Learning And Memory Flashcards
Epi potentates effectors of noxious stimuli in lab tasks
Animals learn to avoid foot shocks better with epi treatment
Best time to administer immediately after training
Flashbulb memories
Vivid long lasting memories about shocking events
Mind had taken picture
Last lifetime
Don’t decay or change
What causes flashbulb memories?
Release of epi during times of high emotion
Epi makes memories more vivid and enhances recall
Adaptive behavior to promote survival
How accurate are flashbulb memories?
Actually can forget
Seem no different than normal memories
Seems to actually work if highly emotional and personally relevant
Strengths of research
Naturalistic, formed from real life
High ecological validity
Weaknesses
Lacks reliability
Can’t be replicated
Retrospective
Can’t manipulate
Epi enhances memory
Facilitates encoding, storing, and retrieving
Lipid so doesn’t cross blood brain barrier
Theory one
Epi affects memory by affecting blood glucose levels:
Increase in blood glucose when epi is high
Glucose enhances memory for avoidance learning
Can be blocked by beta blockers
How does glucose enhance memory
Stimulates ACh
Increase in basal forebrain
Alzheimer’s has less ACh
Theory 2
Epi activates peripheral receptors that directly influence brain function
Acts trough beta receptors to activate nerves going to amygdaloid
Modulates memory of emotional experiences
Glucocorticoids
Acute stress with promoted lasting memories
Chronic stressed with impairs memory
Chronic stress
Impairs spatial learning if not life critical
GRs/MRs
GRs only activated during stress
GRs related to stress
Gr blocking drugs in BLA impair memory, GR agonists enhance memory
Glucos restructure hippocampus
High density of GRs and mediated regulation of HPA
Neurogenesis higher with glucos
Estrogens and memory
Enhance spatial memory
Enhance memory when task is difficult
Too high impairs spatial memory
