learning and memory Flashcards
what is learning?
the acquisition of new information
what is memory?
retention of learned information
2 types of memory?
declarative and non-declarative
what is the difference between declarative and non declarative memory?
declarative is explicit, information you can verbally declare
-eg. date of birth, where you were born
non-declarative is implicit, about procedural memory
-eg. motor skills, habits, driving a car
which brain regions are involved with non-declarative memory?
striatum is involved in procedural memory - skills and habits
cerebellum is involved in skeletal musculature
amygdala is involved in emotional responses
types of declarative memory
- working memory
- short term memories
- long term memories
what is working memory?
temporary storage, lasts seconds
what are short term memories?
more stable than working memory
vulnerable to disruption
facts and events stored in short-term memory
what are long term memories?
recalled months or years later
what happens to selective short term memories?
they become long term memories - stored in different parts of the brain
location of the brain involved in working memory?
prefrontal lobe
functions of the pre frontal cortex:
- self-awareness
- capacity for planning and problem solving
what was the method of the delayed response task?
-monkey sitting down, series of wells in front of them
-food placed in 1 of the wells, screen placed in front
-screen comes up, monkey remembers which well had the food in
“cue period” - monkey needs to retain the info in this period
“delay period” - monkey remembering where the food is
“choice period” - choosing the well
what were the results of the delayed response task?
showed the role of the pre frontal cortex in working memory
-the information about which well had the food was retained for a short period of time
-increase in activity during the “delay period” -
sub populations of neurones in the pre frontal cortex have increased activity when the monkey is retaining the information in its short term memory
delayed-saccade task
role of lateral intra-parietal cortex neurones in working memory
- saccadic eye movements to the fixation point, monkey gets a reward if they get it right
- saccadic eye movements enable you to scan the environment quickly
- increase in neuronal firing during delay period