Memory and Amnesia Flashcards
What is the three-step process of memory?
Encoding - where information comes into the system
Storage - Information is stored and continuously reconstructed
Retrieval - retrieving the stored information
What is Neurogenesis
The process by which new neurons are formed in the brain
Why does memory not necessarily fit reality?
- What we remember is our interpretation of an event, our minds are not like cameras
- memory uses semantics to make sense of the world
What is the google effect
Knowing information is readily available through your phone worsens memory
What are the two main questions of neuropsychology?
- What has happened to cause them to show these particular symptoms?
- What can this tell us about how the normal mind works?
Different types of Amnesia
Retrograde - cannot remember memories prior to injury
Anterograde - Cannot form new memories post injury
What is Implicit memory?
- also known as non-declarative
Unconscious memory, for example, doing something on ‘autopilot’. Includes procedural memory (skills, tasks, ‘doing’ eg. riding a bike) - any content of memory independent of learning
What is Explicit memory
- Also known as declarative
Conscious memory
includes EPISODIC memory (memory of events from personal experience)
and SEMANTIC memory (knowledge of facts, world knowledge, language knowledge etc.)
Difference between STM and LTM
STM - memory for information currently on the mind, has a limited capacity
LTM - Stored information from minutes, hours, days or years ago, anything remembered that is not currently on the mind, unlimited capacity
Serial Position curve and memory issues
People with LTM issues should have a good recency effect but poor primacy effect, vice versa for patients with STM issues who show strong primacy but poor recency (showing double dissociation)
Prefrontal Cortex role in memory
The prefrontal cortex/ frontal lobes are involved in the maintenance and manipulation of information.
This includes
- working memory
- encoding, retrieval, and evaluation
Confabulation
- Condition following damage to the prefrontal cortex
- these are false and sometimes contradictory memories that the patient believes to be true
Psychogenetic vs psychosomatic
psychogenetic - something in the body was caused by the mind eg. being scared causing goosebumps
psychosomatic - more of an interaction between then mental and the psychical eg. stomach pain being worsened considerably by stress, but not a cause.
What memory systems are impaired and spared by amnesia (generally)
STM - Spared
Non-declarative (implicit) - Spared
Episodic memory - Impaired
Semantic memory - typically impaired
