Pyramidal cell layer
One of the major layers of cell bodies in the hippocampus
CA1 subfield
A region of the hippocampus that is commonly damaged by cerebral ischemia
Transient global amnesia
A sudden onset severe anterograde amnesia and moderate retrograde amnesia for explicit episodic memory that is transient—typically lasting only between 4 to 6 hours
Korsakoff’s syndrome
A neuropsychological disorder that is common in alcoholics and whose primary symptoms include memory loss, sensory and motor dysfunction, and, in its advanced stages, severe dementia
Mediodorsal nuclei
A pair of thalamic nuclei, damage to which is thought to be responsible for many of the memory deficits associated with Korsakoff’s syndrome
Medial diencephalic amnesia
Amnesia that is associated with damage to the medial diencephalon (e.g., Korsakoff’s amnesia)
Alzheimer’s disease
The most common form of dementia in the elderly. Its three defining characteristics are neurofibrillary tangles, amyloid plaques, and neuron loss.
Basal forebrain
A midline area of the forebrain, which is located just in front of and above the hypothalamus and is the brain’s main source of acetylcholine
Posttraumatic amnesia (PTA)
Amnesia produced by a nonpenetrating head injury (a blow to the head that does not penetrate the skull)
Electroconvulsive shcok (ECS)
An intense, brief, diffuse, seizure-inducing current administered to the brain via large electrodes attached to the scalp
Standard consolidation theory
The theory that memories are temporarily stored in the hippocampus until they can be transferred to a more stable cortical storage system. Also known as dual-trace theory
Dual-trace theory
The theory that memories are temporarily stored in the hippocampus until they can be transferred to a more stable cortical storage system.
Also known as the standard consolidation theory.
Engram
A change in the brain that stores a memory
Reconsolidation
The hypothesis that each time a memory is retrieved from long-term storage, it is temporarily held in labile (changeable or unstable) short-term memory, where it is once again susceptible to posttraumatic amnesia until it is reconsolidated
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Delayed nonmatching-to-sample test
A test in which the subject is presented with an unfamiliar sample object and then, after a delay, is presented with a choice between the sample object and an unfamiliar object, where the correct choice is the unfamiliar object
Medial temporal cortex
Cortex in the medial temporal lobe that lies adjacent to the hippocampus and amygdala
Mumby box
An apparatus that is used in the rat version of the delayed nonmatching-to-sample test
Morris water maze taste
A pool of milky water that has a goal platform invisible just beneath its surface and is used to study the ability of rats to learn spatial locations
Radial arm maze test
A widely used test of rats’ spatial ability in which the same arms are baited on each trial, and the rats must learn to visit only the baited arms once per trial
Reference memory
Memory for the general principles and skills that are required to perform a task
Working memory
Temporary memory that is necessary for the successful performance of a task on which one is currently working
Place cells
Neurons that respond only when the subject is in specific locations (i.e., in the place fields of the neurons)
Entorhinal cortex
An area of the medial temporal cortex that is a major source of neural signals to the hippocampus
Grid cells
Entorhinal neurons that each have an extensive array of evenly spaced place fields, producing a pattern reminiscent of graph paper
Concept cells
Cells, such as those found in the medial temporal
lobe, that respond to ideas or concepts rather than to particulars.
Also known as Jennifer Aniston neurons.
Engram cells
Neurons that maintain an engram
Inferotemporal cortex
The cortex of the inferior temporal lobe.
An area of the secondary visual cortex is located here.
It is crucial for visual object recognition and is considered to be the final stage in the ventral cortical visual system.
Prefrontal cortex
The areas of the frontal cortex that are anterior to the frontal motor areas
Cerebellum
A metencephalic structure that is thought to participate in the storage of memories of learned sensorimotor skills
Striatum
A structure of the basal ganglia that is the terminal of the dopaminergic nigrostriatal pathway
Long-term potentiaion (LTP)
The enduring facilitation of synaptic transmission that occurs following activation of synapses by high-intensity, high-frequency stimulation of presynaptic neurons
NMDA receptors
Glutamate receptors that play key roles in the development of stroke-induced brain damage and long-term potentiation at glutaminergic synapses
Glutamate
The most prevalent excitatory neurotransmitter in the central nervous system
Dendritic spines
Tiny protrusions of various shapes that are located on the surfaces of many dendrites
Transcription factors
Intracellular proteins that bind to DNA and influence the operation of particular genes
Long-term depression (LTD)
A long-lasting decrease in synaptic efficacy (the flip side of LTP) that occurs in response to prolonged low-frequency stimulation of presynaptic neurons
Metaplasticity
The modulation of long-term potentiation (LTP) and/or long-term depression (LTD) induction by prior synaptic activity
Infantile amnesia
The normal inability to recall events from early childhood
Nootropics (smart drugs)
Drugs that purportedly improve memory
