Learning and memory Flashcards
What is learning?
Learning is the acquisition of memory
What is memory?
Memory is the retention of learned information
What does declarative memory refer to?
Refers to facts and events
What part of the brain is important in declarative memory?
Hippocampus is important in this type of memory
What does non declarative memory refer to?
Refers to procedural memory like motor skills and habits
What part of the brain is important in non declarative memory?
Striatum is important in this type of memory
What are the declarative memory types?
- Working memory
- Short term memories
- Long term memories
What is working memory involved in?
Working memory is involved in temporary storage lasting seconds
What are short term memories vulnerable to?
Vulnerable to disruption
What are stored in short term memories?
Facts and events are stored in short term memory
What is memory consolidation?
Memory consolidation is the process of converting short to long term memories
What is the process involved in memory consolidation?
Sensory information-->Short term memory-->Long term memory
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Working memoryWhat is the function of the prefrontal cortex?
Function is self awareness, capacity for planning and problem solving
What is the lateral intraparietal cortex associated with?
Associated with the visual cortex
What is the lateral intraparietal cortex involved in?
Involved in eye movement
What does the engram refer to?
Refers to a collection of neurons which when they act together, they’re responsible . for the storage of memory
Steps involved the engram
- The engram is activated by a stimulus
- Revertebrating activity continues after the stimulus is removed
- Hebbian modification strengthens the reciprocal connections between neurons that are actibe at the same time
- After learning, partial activation of the assembly leads to activation of the entire representation of the stimulus
What does consolidation involve?
Involves the medial temporal lobes
Steps in consolidation of memory
Sensory information–>Cortical association areas–>Parahippocampal and rhinal cortical areas–>HIppocampus–>Thalamus/Hypothalamus
What is amnesia?
Amnesia is a serious loss of memory and/or ability to learn
What is amnesia caused by?
Caused by concussion, chronic alcoholism, encephalitis, brain tumor and stroke
What do you suffer in retrograde amnesia?
Suffer severe detriment in in memories they already have before trauma
What happens in anterograde amnesia?
Inability to form memories after trauma but memories before trauma still intact
Spatial memory and place cells
- Learning morris water maze requires hippocampus
- Place cells fire when animal is in a specific place
- Place fields are dynamic
When do place cells fire?
Place cells fire when an animal is in a specific location
What are the 2 models of memory consolidation?
- Standard model of memory consolidation
- Multiple trace model of consolidation
What happens in standard model of memory consolidation?
Information from neocortex areas associated with sensory systems are sent to medial temporal lobe for processing
What involvement is continued in the multiple trace model of consolidation?
- Hippocampi involvements is continued
- Multiple memory traces
What are the 2 models of memory consolidation dependent on?
Both models are dependent on synapse plasticity
What is synaptic plasticity?
Synaptic plasticity is the biological process by which specific patterns of synaptic activity result in changes in synaptic strength
What is involved in memory?
Multiple neurons involved in memory
What can changes in neuronal response be explained by?
Changes in neuronal response can be explained by synaptic plasticity
What are the steps in the trisynaptic circuit of the hippocampus involved in memory?
- Stimulus arrives from the entorhinal cortex through the perforant pathway
- These synapse onto granule cells
- These then synapse onto schaffer collaterals
- Schaffer collaterals synapse onto CA1 neurons
What is the mechanism of LTP in CA1?
Glutamate receptors mediate excitatory synapse
- AMPA receptors first stimulated by glutamate
- This causes depolarisation of CA1 neuron
- This causes NMDA receptors to open causing a Ca2+ influx
- Kinases are then activated in postsynaptic neuron
1. These kinases increase responsivity of the NMDA receptor causing more depolarisation for less glutamate release for LTP
2. They also increase movement of AMPA receptors to postsynaptic membrane, hence making the target neuron more responsive - Structural changes occur following LTP including dendritic spine growth
