chapter 6 - BRAIN REGIONS INVOLVED IN MEMORY

Question 1

LONG TERM EXPLICIT MEMORIES IN THE BRAIN

Answer 1

the three main areas involved in long-term explicit memory are:
-the hippocampus
-the amygdala
-the neocortex

Question 2

long term explicit memories in the brain

HIPPOCAMPUS

Answer 2

-the hippocampus is involved in the encoding, consolidating and retrieval of episodic and semantic memories, however it doesn’t store explicit memories itself.
-the hippocampus is connected to the amygdala
-through its interactions with the amygdala, the hippocampus plays a role in the formation of emotionally arousing memories

Question 3

long term explicit memories in the brain
AMYGDALA

Answer 3

-has a role in processing, regulating and retrieving emotional aspects of memories, particularly fear and anger.
-it also has a vital role in forming classically conditioned emotional responses
-HOWEVER, it does not permanently store emotional memories

Question 4

long term explicit memories in the brain
NEOCORTEX

Answer 4

-is the largest part of the cerebral cortex and is involved in the long term storage of explicit episodic and semantic memories as well as coordinating the retrieval of aspects of explicit memories.
-explicit aspects that are encoded in the hippocampus are eventually transferred to the neocortex for storage.
- it is said that information is stored where it is first processed (for e.g. visual information is most likely to be stored in the occipital lobe where it would have been processed, auditory information would be stored in the temporal lobe and sensory information in the parietal lobe)

Question 5

LONG TERM IMPLICIT MEMORIES IN THE BRAIN

Answer 5

the two main structures in the brain relating to long term implicit memories are:
-the cerebellum
-the basal ganglia

Question 6

long term implicit memories in the brain
CEREBELLUM

Answer 6

-is directly involved in encoding and the temporary storage of implicit procedural memories for motor skills, until it is eventually transferred to the cerebral cortex.
-it also plays a role in coordinating movement and fine motor skills.
-the cerebellum also permanently stores simple classically conditioned motor skills, such as blinking in response to a puff of air.

Question 7

long term implicit memories in the brain
BASAL GANGLIA

Answer 7

-has a role in cognition, regulating movement, and implicit memory, particularly memories related to building habits and motor memories.

-this part of the brain plays a role in solidifying stimulus response habbits.

Question 8

autobiographical memory

Answer 8

-Autobiographical memory is the memory system consisting of episodes recollected from an individual’s life, based on a combination of episodic and semantic memory.
-it pulls together stored episodic information, with stored semantic information, with other available information to form what is a complete memory.