Learning and memory: The neural substrate

Question 1

Procedural Memory

Answer 1

Implicit memory
Non Declaritive memory
Reflexive memory

Skills and habits that have been used so much they are autonomic: riding a bike

Information is found in the cerebellum for motor
and in the nucleus accumbens for non motor

Question 2

Declaritive Memory and the two subdivisions

Answer 2

also known as explicit memory

The conscious recognition/recollecttion of learned facts and experiences

Episodic: memory of events

Semantic: memory of words, language and rules

Question 3

What are three memories based on its duration

Answer 3

Short-term: lasts seconds to hours

Long-term: years

Working memory: recalling a fact or memory for use- it may be a subset of short-term memory

the neural mechanism for each of these is different

Question 4

What are the two types of changes in synaptic functioning

Answer 4

Post-Tetanic Potention

Long term Potention

Question 5

Post tetanic Stimulation

Answer 5

Brief high frequency discharge of presynaptic neuron

produces an increase in neurotransmitter release that lasts about 60 seconds

Increases in probablillity of action potentials in post synaptic cell

Mechanism: High level of stimulation allows more calcium to enter the terminal than can be dealt with

• this leads to more vesicles and more nerotransmitter release
• thus increasing the probablillity of action potentials in the post synaptic cell

Question 6

Long Term Potention (LTP) and the two types of molecules calcium binds

Answer 6

a series of changes in the pre and post synaptic neurons of a synapse which leads to increased response to the released neurotransmitter

ie (EAA)

increase Na into the cell causing depolarization that leads to activation of the NMDA receptor allowing for Ca to enter the cell

this Ca binds to calmodulin which increases adenylate cyclase and cAMP which causes phosphorylation of an AMPA receptor

THis AMPA receptor will now allow more influx of Na+ in response to the EAA (neurotransmitter) on the post synaptic cell

also Calcium will bind calcineurin which activates Nitric oxide synthesis which increases production of nitric oxide

this nitric oxide will increase cGMP and NT release on the presynaptic cell

Question 7

What are the changes of the structures of the neurons that affect the plasticity of the brain and some examples

Answer 7

Gain/loss of synapses

structural changes of dendrites

structural changes in the soma of the neuron

increase gene transcription of CREB in both the pre and post synaptic cells

• Proteins produced:
• NT synthetic enzymes
• NT receptors
• Proteins required for growth and synapse formation

Question 8

What is significant about blocking protein synthesis in neurons

Answer 8

Learning and the formation of new memories can be blocked by blocking protein synthesis

Question 9

What is the 4 step process of creating Declaritive (Explicit) Memories

Answer 9

1) Encoding
2) Storage of the information
3) Consolidation
3) Retrieval

Question 10

what is Encoding

Answer 10

Attending to new info (focus and attention)
linking it to previous memories
Emotion is important component

Question 11

what is storage of the information

Answer 11

Retention of information over time
-short term memory

LOng term capacity is not limited

Question 12

What is the anatomical substrate and physiological substrate of short term memory

Answer 12

Hippocampus
Parahippocampal gyrus
Orefrontal cortex

all considered the long term Potention or the physiological substrate

Question 13

how does Alzheimers play a factor in the short term memory

Answer 13

in short term memory there are projections to the neocortex and the amygdala via the nucleus basalis of Meynert (cholinergic projections)

this is a target of the alzheimers disease because there neurons are not meeting the threshold of the presynaptic cell to drive the creation of a new memory

Question 14

WHat is our temporary storehouse for memory

Answer 14

The hippocampus
Parahippocampal gyrus
Prefrontal cortex

or

LTP

Question 15

What is consolidation

Answer 15

Process of making a memory permanaent

involves physical changes in synaptic structure and making new synapses

Question 16

what is the anatomical requirement for consolidating a memory

Answer 16

Hippocampus
Temporal lobes
Papez circuit

Question 17

What is the Papez circuit and how does it become a long term memory

Answer 17

Hypothalamus/mammillary bodies to the anterior thalamus to the cingulate cortex and then to the hippocampus and then repeat

the repetition of the memory through the papez circuit sets up the conditions for long term potention and neuronal plasticity

once it becomes a long term memory the limbic system is not required to access the memory

Question 18

Where does the long term memory go after the limbic systerm

Answer 18

the memory is now stored in the area of cortex related to the modality of the individual cortex

visual with the visual cortex

Question 19

What is retrieval

Answer 19

Recalling or using the memory
Bringing it into working memory
can be modified/lost at this point

Question 20

Where does the reassembling of a long term memory occur and in what order and what is the significance of that order

Answer 20

Neocortex
Parahippocampal regions
Hippocampus

INformation of each component sent to parahippocampal regions
then the information is sent to the hippocampus where the memory is reconstructed
then the information is sent back through the parahippocampus to the cortex

THe second time through the parahippocampus is important for prolonging the cortical trace of the memory

Question 21

Working memory and the three component model

Answer 21

Central executive
phonological loop (words associated with it)
visuospatial loop (look like)

Question 22

what are the anatomical locations of the three component model

Answer 22

central executive: Prefrontal cortex

Phonological loop: Brocas and wernickes

Visuospatial loop: Occipital cortex associated with vision

Question 23

Where is the detailed memory of a space stored and its impact on memory

Answer 23

in the hippocampus using special pyramidal cells in CA1 known as place cells

the spatial map serves as an anchor for the reconstruction of memory

Question 24

purpose of place , grid cells, and border cells in the spatial map

Answer 24

neurons that are active at specific places especially at places you get an reward

Grid cells found in the entorhinal cortex make a hexagonal grid of your location

Border neurons care about a border of the location