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Daphne VCE Psychology 2015 > Chapter 7 : Mechanism of memory formation > Flashcards

Chapter 7 : Mechanism of memory formation Flashcards

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1
Q

What are known as the basic units of the brain and nervous system?

A

Neurons.

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2
Q

What is the role of the neuron?

A

Neurons are specialized nerve cells that receive, process and/or transmit information to other cells within the body.

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3
Q

Name the three main structural features of a neuron.

A

Dendrites, soma and axon.

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4
Q

What are dendrites?

A

Dendrites are the thin extensions of a neuron that receive information from other neurons and transmit it to the soma.

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5
Q

What are the additional extensions on dendrites called?

A

Dendritic spines.

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6
Q

What is the soma?

A

The soma, or cell body, integrates information received from the dendrites and sends it to the axon.

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7
Q

Where is the nucleus of a neuron located?

A

In the soma.

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8
Q

What is the axon?

A

The axon is a single, tube-like extension that carries neural information away from the soma and towards other neurons.

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9
Q

What are the ends of axons called?

A

Axon terminals

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10
Q

What are the small knobs located at the end of each axon terminal called?

A

Terminal buttons, or synaptic knobs.

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11
Q

What is the role of the terminal button?

A

The terminal buttons store and secrete neurotransmitters that are manufactured by the neuron.

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12
Q

What is an action potential?

A

A neural impulse.

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13
Q

What coats the axon?

A

The myelin sheath, helps prevent interference from other nearby axons.

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14
Q

True or False.

Neurons that are myelinated typically communicate messages faster than unmyelinated neurons.

A

True.

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15
Q

True or False.

Information always travels in one direction through a neuron.

A

True.

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16
Q

Describe the way information travels through a neuron.

A

Information is received by dendrites, and then transmitted to the soma, and exits from the axon. The action potential originates from the soma, and when it reaches the axon terminal, it stimulates the release of neurotransmitters from the terminal buttons. These neurotransmitters then carry information to other neurons.

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17
Q

What is the tiny space between the terminal buttons of one neuron and the dendrites of another called?

A

The synaptic gap.

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18
Q

Name the three components of a synapse.

A

The terminal buttons of the presynaptic neuron, the dendrites of the postsynaptic neuron and the synaptic gap.

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19
Q

Where is the site of communication between two neurons ?

A

The synapse.

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20
Q

What are neurotransmitters?

A

Neurotransmitter are chemical substances produced by a neuron that carries a message to other neurons or cells in muscles or organs.

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21
Q

Name and describe the two effects that neurotransmitters may have on the postsynaptic neuron.

A

The excitatory effect, where it stimulates or activates the postsynaptic neuron.
The inhibitory effect, where it blocks or prevents the postsynaptic neuron from firing.

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22
Q

What is the process of communication between neurons called?

A

Neurotransmission.

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23
Q

Name the four types of neurotransmitters that are involved in memory formation.

A

Glutamate, Dopamine, Acetylcholine and Norepinephrine.

24
Q

Name the neurotransmitter that is the main excitatory neurotransmitter for neurotransmission.

A

Glutamate.

25
Q

What are the changes in the function of neurons during memory formation?

A
  • Increase in the amount of neurotransmitters produced and released by the presynaptic neuron.
  • Greater effects of neurotransmitters at receptor sites on the postsynaptic neuron.
26
Q

What is the role of glutamate?

A

Glutamate enhances information transmission by making the postsynaptic neuron more likely to fire (excitatory effect), and help strengthen the connection between neurons in a memory circuit.

27
Q

What is the role of dopamine?

A

Involved in attention, initiation of voluntary movements, experience of pleasure and reward-based learning.

28
Q

What is the role of acetylcholine?

A

Involved in attention, sleeping, learning, dreaming and motor control.

29
Q

Which neurotransmitter is found to be at low levels in individuals suffering from Alzheimer’s disease?

A

Acetylcholine.

30
Q

What is the role of norepinephrine?

A

Involved in the encoding and retention of memories for emotionally significant experiences.

31
Q

What are the structural changes that occur in neurons during memory formation?

