Memory and Sleep

Question 1

Brain areas that are essential for memory:

Answer 1

1. Hippocampus
2. Basal ganglia, cerebellum, supplementary motor area
3. Amygdala
4. Prefrontal cortex
5. Thalamus, mammillary bodies

Question 2

Hippocampus and memory case study

Answer 2

Patient name = H.M.
Condition = seizures
Surgery = bilateral removal of hippocampus, amygdala, medial temporal lobe
Results = short-term and procedural memory intact, long-term memory impaired

Question 3

Role in memory - hippocampus

Answer 3

1. Helps move information from short- to long-term memory
2. Helps with spatial working memory

Question 4

Role in memory - basal ganglia, cerebellum, and supplementary motor area

Answer 4

1. Procedural memories
2. Implicit memories (operate on unconscious level)
3. Helps with learning new skills and using previously learned skills

Question 5

Role in memory - amygdala

Answer 5

1. Attaches emotions to memories
2. Helps remember emotional events

Question 6

Role in memory - prefrontal cortex

Answer 6

1. Working memory
2. Prospective memory
3. More impactful for event-based than time-based prospective memory

Question 7

Event-based prospective memory

Answer 7

Remembering to do something with a cue

Question 8

Time-based prospective memory

Answer 8

Remembering to do something within a certain time frame without a cue

Question 9

Role in memory - thalamus and mammillary bodies

Answer 9

1. Can lead to anterograde and retrograde amnesia

Question 10

Memory study involving sea slugs

Answer 10

1. Short-term storage of information led to increased serotonin
2. Long-term storage of information led to new synapses and changes in existing neuronal structure
3. Led to long-term potentiation discovery

Question 11

Long-term potentiation

Answer 11

1. Rapid and/or high-frequency transmission in neurons that aids in memory and learning
2. Initially seen in glutamate receptors in hippocampus, later seen in amygdala and entorhinal cortex

Question 12

RNA and memory

Answer 12

RNA linked to long-term memory formation

Question 13

Two types of sleep theories

Answer 13

1. Recovery/restoration (repairing damage while awake)
2. Adaptive/evolutionary (adapting to environmental threats)

Question 14

Stage 1 of sleep

Answer 14

1. Transition from awake to asleep
2. Low frequency, high amplitude alpha waves (drowsy) > low frequency, low amplitude theta waves

Question 15

Stage 2 of sleep

Answer 15

1. Theta waves from Stage 1 interrupted by sleep spindles and K-complexes

Question 16

Sleep spindles

Answer 16

Sudden bursts of moderately fast sleep waves

Question 17

K-complexes

Answer 17

Large slow sleep waves

Question 18

Stage 3 of sleep

Answer 18

1. 20 minutes after sleeping
2. Low frequency, high amplitude delta waves
3. Slow-wave / deep sleep

Question 19

Stage 4 of sleep

Answer 19

1. Delta waves from Stage 3 are higher amplitude
2. Slow-wave / deep sleep

Question 20

Stage 5 of sleep (REM)

Answer 20

1. 80-90 minutes after sleeping
2. Similar wave pattern to Stage 1
3. Paradoxical sleep
4. Dreams (especially vivid)

Question 21

Paradoxical sleep

Answer 21

Active brain, inactive muscles

Question 22

Sleep cycle

Answer 22

1. Stages 1-4
2. REM sleep
3. Stages 1-4 and REM again after 10 minutes of first REM
4. Duration of REM increases and duration of Stages 1-4 decreases throughout the sleep process

Question 23

Newborn sleep patterns

Answer 23

1. Sleep longer (14-16 hours per day) than older children and adults
2. More time in REM
3. Begin sleep with REM and then transition to non-REM

Question 24

Changes in sleep patterns during infancy

Answer 24

1. Newborn = REM then non-REM
2. 3 months = Non-REM then REM
3. 6 months = Stages 1-4 of non-REM emerge

Question 25

Older adult sleep patterns

Answer 25

1. More difficulty falling asleep
2. Less time in deep sleep (especially Stage 4)
3. More evenly distributed REM
4. Wake more often
5. Sleeping and waking earlier (circadian phase advance)