Memory Disorders (amnesias) Flashcards
What is the definition of memory?
memory is the retention/storage of information that can be revealed at a later time
What is the difference between neural memory and external memory?
neural memory is the memory we store in our brains and it can be suseptible to damage and amnesia/dementia etc…
external memory is like books, libraries, the internet..etc.. any external device besides our brains that store information that can be retrieved at a later time
What was Ebbinghaus’s experiment on memory and how did it contribute to the understanding of memory storage?
he did an experiment to show that retention of nonsense syllables fades over time
- he drew a ‘forgetting curve’ that had time as the x-axis and percent recited in the y-axis and studied a set of non-sense syllables and tested himself over a period of time from 1min after rehersal to 30 days after rehersal to see how much her can remember
results: number of syllables he could retain, faded over time
What are the properties of STM?
active state (while things are shifting around), rapid decay due to not rehersing, and vulnerable to disruption
What are the properties of LTM?
inactive state, slow decay and less vulnerable to disruption because its been rehersed
What is consolidation and reconsolidation?
consolidation is the process of storing information from short term memory into long term memory (first time)
reconsolidation is the process of retaking the memory out of LTM and bringing back into STM and then changing it/working with it and putting it BACK into LTM
they have similar but not identical mechanisms for protein synthesis in the brain
What are 2 reasons memories can be disrupted and what can they result in?
the two reasons are not mutually exclusive (one event does not cause or influence the other)
- storage failure (inability to store STM to LTM) –> results in permanent amnesia
- retrieval failure (inability to bring whats in LTM to STM)–> results in temporary amnesia
What are the seven sins of memory by definition?
these are “sins” that can be experienced by anyone
- they are not always serious in a way that they need to be treated
- they just highlight the fragility and plasticity of the brains memory systems
List and describe the 7 sins of memory?
- Transience: weakening of memory over time (i.e. ebbinghause forgetting curve experiment)
- Absent-mindedness: deficit interface between attention and memory (forgetting where u put something becuse u were doing another thing)
- Blocking: failed search for info… i.e. tip of the tongue or aka proper name anomia (you know the name but cant say it)
- Misattribution: assigning a memory to incorrect source
- suggestibility: when memories are implanted i.e. through advertisements
- Bias: current beliefs influence memories (i.e. religion..etc.)
- persistence: repeated recall of specific memories like flashbacks or even PTSD
What is Amnesia?
amnesia is memory loss
What is psychogenic amnesia
amnesia with no physical cause
what is retrograde amnesia?
failure to remember what happened for events occuring prior to the trauma but can remember childhood memories and has ability to form new memories
What is anterograde amnesia?
failure to form new memories (i.e. problem with consolidation)
What are 6 physical causes of amnesia?
- stroke (temporal lobes are highly suceptible to cerebrovascular injury)
- viral infection: herpes, simplex encephalitis of temporal lobes
- Tumours: common in brain ventricles around temporal area
- closed head injury: skull is intact but brain twists on axis (i.e. whiplash, concussions..etc..)
- thiamine deficiency: Korsakoff’s syndrome
- Age-related neurodegeneration: senile dementia/alzheimers
What is a clinicans first task in dealing with individuals who may have memory problems?
their first task is to establish whether amnesia is organic (due to injury in the brain) or psychogenic (psychological basis)
- checking to see patients medical records for any history of brain injurt (psychogenic amnesia is suspected if no brain injury occured)
What tests are done to test for other psychological deficits besides memory loss?
Most patients will show psychological deficits besides memory loss
- clinicans assess behavior and behavior is influenced by multiple types of neural processing
- need to assess: neuropsychological status by using batteries of tests for disorders of attention, perception, motivation, emotions and sensorimotor processing
What is the ultimate goal of clinican’s assessment?
to determine how extensive or specific the memory deficits are
What is the assessment of retrograde amnesia (RA)? What is the Law used to design tests?
difficult to assess bc its testing on memories of past events that arent the person’s childhood
- Uses ribot’s law (1882) to design tests –> states that the older the memory, the more resistant it is to disruption (older memories are more resilient)