Cognition and Memory

Question 1

what is a brief summary of cognition?

Answer 1

the integration of all sensory information to make sense/understanding of a situation

Question 2

what two skills are required to be cognitive ?

Answer 2

ability to learn and remember

Question 3

what is required to learn and remember things?

Answer 3

motivation

Question 4

what is the main function of the association areas in the brain?

Answer 4

integrating information together to be able to understand information properly

Question 5

what are the four structures which make up the limbic system ?

Answer 5

hypothalamus
hippocampus
cingulate gyrus
amygdala

Question 6

what two important connections does the limbic system have ?

Answer 6

• temporal lobe

- frontal lobe

Question 7

what is the main function of the limbic system?

Answer 7

responsible for instinctive behaviour

Question 8

give some examples of instinctive behaviour which is controlled by the limbic system?

Answer 8

thirst
hunger
sex
emotive behaviour of reward and avoiding punishment

Question 9

are rewards and punishments a central aspect of learning?

Answer 9

yes

- conveys what experiences were good and which ones were bad

Question 10

why is it important some tasks have significance ?

Answer 10

a significant task gives more motivation to complete the task

Question 11

what term is used to describe a task which is barely remembered?

Answer 11

habituation

Question 12

which structure in the limbic system does all sensory information pass through and acts as a relay to the other limbic structures?

Answer 12

the hippocampus

Question 13

what is the main function of the hippocampus?

Answer 13

formation of new memories

Question 14

what would be the clinical complication if someone had bilateral hippocampal damage ?

Answer 14

they have immediate memory and long term memory but they are unable to form new long term memories

Question 15

what is reflexive memory?

Answer 15

motor skills such as riding a bike

Question 16

what are the four stages of memory?

Answer 16

immediate
short term
intermediate
long term

Question 17

how long does immediate memory last for?

Answer 17

few seconds

Question 18

how long does short term memory last for?

Answer 18

seconds - hours

Question 19

how long does intermediate memory last for?

Answer 19

hours - weeks

Question 20

how long does long term memory last for?

Answer 20

hours - life time

Question 21

what circuits cause short term memory ?

Answer 21

reverberating circuits

- electrical adaptation

Question 22

what adaption is associated with intermediate memory ?

Answer 22

chemical adaption at the pre synaptic terminal

Question 23

what changes are associated with long term memory ?

Answer 23

structural changes in synaptic connections.

Question 24

give an example of intermediate memory

Answer 24

what you did at the weekend

Question 25

give an example of short term memory

Answer 25

mental arithmetic | reading a sentence

Question 26

give an example of long term memory

Answer 26

where you grew up

Question 27

which memories decay the faster? - visual - auditory

Answer 27

visual

Question 28

describe how excitation is maintained in reverberating circuits

Answer 28

1. stimulus from A stimulates B 2. the circular circuit of neurons before neuron B stimulates B for a second time 3. the long lasting neuronal activity in B keeps the memory alive for longer

Question 29

when does reverberation result in consolidation of a memory ?

Answer 29

when the memory is deemed to be significant

Question 30

define anterograde amnesia

Answer 30

inability to recall events following the injury but can form new memories

Question 31

what happens if the hippocampus is destroyed ?

Answer 31

the person can't form new memories

Question 32

define retrograde amnesia

Answer 32

can’t remember events leading up to the injury, but can remember long term memory

Question 33

what is the function of the thalamus in relation to memory

Answer 33

required for “searching” our existing memory bank.

Question 34

what would be the clinical consequence if the thalamus was damaged but the hippocampus was uninjured ?

Answer 34

retrograde amnesia

Question 35

in intermediate long term memory, what is the chemical change which occurs ?

Answer 35

increase of Ca to the pre synaptic terminal which increases the release of neurotransmitters and strengths the signal

Question 36

state the three structural changes which occur during long term memory

Answer 36

1. Increase in NT release sites on presynaptic membrane. 2. Increase in number of NT vesicles stored and released. 3. Increase in number of presynaptic terminals

Question 37

what is the term used to describe the strengthens the synapse ?

Answer 37

Long term potentiation

Question 38

what are the two main types of long term memory ?

Answer 38

explicit | implicit

Question 39

where is explicit memory based?

Answer 39

hippocampus

Question 40

where is implicit memory based?

Answer 40

cerebellum

Question 41

what is long term explicit memory ?

Answer 41

memory for events and words, rules and language

Question 42

what is long term implicit memory ?

Answer 42

motor skills which have been acquired slowly through repetition

Question 43

what is the term for converting short term memory to long term memory ?

Answer 43

consolidation

Question 44

describe how consolidation occurs

Answer 44

involves selective strengthening of synaptic connections through repetition (for minutes to hours) - exists as electrical activity and is vulnerable to being wiped

Question 45

what 2 parts of the brain decides whether a memory is significant or not?

Answer 45

frontal cortex | limbic system

Question 46

where are new memories stored in the brain?

Answer 46

sensory and association areas of the cortex

Question 47

if an experience longer does a memory get stored better?

Answer 47

no - only if the experience was significant - for example a guy jumping out at out and points a gun at you and runs away, only lasts a couple of seconds but is remembered

Question 48

do memories have strong emotional components to them?

Answer 48

yes

Question 49

what are the four stages of the Papez circuit ?

Answer 49

hippocampus mammilary bodies anterior thalamus cingulate gyrus

Question 50

why are smells particularly powerful at evoking long term memories ?

Answer 50

the olfactory tract passes through the amygdala and hippocampus to the prefrontal cortex

Question 51

how does a vitamin B1 deficiency affect memory ?

Answer 51

leads to damage of limbic system structures. Especially mamillary bodies in the hypothalamus. The ability to consolidate memory is impaired.