Learning and memory Flashcards
Define the different types of attention.
- A global cognitive process encompassing multiple sensory modalities, operating across sensory domains. 2. A domain-specific cognitive process relating to a specific sensory modality.
Define arousal.
A general state of wakefulness and responsivity.
Define vigilance.
Capacity to maintain attention over prolonged periods of time.
Define divided attention.
Ability to respond to more than one task at once.
Define selective attention.
Ability to focus on one stimulus while suppressing competing stimuli.
What could be the result of the break down of global attention?
Delirium - impaired arousal, vigilance, and divided and selective attention.
What could be the result of break down of domain-specific attention?
visual inattention, sensory inattention, neglect.
Which two areas of the brain interact to modulate global and domain specific attention?
Prefrontal cortex, parietal cortex, limbic cortex. Ascending reticular activating system (ARAS)
What would be the result of damage to the ARAS?
Drowsiness, delirium, coma.
What would be the result of damage to the prefrontal, parietal or limbic cortex?
Inattention, neglect.
What different brain components make up the ARAS?
Brainstem nuclei, thalamic nuclei, cortex.
What different components make up the limbic system?
Cingulate gyrus Hippocampus Fornix Amygdala Orbital and prefrontal cortex Mamillary bodies
How is attention tested clinically?
Orientation in time and place. Serial 7s (counting down from 100 in 7s). Digit span and digits backwards. Months of the year or days of the week in reverse.
What is working memory?
Immediate recall of small amounts of verbal or spatial information. It functions independently of long-term memory.
Which specific parts of the brain are responsible for the spatial and verbal aspects of working memory?
Spatial information - non-dominan parieto-occipital lobe. Words, numbers, melodies - dominant peri-sylvian language areas.
Define episodic memory.
A form of explicit (declarative memory) available to consious access and reflection. Personally experienced temporally specific episodes and events.
Episodic memory is controlled by which part of the brain?
Extended limbic system (circuit of papez).
Hippocampus, entorhinal cortex, thalamic nuclei, mamillary bodies.
How do we test episodic memory in clinical practice?
Recall of complex verbal information (e.g. recall of stories in the Wechsler
Memory scales)
Word-list learning (e.g. California verbal learning test)
Recognition of newly encountered words and faces (Warrington’s
recognition memory test)
Recall of geometric figures (e.g. Rey-Osterrieth Figure test)
What is semantic memory?
Form of explicit (declarative memory) – available to conscious access and
reflection
Factual information (general knowledge) and vocabulary Independent of context , time and personal relevance
How do we test semantic memory in clinical practice?
Tests of general knowledge and vocabulary (e.g. Wechsler Adult
Intelligence Scale)
Fluency – generate exemplars from specific semantic categories (e.g.
name as many animals as possible in 60secs)
Object naming to confrontation (e.g. Boston naming test)
Tests of verbal knowledge (e.g. What colour is a banana?)
Person-based tasks (e.g. naming photographs of famous people)
What is implicit memory
No conscious access to implicit memory stores
We progressively acquire motor skills to perform tasks (but we cannot easily explain
the procedure)
e.g. Learning to play a musical instrument, learning to ride a bike, learning to use a
computer keyboard.
