Effects of brain trauma on hippocampus, amygdala, cerebral cortex, cerebellum

Question 1

Function of hippocampus

Answer 1

Processing and consolidation of explicit semantic and episodic memories
Transfer new memories to the cerebral cortex for storage
Interacts with the amygdala to form emotional memories
Involved in spatial memory

Question 2

Damage to hippocampus

Answer 2

WON’T AFFECT the formation, storage or retrieval of procedural memories
Learning experience of when, where and how learning occurred will be forgotten
WILL AFFECT the formation of semantic and episodic memories and their transfer to the cerebral cortex for storage

Question 3

Function of amygdala

Answer 3

Formation of emotional memory

• classically conditioned fear responses (implicit memory)
• consolidation of implicit emotional memories
• it does not store memories

Question 4

Damage to amygdala

Answer 4

WON’T AFFECT STM, procedural or explicit memory problems
WILL AFFECT formation of emotional memories and ability to acquire classically conditioned fear responses
Individual can remember the semantic and episodic details of a traumatic event but not the emotional qualities
May abolish all signs of fear to any stimulu

Question 5

Function of cerebral cortex

Answer 5

2-4mm thick
Processes the information in the first place
Long term explicit semantic and episodic memories are distributed throughout the cortex
Permanent storage is in the areas where the relevant information was first processed

Question 6

Damage to cerebral cortex

Answer 6

Depends will part of the cerebral cortex is damaged
WILL AFFECT explicit memories
If frontal lobe is damaged –> sequence of events will be forgotten
If parietal lobe is damaged –> spatial memory and awareness will be forgotted
Injury in the left hemisphere –> worst recall or verbal information
- example: name/phone number
Injury in the right hemisphere –> results in worst recall of non-verbal information
- example: faces/spatial location

Question 7

Function of cerebellum

Answer 7

Coordinates fine muscle movements
Regulates posture and balance
Encoding and temporary storage of implicit procedural memories
Encoding and storage of implicit memories of simple reflexes acquired through classical conditioning

Question 8

Damage to cerebellum

Answer 8

WILL AFFECT procedural memory
Affects classically conditioned motor responses involving simple reflexes
Example: eye blink