Lecture 17 - Types of Learning and Memory Flashcards
What is synaptic plasticity?
Synaptic plasticity is the adaptability of synapses, allowing them to grow stronger or weaker depending on the frequency and intensity of neuronal communication, which is crucial for learning and memory formation.
How do synapses change during learning?
Synapses become stronger when neurons communicate frequently and simultaneously by adding more postsynaptic receptors, while they weaken when the communication is not coordinated.
What is the difference between implicit and explicit memory?
Implicit memory involves unconscious knowledge and skills that influence behavior automatically, while explicit memory involves conscious recollection of facts and experiences.
What is procedural memory?
Procedural memory is a type of implicit memory that involves skills and tasks, like riding a bike or playing an instrument, that can be performed without conscious thought.
What is an example of perceptual memory?
Perceptual memory is the ability to recognize things, like identifying familiar faces or objects, without consciously thinking about it.
What is stimulus-response memory?
Stimulus-response memory is a type of implicit memory where a specific response is automatically triggered by a stimulus, without conscious thought, often relying on conditioned associations formed through experience.
What is the role of the hippocampus in relational learning?
The hippocampus links different stimuli and events to form new explicit memories, helping the brain associate sensory information with context, like time and place. This process is essential for remembering specific facts and experiences.
What brain structures are involved in motor learning?
Motor learning involves brain structures responsible for movement, including the motor cortex, cerebellum, and basal ganglia.
Motor Cortex: Controls voluntary movements by sending signals to muscles, responsible for planning and executing movements.
Cerebellum: Fine-tunes motor movements, coordinates balance, and helps with the timing and precision of actions.
Basal Ganglia: Facilitates smooth movement and learning of motor skills through habit formation, motor planning, and procedural learning.
How does perceptual learning help us in daily life?
Perceptual learning helps us recognize and categorize sensory information, such as distinguishing faces or reading emotional expressions, often automatically and without conscious thought.
What is visual agnosia?
Visual agnosia is a condition where a person has difficulty recognizing familiar objects or people despite having intact vision, often due to damage to the sensory association cortex.
What is the main difference between classical conditioning and operant conditioning?
Classical conditioning involves learning associations between a neutral stimulus and an unconditioned stimulus (e.g., salivating to a bell), while operant conditioning involves learning through the consequences of one’s actions (e.g., pressing a lever for food).
What is reinforcement learning?
Reinforcement learning involves behaviors being strengthened by rewards (reinforcers) or weakened by punishments, shaping future behavior.
How do dopamine and the striatum contribute to reinforcement learning?
Dopamine signals in the striatum indicate whether a behavior was rewarded or punished, helping to reinforce behaviors and influence future actions.
What is the basal ganglia’s role in instrumental conditioning?
The basal ganglia help automate behaviors through reinforcement learning, where dopamine signals indicate rewards like praise, food, or enjoyable experiences. These signals strengthen the connection between actions and positive outcomes, making the behaviors more likely to be repeated unconsciously, freeing attention for new tasks.
How does consolidation relate to long-term memory?
Consolidation is the process by which information in short-term memory is converted into long-term memory, often happening during sleep.
What is the difference between anterograde and retrograde amnesia?
Anterograde amnesia is the inability to form new memories after brain injury, while retrograde amnesia is the inability to recall memories formed before the injury.
What type of memory is involved in recognizing a familiar face in a crowd?
Perceptual memory is involved in recognizing familiar faces without conscious thought.
What is an example of relational (stimulus-stimulus) learning?
An example of relational learning is remembering a wedding and recognizing the people who were present or the location of the event.
How do motor skills improve with practice?
Motor skills improve with practice as feedback from muscles, joints, and the balance system helps refine movements. Over time, this feedback strengthens neural connections, making movements more automatic and efficient. As a result, actions become smoother and require less conscious effort. For example, when learning to ride a bike, you initially struggle with balance and coordination, but with practice, the body and brain adjust automatically, allowing you to ride more easily without thinking about every movement.
What happens to memories after brain surgery in the case of damage to the hippocampus?
Damage to the hippocampus can result in the inability to form new explicit memories, as seen in the case of Henry Gustav Molaison (HM). HM underwent brain surgery to treat severe epilepsy, which involved the removal of both hippocampi. As a result, he lost the ability to form new explicit memories (anterograde amnesia), although his older memories (before the surgery) and his ability to learn new motor skills remained intact. His case provided crucial insights into the hippocampus’s role in memory formation.
