Complex Memory Processes and the Medial Temporal Region of the Human Brain

Question 1

3 phases of memory processing

Answer 1

Encoding, storage, and retrieval

Question 2

Encoding

Answer 2

creation of memory trace

Question 3

Storage

Answer 3

memory trace must be held over time

Question 4

retrieval

Answer 4

memory trace accessible

Question 5

How do phases of memory processing occur in the brain according to the Standard Consolidation Model?

Answer 5

Encoding in cortex and hippocampus
Retrieval of nonconsolidated memory (involves hippocampus)
Retrieval of consolidated memory triggers connections within cortex and circuit outside and independent of the hippocampus

Question 6

Types of declarative memory

Answer 6

Semantic and episodic

Question 7

Semantic memory

Answer 7

Language and other learned knowledge

Question 8

Episodic memory

Answer 8

memories based on experiences

Question 9

What contributes to Autobiographical memory?

Answer 9

Semantic and episodic memory

Question 10

Medial Temporal Regions

Answer 10

Amygdala, entorhinal cortex, parahippocampal cortex, hippocampus, perirhinal cortex

Question 11

What happened to K.C.?

Answer 11

Damage to hippocampus (lost). Spared parahippocampal cortex.

Question 12

What did K.C.’s damage present?

Answer 12

Doesn’t have consolidation mechanism in the hippocampus.. The parahippocampal cortex takes over consolidation or storage of semantic memories.
Anterograde amnesia (cannot form new memories)
Some retrograde amnesia (old memories)
Lost a lot of episodic memory
But had some semantic memory.

Question 13

What does it mean that K.C. had some semantic memory but lost a lot of episodic memory?

Answer 13

He could remember things, but he could not PLACE HIMSELF in the memories.

Question 14

What did K.C.’s deficits tell us about the medial temporal regions involved in memory encoding?

Answer 14

The hippocampus encodes episodic memories and the parahippocampus encodes semantic memories.

Question 15

Types of memory distortions

Answer 15

1. Egocentric bias
2. Merging of memories
3. Misinformation effect.

Question 16

What is the egocentric bias?

Answer 16

Memory exaggeration of that which has to do with ourselves

Question 17

What is a famous example of egocentric bias?

Answer 17

John Dean, involved with Nixon’s inner circle and Watergate. Called the “human tape recorder.” Was very confident in his memory of conversations, but when compared with actual recordings they were inaccurate. Dean mostly gave himself larger roles in conversations than he actually had.
Was it an “honest lie”?

Question 18

What are false memories?

Answer 18

Embellished or wrong memories

Question 19

What are famous cases of false memories?

Answer 19

Hillary Clinton: telling about her experience as a first lady landing in Bosnia

Question 20

What is the misinformation effect?

Answer 20

Recall of episodic memories becomes less accurate due to post-event information. It is very easy to mix information from two events up

Question 21

What experiment was done to demonstrate false memories being generated through the misinformation effect?

Answer 21

Loftus- People watched video of minor car accident (two videos: yield vs. stop) and then had to answer questions with misleading information (info given implicitly).
Those who were asked misleading questions were less often correct when asked which video they saw than those asked nonmisleading, correct questions.

Question 22

What is source confusion and what does it have to do with the misinformation effect

Answer 22

One memory mixes in with another

Question 23

What is going on in the brain during encoding of a false memory?

Answer 23

Increased activation of hippocampys and perirhinal cortex ( a “true” memory) -> subsequent correct recall AND incorrect recall (incorrect and correct memories are encoded in the same way

Question 24

What are flashbulb memories? (Theoretically, original formulation)

Answer 24

Vivid and long-lasting memories about events that are significant, surprising, and or highly emotional.
Includes details of personal circumstances remembered in addition to the event itself.
The entire event is “printed” for permanent recall

Question 25

What is the hypothesis about flashbulb memories?

Answer 25

Flashbulb events are recalled better than ordinary events of the same time period.

Question 26

What did the study of 9/11 and everyday memories show?

Answer 26

Both types of memories get less consistent over time. Decrease in accuracy, increase in confabulation.
No difference between types; against flashbulb memory idea.

Question 27

Remembering-vs-knowing and vividness ratings in flashbulb vs. everyday memories?

Answer 27

Flashbulb: confidence that their memories are their own remain high.
Other memories: less confident overtime.
Flashbulb memories: vividness constant
Other memories: vividness decreases
Takeaway: People think their flashbulb memories are more accurate than their everyday memories, but they aren’t.

Question 28

The amygdala’s role in emotional memories

Answer 28

Negative memories and fear processing.

There is increased activation in the amygdala, hippocampus, and entorhinal cortex in response to emotional stimuli.

Question 29

Role of the amygdala in memory

Answer 29

The amygdala can modulate memory circuits… enhance consolidation and strengthen LTP?
People close to WTC during 9/11 showed greater activation of amygdala and decreased activation in the posterior parahippocampal cortex during retrieval of 9/11 memories vs. summer memories.

Question 30

Hippocampus memory types

Answer 30

Episodic

“remember”

Question 31

Parahippocampal cortex memory type

Answer 31

Semantic

“Knowing”

Question 32

Perirhinal cortex memory type

Answer 32

visual

Question 33

Entorhinal cortex memory type

Answer 33

Interface between hippocampus and neocortex?

Question 34

Amygdala memory type

Answer 34

Enhances emotional memories