Neuropsychology of Memory

Question 1

What Amnesia is

• Intelligence is …
• Attentional span is …
• Personality is …
• Ability to take in new information is … and usually … …

Answer 1

• Intelligence is intact
• Attentional span is intact
• Personality is unaffected
• Ability to take in new information is severely and usually permanently affected

Question 2

What Amnesia is

• Intelligence is intact
• Attentional span is intact
• p… is unaffected
• Ability to take in … … is severely and usually … affected

Answer 2

• Intelligence is intact
• Attentional span is intact
• Personality is unaffected
• Ability to take in new information is severely and usually permanently affected

Question 3

What Amnesia is

• … is intact
• … span is intact
• Personality is unaffected
• Ability to take in new information is … and usually … affected

Answer 3

• Intelligence is intact
• Attentional span is intact
• Personality is unaffected
• Ability to take in new information is severely and usually permanently affected

Question 4

Amnesia - Continued

• Verbal and visual short-term memory is …
  
  • Phonological store and visuospatial sketchpad …
  • Double dissociation with patients and … Short Term Memory
• Digit span
  
  • Repeat the numbers “2…7…4…9…2…8”
• Spatial span
  
  • Tap the same blocks as me, in the same order
• HM’s surgery involved bilateral removal of his… … lobes
• Included the “…”
• Amnesia is usually caused by damage to the … … lobe or anatomically connected regions
• Can occur in head injuries, Alzheimer’s, epilepsy, stroke

Answer 4

• Verbal and visual short-term memory is intact
  
  • Phonological store and visuospatial sketchpad unaffected
  • Double dissociation with patients and impaired Short Term Memory
• Digit span
  
  • Repeat the numbers “2…7…4…9…2…8”
• Spatial span
  
  • Tap the same blocks as me, in the same order
• HM’s surgery involved bilateral removal of his medial temporal lobes
• Included the “hippocampus”
• Amnesia is usually caused by damage to the medial temporal lobe or anatomically connected regions
• Can occur in head injuries, Alzheimer’s, epilepsy, stroke

Question 5

• Amnesia is usually caused by damage to the … … lobe or anatomically connected regions
• Can occur in head …, Alzheimer’s, e…, s…

Answer 5

• Amnesia is usually caused by damage to the medial temporal lobe or anatomically connected regions
• Can occur in head injuries, Alzheimer’s, epilepsy, stroke

Question 6

Anterograde Amnesia

• Anterograde means after … …
• Anterograde … memories are severely affected
  
  • HM was severely impaired no matter what kind of memory test was given (Corkin, 2002)
    
    • Words, faces, tones, public events, etc
    • Regardless of the sensory modality through which info was presented
    • Regardless of text format (free recall, cued recall, recognition)

Answer 6

• Anterograde means after brain injury
• Anterograde episodic memories are severely affected
  
  • HM was severely impaired no matter what kind of memory test was given (Corkin, 2002)
    
    • Words, faces, tones, public events, etc
    • Regardless of the sensory modality through which info was presented
    • Regardless of text format (free recall, cued recall, recognition)

Question 7

Anterograde Amnesia

• Anterograde means after brain injury
• Anterograde episodic memories are severely affected
  
  • HM was … impaired no matter what kind of memory test was given (Corkin, 2002)
    
    • Words, faces, tones, public events, etc
    • Regardless of the sensory modality through which info was …
    • Regardless of … format (free recall, cued recall, recognition)

Answer 7

• Anterograde means after brain injury
• Anterograde episodic memories are severely affected
  
  • HM was severely impaired no matter what kind of memory test was given (Corkin, 2002)
    
    • Words, faces, tones, public events, etc
    • Regardless of the sensory modality through which info was presented
    • Regardless of text format (free recall, cued recall, recognition)

Question 8

Procedural memory

• Procedural memory
• Can Amnesics learn new skills?
• Mirror tracing (Corkin, 1968)
• Mirror reading (Cohen & Squire, 1980)

Answer 8

• Procedural memory
• Amnesics can learn new skills
• Mirror tracing (Corkin, 1968)
• Mirror reading (Cohen & Squire, 1980)
• By day 3 - Almost flawless drawing by HM

Question 9

Procedural memory - Butters et al., (1990)

• Task was a pursuit-rotor task
• Healthy controls and patients with Alzheimer’s disease (DAT) showed … learning (… memory)
• Patients with Huntingdon’s disease (HD) were …
• Evidence for … procedural memory system

Answer 9

• Task was a pursuit-rotor task
• Healthy controls and patients with Alzheimer’s disease (DAT) showed normal learning (implicit memory)
• Patients with Huntingdon’s disease (HD) were impaired
• Evidence for independent procedural memory system

Question 10

Procedural memory (non-conscious, implicit memory)

• Learning of motor skills (e.g. riding a bike) is distinct from explicit long-term memory
• Dedicated brain systems for procedural memory
• … ganglia
• Impaired in … disease
• When a skill becomes automatic, it can operate in the absence of …

Answer 10

• Learning of motor skills (e.g. riding a bike) is distinct from explicit long-term memory
• Dedicated brain systems for procedural memory
  
  • Basal ganglia
    
    • Impaired in Huntingdon’s disease
• When a skill becomes automatic, it can operate in the absence of awareness

Question 11

Priming (Non conscious, implicit memory)

