Cognition: Long term memory Flashcards
What did HM have removed?
Amygdala, anterior two thirds of the hippocampus, adjacent hippocampal gyrus and the parahippocampal gyrus
What is meant by amnesia?
A pattern of memory loss affecting elements of long term memory while short term memory remains intact.
What three aspects of memory did HM’s case showcase?
Long term memory processes are not distributed throughout the brain as had been previously thought, damage to certain areas of the temporal lobes will cause profound long term memory loss. Secondly long term learning emcompasses a number of different abilities and some learning might be possible after damage to the system. Third memory is separate from language, perceptual and other cognitive functions.
What is meant by amnesic syndrome?
A pattern of memory loss characterised by impaired long term memory and spared short term memory.
Name 5 general characteristics of amnesia
- Short term memory is intact
- Memory for language and concepts is largely intact
- There is a severe and lasting anterograde amnesia- memory of events which occurred after the onset of amnesia are impaired
- There will be retrograde amnesia, of variable extent- The patient will have loss of memory for events prior to the onset of amnesia.
- Skill learning, conditioning and priming will be unaffected.
Does HM suffer from retrograde amnesia? If so to what extent
Yes, spanning three years before the surgery originally but was later shown to be 11 years.
Draw a labelled diagram showing the brain areas involved in long term memory
check pg145
What is meant by ribot’s law?
Recently formed memories are more susceptible to impairment than are older memories
Name and describe a method of measuring various types of memory
The Weschler Memory Scale is a widely used neurocognitive assessment that measures visual memory, auditory memory and working memory.
Name another memory disorder and explain how it is caused and treated.
Korsakoff’s syndrome describes a type of brain damage related to thiamine deficiency. It generally occurs through alcohol abuse in predisposed individuals. It often goes undiagnosed and the possibility to administer thiamine is lost. It is associated with damage to thalamic, mamillary body and frontal brain areas.
Describe patient NA’s injury
He had a mini fencing foil stuck up his snout. This damaged his left dorsal thalamus and adjacent structures.
Name an infection which can cause amnesia
Herpes simplex encephalitis
What brain damage did patient EP suffer? What symptoms arose from this?
Damage to the medial temporal lobes extensively and bilaterally. the memory deficit affected a wide variety of verbal and non verbal tests with memory for both facts and events impaired.
What two ways did EP adapt over time?
He came to became accustomed to a certain regular researcher. He denied seeing her before but greeted her and brought her to the table where they ran tests. Second after doing a test where he had to point at objects on a screen with a pencil 90 times he had no conscious recollection of doing the test but pointed at the screen without prompting.
