Chapter 9 Memory Flashcards
What is the relationship between learning and memory?
Memory is the outcome of learning
What does 7+/-2 refer to?
STM and working memory have a limited capacity of 7 + or -2
What is the most common mechanism for memory loss of LTM?
Primarily interference
Declarative memory can be divided into what two categories?
Episodic and semantic
What are the components of the medial temporal system involved in the storage and retrieval of memories?
.????
Define anterograde amnesia
The loss of memory for events after lesions
Define retrograde amnesia
The loss of memory for events before amnesia
What is echoic memory and how long does it last?
Auditory sensory memory which lasts approx 10 seconds
What is iconic memory and how long does it last?
Visual sensory memory which lasts for between 300-500 milliseconds
Patient EE had a lesion in the left angular gurus affect their STM. Given that EE was still able to form new LTM’s, which model does this cast doubt on?
Modal model; where STM is considered the gateway to LTM
What is the phonological loop?
Hypothesised mechanism for acoustically coding information
What is the visuospatial sketch pad?
STM store where information is coded in visual or visuospatial codes
The phonological loop was involved in which brain areas?
Left supra marginal gyrus (BA40) and the left pre motor region (BA44)
The visuospatial sketch pad was compromised by damage to which areas?
Parietal occipital region of either hemisphere
Spatial working memory tasks are primarily in which hemisphere?
Right
What does the serial reaction time task experiment show?
Participants reacting faster to specific apparent random sequences of numbers without being aware of it - subconsciously learning
Define trace classical conditioning
Time gap between US and CS which then means that memory is involved in learning
Define delay classical conditioning
Where the US begins when the CS is still present
Damage to the hippocampus affecting only trace classical conditioning and not delay demonstrates what?
That some types of associative learning depend on the hippocampus and some do not
RB had damage to the CA1 area of the hippocampus but only had retrograde amnesia for two years prior to the injury. What does this demonstrate regarding the hippocampus and memory?
The hippocampus is critical in the formation of new LTM
How did Zola and colleagues show that the amygdala was not part of the system that supports the acquisition of LTM?
They performed lesion studies on primates and found that when the cortical areas surrounding the hippocampus and amygala were spared, the lesion did not affect the monkeys memory
What role does the perirhinal, entorhinal and parahippocampal regions play in memory?
They receive input from the visual, auditory and somatosensory association cortex
Is the hippocampus involved in the retrieval of episodic or semantic memory?
Episodic memory
What are the differences between the left and right frontal cortices in memory?
- The right frontal cortex is involved in episodic retrieval and the left frontal cortex is involved in episodic encoding
- The right frontal cortex is involved in object and spatial memory information and the left frontal cortex is involved in processes coded by linguistic representations
What is Hebbian learning?
When a synapse is active when a post synaptic neuron is active, the synapse will be strengthened
What role does glutamate play in LTP?
It is the main NT in the hippocampus which binds to AMPA and NMDA receptors to allow the initiation of LTP
What role does Ca ions play in LTP?
One the NMDA receptors are opened Ca ions are able to enter the postsynaptic cell which is critics for LTP formation
What is LTD?
Long term depression is the opposite to LTP and is activated when pulses are presented slowly
What is an NMDA receptor?
N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor which mediate LTPs
What does encoding involve?
Acquisition and consolidation
