Hippocampus and Memory

Question 1

What is declarative memory?

Answer 1

Declarative memory concerns facts and events that have a specific spatial or temporal context (“I was interviewed at the doctor’s office yesterday”) as well as semantic knowledge (general knowledge about the world including new word meanings)

Question 2

What is procedural memory?

Answer 2

Procedural memory is the ability to learn new skills

Question 3

What kind of memory is impaired in lesions of the hippocampus?

Answer 3

Hippocampal lesions cause impairment of declarative memory. HM had bilateral hippocampal surgery to relieve epilepsy but developed severe retrograde amnesia.

Question 4

What kind of memory is impaired in lesions of the cerebellum/basal ganglia?

Answer 4

Cerebellar/basal ganglia lesions cause impairment of procedural memory.

Question 5

What is short term memory and where does it localize?

Answer 5

Memory that lasts for fractions of a second to seconds is considered short term memory. Most sensory systems use this kind of memory, and the processes underlying this type of memory take place in the sensory cortex.

Question 6

What is working memory and where does it localize?

Answer 6

Working memory lasts for seconds to minutes, occurs in the frontal cortex, and is involved in activities like preparing a recipe.

Question 7

What is long term memory and where does it localize?

Answer 7

Memory that lasts for days to years is long term memory, This type of memory starts in the hippocampus and moves to the cortex where it is stored.

Question 8

What is the experimental evidence showing that the neocortex is the site for long term memory storage?

Answer 8

Lesion and fMRI studies indicate that long term declarative memories are stored in the neocortex.

Question 9

What is the reason for the memory deficits experienced by HM?

Answer 9

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