Learning And Memory Flashcards
What is learning?
Acquisition of new information
What is memory?
Retention of learned information
What is declarative memory?
Facts and events
What is non-declarative memory?
Procedural memory, motor skills and habits
What are the types of declarative memory?
Working memory, short term memories and long term memories
How long does the working memory last?
Seconds
What are stored in short term memory?
Facts and events
What is memory consolidation?
The process of converting short to long term memories
What is the function of the prefrontal cortex?
self-awareness
capacity for planning and problem solving
What is the proof that the working memory is in the prefrontal cortex?
Delayed response test in monkeys
What is the delayed response task in monkeys?
Show monkey two bowls - one with food and one without
Then cover them and get the monkey to pick a bowl
In the delayed response task when is the greatest level of prefrontal cortex neuronal activity?
Delay period (when using the working memory)
What is an engram?
Groups of neurons that encode memories
How are memories stored?
External stimulus
Activation of the cell assembly
Activation continues after the stimulus is removed
Hebbian modification strengthens the connections between active neurons (ie the engram)
What brain areas does memory consolidation involve?
The medial temporal lobes
What is amnesia?
serious loss of memory and/or ability to learn
What are some causes of amnesia?
Concussion, chronic alcoholism, encephalitis, brain tumour, stroke
What is retrograde amnesia?
Previous memories cannot be retrieved
What is anterograde amnesia?
Leaves consolidated memories intact but doesn’t allow for consolidation of new memories
What is the morris water maze?
Wading pool with a hidden platform
How do mice act when placed in a morris water maze?
Initially the mice will swim around lots trying to find the platform but after repeated exposure will go more directly to the platform
What is spacial memory dependant upon?
Hippocampus
When do place cells fire?
When an animal is in a specific place
What are the two models of memory consolidation?
standard model and multiple trace model
What is the standard model of memory consolidation?
Information from neocortex areas are associated with sensory systems sent to the medial temporal lobe for processing
Synaptic and system consolidation happens
What is the multiple trace model of memory consolidation?
Hippocampal involvement is continued with multiple memory traces
What is memory consolidation dependant upon?
Synaptic plasticity
What is synaptic plasticity?
the biological process by which specific patterns of synaptic activity result in changes in synaptic strength
What is the model of distributed memory?
Multiple neurons contribute to one memory
What is the trisynaptic circuit?
Information flows from the entorhinal cortex via the performance path to the dentate gyrus
Mossy fibres originate from the dentate gyrus and synapse upon pyramidal neurones in the CA3 hippocampal region
Axons from CA3 synapse upon pyramidal neurons in CA1 hippocampal region
What are the mechanisms of long term potentiation in CA1?
Glutamate receptors mediate excitatory synaptic transmission (more AMPA receptor activation -> more AMPA receptor insertion)
Dendritic spine growth
Why does dendritic spine growth help in long term potentiation?
Accommodates more channel insertion
