Memory and cognition

Question 1

Antegrade amnesia vs retrograde amnesia

Answer 1

Antegrade = issue with the hippocamous -> unable to form new memories (Clive the piano man)

Retrograde amnesia = Issue with the Thalamus -> unable to sort through memories and so can’t retrieve old memories (although might be able to retrieve significant older ones due to very strong pathways)

Question 2

What is cognition

Answer 2

The ability to take in all sensory information and make sense of a situation

Question 3

what are the 3 key components of memory and what are their functions

Answer 3

Hipocampus = create
Thalamus = Search and access
Cortex = store

Question 4

What is the role of the cingulate gyrin?

Answer 4

Emotions

Question 5

What is the amygdala used for?

Answer 5

Emotions and memory

Question 6

parts of the limbic system? What are they responsible for?

Answer 6

CIngulate gyrus (emotion)
Hippocampus (learning and memory creations)
Amygdala (emotion and memory)

Limbic system (“Old cortex”) gives emotion to memories which is essential for memory.

There is also the Thalamus and hypothalamus which are important to memory.

Question 7

What are the 2 polar central spects for learning?

Answer 7

Punishment and reward

Question 8

What is the limbic system responsible for?

Answer 8

Giving events emotional significance - v important for memory

Question 9

Wht are the different types of memory , which ones last the longest?
I…/S….

S…T….

I…L..T….M…

L…T…. M

Answer 9

Immediate/Sensory -> seconds (visual = under 1s, auditory = under 4s)

Short term -> seconds - hours “working brain”. Reverberating circuits.

Intermediate Long Term -> Hours-weeks. Chemical adaptation at presynaptic terminal

Long Term -> lifelong. Structural changes

Question 10

hOW ARE OUTR MEMORIES FORMED? aND WHAT HAPPENS IF rhy malfunctioning

Answer 10

Initially through reverbarating circuits. If malfunctioning then results in loss of memory (amnesia)

Question 11

What structural changes are involved in Long Term memory?

Answer 11

In the presynaptic terminal: More Neurotransmitter vesicles and release sites.

More presynaptic terminals

Increased amplitude in EPSP from post synaptic terminal.

All make the links super strong (long term potentiation)

Question 12

What changes are seen in Intermediate Long-Term Memory?

Answer 12

Increased Ca into presynaptic terminals which increases the release (More Calcium for Calcium dependant exocytosis)

Question 13

What is Procedural/Reflexive/Implicit Memory?

Answer 13

Memories of how to do things
-repetition
-motor skills and rules based learning
-thinking about it often impairs performance
-Mainly in the Cerebellum
-Independent of Hippocampus

Question 14

What is Declarative/Explicit Memory?

Answer 14

Heavily reliant on hippocampus

episodic memories of events

semantic memory (wprds, rules and language)

-reliant on hippocampus

Question 15

What effect does significance has on memory

Answer 15

A significant one (ha!)

The more significant, the more we pay attention and the more that we look back on/recall event, the more we can remember it

Question 16

WWhy do we sometimes see different associations for things

Answer 16

Because the way we store our memories in sensory and association areas of the cortex. New memories are stored alongside memories for other similar memories.

Can mistake simelar things because they are stored in close proximity

Question 17

Wht is the process for creatingand storing a memory?

Answer 17

1. INput (Sensory and association areas)
2. Frontal cortex assesses significance
3. “Papez circuit” (limbic system) does the rounds and assesses emotional significance (punishment/reward)
4. Back to frontal cortex where if significant heads to…
5. Sensory cortex and is written into long term memory
6. If pops back up, will go back around Papez circuit…
7. into frontal cortex, where if it is still significant we…
8. Keep writing and strengthening the synapses in our long term memory
9. from there is might pop back into papez circuit

Question 18

Why are smells particularly strong in provoking memoryes?

Answer 18

Primary olfactory cortex has strong connections with amygdala and hippocampus

Question 19

What is Korsakoff’s syndrome?

Answer 19

Chronic alcoholism leading to a lack of B12 and malfunctioning of the limbic system and may struggle to consolidate memory

Question 20

What is Alzheimer’s disease?

Answer 20

Loss of cholinergic neurones in the brain including the hippocampus, so may struggle to create new memories.

Question 21

What is the importance of REM sleep?

Answer 21

Really important in memory consolidation and reinforcement of weak circuits.

Question 22

Reduced REM Sleep could be due to

Answer 22

Korsakoffs/alzheimers (as the cholinergic newuons are responsible for REM sleep)