Chapter 12 - Learning & Memory

Question 1

Anterograde amnesia

Answer 1

An impairment in forming new memories. Means “moving forward”.

Question 2

Retrograde amnesia

Answer 2

Inability to remember events prior to impairment.

Question 3

Consolidation

Answer 3

Process in which the brain forms a more or less permanent physical representation of a memory.

Basically turning a short term memory into a long term one.

Question 4

Retrieval

Answer 4

The process of accessing stored memories.

The act of remembering.

Question 5

Declarative Memory

Answer 5

Involves learning that results in memories of facts, people, and events that a person can verbalize or declare.

Question 6

Subtypes of Declarative Memory

Answer 6

• Episodic memory (events
• Factual memory (facts)
• Autobiographical memory (information about oneself)
• Spatial memory (location of the individual and of objects in space)

Question 7

Nondeclarative Memory

Answer 7

• Involves memories for behaviors.

* These memories result from: procedural or skills learning, emotional learning, and stimulus-response conditioning.

Question 8

Declarative Memory is __________

While Nondeclaritive Memory is more concerned with ____________

Answer 8

• Informational

* The control of behavior

Question 9

Working Memory

Answer 9

Provides a temporary “register” for information while it is being used.

Example: working memory holds a phone number that you looked up or remembered while you dial the number.

Question 10

Hebb Rule

Answer 10

If an axon of a presynaptic neuron is active while the postsynaptic neuron is firing, the synapse will be strengthened.

Question 11

Substantial loss of memory and other cognitive abilities in the elderly is referred to as ___________

Answer 11

Dementia

Question 12

Alzheimer’s Disease

Answer 12

A disorder characterized by progressive brain deterioration and impaired memory and other mental abilities.

Most common cause of dementia.

Question 13

Earliest and most severe symptom of Alzheimer’s is usually ________

Answer 13

Impaired declarative memory.

Example: forgets names, events from day before, has trouble finding the right word in a conversation.

Eventually starts repeating questions and telling the same story again. Then fails to recognize friends and family.

Question 14

Symptoms and impairments from Alzheimer’s disease:

Answer 14

• Language
• Visual-spatial functioning and reasoning
• Aggressiveness
• Wandering away from home

Question 15

Causes of Alzheimer’s disease - the 2 notable characteristics:

Answer 15

Plaques and Tangles
-they attack frontal lobes

Possibly ADDL

Heredity

Question 16

Plaques

Answer 16

Clumps of amyloid, a type of protein, that cluster among axon terminals and interfere with neural transmission.

Question 17

Abnormal accumulation of the protein tau form _________ _________
inside neurons.

Associated with the death of brain cells

Answer 17

Neurofibrillary tangles

Question 18

Amyloid precursor protein (APP)

Answer 18

Mutations in this gene have been linked to Alzheimer’s

Question 19

Treatment of Alzheimer’s:

Answer 19

4 drugs in use

-3 are cholinesterase inhibitors

Question 20

Functions of the hippocampus:

Answer 20

• Declarative memories

- Directs consolidation

Question 21

Functions of the amygdala:

Answer 21

• Nondeclarative emotional learning

- Strengthens declarative memories about emotional events

Question 22

Functions of the cerebellum:

Answer 22

• implicit memory

- Sensorimotor skills

Question 23

Functions of the prefrontal cortex:

Answer 23

• Determines where to focus attention
• Temporal order of events
• Working memory

Question 24

Korsakoff’s syndrome

Answer 24

Progressive irreversible brain deterioration caused by alcoholism.

Confabulation

Deficiency in thiamine (B1) due to diet.

Causes anterograde amnesia: declarative memory.

Question 25

Fromtotemporal dementia (FTD) picks disease.

Answer 25

Portions of the frontal and temporal regions degenerate.

Symptoms:
Inability to connect with others. Changes in personality. Loss of judgement.

Causes:
Tau protein

Brain area affected:
Frontal lobe-VEN cells
Anterior temporal lobe

Question 26

Long term potentiation (associative):

Answer 26

Weak synapse strengthened through induction.

Question 27

Glutamate receptors necessary for LTP:

Answer 27

Small stimulation triggers AMPA receptors (short acting)

Large stimulation triggers NDMA receptors (long lasting, LTP)