A

The growth and strengthening of synaptic connections.

The dendritic spines increase, which makes the dendrites bushier.

32
Q

What is long-term potentiation?

A

Long-term potentiation refers to the long lasting strengthening of the synaptic connections that enhanced the functioning of the neurons whenever they are activated.

33
Q

What does the medial temporal lobe consists of?

A

The hippocampus and the amygdala.

34
Q

Name the role of the hippocampus.

A
  • Crucial for LTM formation, particularly the encoding and storage of explicit declarative memories (semantic and episodic).
  • Linking of emotions with memory.
  • Spatial memory.
35
Q

Name the role of the amygdala.

A
  • The processing and regulating of emotional reactions.
  • Essential for the implicit memory of conditioned fear response.
  • Involved in the encoding and storage of memories that have a significant emotional component.
36
Q

How does the amygdala work together with the hippocampus in memory formation?

A

The amygdala attaches emotional significance to to the experience and stimulates the hippocampus to encode and store the relevant emotional details.

37
Q

What is the consolidation theory?

A

The consolidation theory proposes that structural changes occur in brain neurons when something new is learned, and immediately after learning. It also proposes that if memory formation is disrupted during the consolidation, information may not be embedded in LTM and may therefore be lost.

38
Q

How long is the consolidation of information vulnerable for disruption for?

A

30 minutes.

39
Q

True or False.

The hippocampus has a crucial role in consolidation.

A

True.

40
Q

What is the reconsolidation theory?

A

The reconsolidation theory proposes that memories of past events may be affected by new circumstances, so that the newly reconsolidated memory may differ from its original version.

41
Q

Define brain trauma.

A

Brain trauma refers to any brain damage that impairs or interferes with the normal functioning of the brain, either temporarily or permanently.

42
Q

What causes brain trauma?

A

Can be caused by an inflicted brain injury, such as an intentional blow to the head, or an acquired brain injury, such as a stroke, drug abuse, a neurodegenerative disease.

43
Q

Define neurodegenerative disease.

A

A neurodegenerative disease is a disorder characterized by the progressive loss of structure, function and activity of brain tissue, for example Alzheimer’s disease.

44
Q

What does brain trauma usually result in?

A

Amnesia.

45
Q

Define amnesia.

A

Amnesia refers to the loss of memory, either partial or complete, temporarily or permanently.

46
Q

What are the two main types of amnesia?

A

Anterograde and retrograde amnesia.

47
Q

Distinguish between anterograde and retrograde amnesia.

A

Anterograde amnesia refers to the loss of memory for information or events experienced after the brain trauma occurs, whereas retrograde amnesia refers to the loss of memory for information or events experienced before the brain trauma occurs.

48
Q

What is dementia?

A

Dementia is an umbrella term that is used to describe a variety of symptoms of a large group of neurodegenerative diseases that cause a progressive decline in mental functioning, behavior and the ability to perform everyday tasks.

49
Q

Name the symptoms of dementia.

A

Memory loss, decline in mental abilities such as decision making and problem-solving, changes in personality.

50
Q

True or False.

Dementia is a normal part of the ageing process.

A

False.

51
Q

What is Alzheimer’s disease?

A

Alzheimer’s disease is a type of dementia characterized by the gradual widespread degeneration of brain neurons.

52
Q

What type of memory experiences decline as a result of ageing?

A

STM/working memory, and explicit declarative memories (mainly episodic memory).

53
Q

What are the effects of ageing on working memory?

A

Simple tasks, such as remembering a list of words are relatively unaffected. Complicated tasks that require divided attention, simultaneous storage and the manipulation of information in working memory are more affected by age.

54
Q

What are the effects of ageing on LTM?

A

Explicit declarative memories, mainly episodic memories are affected. The retrieval and storage of procedural and semantic memories are also not as fluent and may take longer.

55
Q

What are the proposed explanations for memory decline as a result of ageing?

A
  • Loss of motivation
  • Loss of confidence
  • Reduction in the size f the frontal lobe
  • Inability to access information from LTM is influenced by the type of measure of retention used

Daphne VCE Psychology 2015 (13 decks)

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