Module 24 Flashcards
Storage
How does the brain store information?
Many of the parts of the brain interact as we encode, store, and retrieve the information that forms our memories.
True or False. Our capacity for storing long term memories is essentially limitless.
True
explicit memory
memory of facts and experiences that one can consciously know and declare
What is the role of the frontal lobes and hippocampus in memory storage?
Many brain regions send information to the frontal lobes for processing. The left and the right process different kinds of information.
The hippocampus, with the help of surrounding areas of cortex, registers and temporarily holds elements of explicit memories before moving them to other brain regions (the cortex) for long term storage.
What role do the cerebellum and basal ganglia play in our memory processing?
Dedicated to implicit memory formation. Cerebellum strores classically conditioned memories. Basal ganglia are involved in motor movement and help form procedural memories for skills.
infantile amnesia
blank conscious memory for first three years of life
don’t know words
cerebellum is one of the last brain structures to develop
How do emotions affect our memory processing?
Emotional arousal causes an outpouring of stress hormones, which lead to activity in the brain’s memory forming areas.
hormones provoke the amygdala to intiate a memory trace in the frontal lobes and basal ganglia and to boost activity in memory forming areas.
the stronger the memory the stronger the memory
flashbulb memories
a clear memory of an emotionally significant moment or event
How do changes at the synapse level affect our memory processing?
Long term potentiation appears to be the neural basis of learning. In LTP, neurons become more efficient at releasing and sensing the presence of neurotransmitters and more connections develop between neurons.