• Degraded picture identification - task - see one of these pictures with fragmented info until they are more apparent - if you repeat, people need less of info to identify image
• 5 … patients - showed very clear learning effect - long-term … of the ability to identify these pictures even though they have no … that they have done this before
• (Warrington & Weiskrantz, 1970)

Answer 11

• Degraded picture identification - task - see one of these pictures with fragmented info until they are more apparent - if you repeat, people need less of info to identify image
• 5 amnesic patients - showed very clear learning effect - long-term retention of the ability to identify these pictures even though they have no recollection that they have done this before
• (Warrington & Weiskrantz, 1970)

Question 12

Anterograde amnesia - Declarative memory processes

• Tulving, 1971
• … memory:
  
  • Memory for events and occurrences that are specific in time and place
  • “what” “where” “when”
• … memory:
  
  • Knowledge of facts, concepts, word meanings, etc.
  • Can be retrieved without knowledge about where and when the information was acquired

Answer 12

• Tulving, 1971
• Episodic memory:
  
  • Memory for events and occurrences that are specific in time and place
  • “what” “where” “when”
• Semantic memory:
  
  • Knowledge of facts, concepts, word meanings, etc.
  • Can be retrieved without knowledge about where and when the information was acquired

Question 13

Anterograde amnesia - Declarative memory processes

• Tulving, 1971
• Episodic memory:
  
  • Memory for events and occurrences that are specific in … and …
  • “w..” “w..” “w..”
• Semantic memory:
  
  • Knowledge of facts, concepts, word meanings, etc.
  • Can be … without knowledge about … and … the information was acquired

Answer 13

• Tulving, 1971
• Episodic memory:
  
  • Memory for events and occurrences that are specific in time and place
  • “what” “where” “when”
• Semantic memory:
  
  • Knowledge of facts, concepts, word meanings, etc.
  • Can be retrieved without knowledge about where and when the information was acquired

Question 14

Anterograde amnesia - Declarative memory

• All declarative memories (episodic and semantic) depend on … … lobes for their acquisition and short-term retention
• Declarative memory theory

Answer 14

• All declarative memories (episodic and semantic) depend on medial temporal lobes for their acquisition and short-term retention
• Declarative memory theory

Question 15

Anterograde amnesia - Memories affected in a typical amnesic syndrome

• What about semantic?

Answer 15

• So semantic also poor - Supports Squire’s Declarative Memory Theory

Question 16

Against the Declarative memory theory

• States - Can new semantic memories be formed in amnesia? NO
• BUT
  
  • Beth, Jon and Kate are typical amnesics (Vargha-Khadem et al., 1997)
  • They sustained damage to the hippocampus just after birth
  • Have grossly impaired … memory
  • BUT, they completed normal schooling, have good vocabularies and knowledge about the world
  • Don’t require to have a functioning … … lobe system to acquire good semantic knowledge
• BUT could criticise study because it’s maybe representing special case - early life damage - adapt to memory problems

Answer 16

• States - Can new semantic memories be formed in amnesia? NO
• BUT
  
  • Beth, Jon and Kate are typical amnesics (Vargha-Khadem et al., 1997)
  • They sustained damage to the hippocampus just after birth
  • Have grossly impaired episodic memory
  • BUT, they completed normal schooling, have good vocabularies and knowledge about the world
  • Don’t require to have a functioning medial temporal lobe system to acquire good semantic knowledge
• BUT could criticise study because it’s maybe representing special case - early life damage - adapt to memory problems

Question 17

Retrograde Amnesia

• Retrograde means … … …
• Some degree of retrograde amnesia is almost … present
• The extent of retrograde amnesia for episodic memories is highly contested

Answer 17

• Retrograde means before brain injury
• Some degree of retrograde amnesia is almost always present
• The extent of retrograde amnesia for episodic memories is highly contested

Question 18

Retrograde Amnesia

• All declarative memories (episodic and semantic) depend on … … lobes for their acquisition and short-term retention
  
  • … memory theory
• Over time, declarative memories become … to other brain regions
  
  • Standard Model of …

Answer 18

• All declarative memories (episodic and semantic) depend on medial temporal lobes for their acquisition and short-term retention
  
  • Declarative memory theory
• Over time, declarative memories become consolidated to other brain regions
  
  • Standard Model of Consolidation

Question 19

Standard model of consolidation

Answer 19

Question 20

Retrograde amnesia - Memories affected in a typical amnesic syndrome

Answer 20

• Supports Squire’s Standard Model of Consolidation

Question 21

Retrograde amnesia

• Semantic knowledge learnt long ago is intact
• Evidence for preserved remote episodic memory is mixed
  
  • Some patients seemingly show very good …
  • But are these memories highly … and recalled “by rote”?
  • Possible differences between patients in … location, etc.

Answer 21

• Semantic knowledge learnt long ago is intact
• Evidence for preserved remote episodic memory is mixed
  
  • Some patients seemingly show very good recall
  • But are these memories highly practiced and recalled “by rote”?
  • Possible differences between patients in lesion location, etc.

Question 22

Other types of memory impairment

• … dementia
• C…

Answer 22

• Semantic dementia
• Confabulation

Question 23

Impairment of semantic memory

• Semantic dementia
• Poor knowledge of meaning of … or …
• … difficulties
  
  • Including semantically related errors (e.g. “dog” for rabbit).
• Not confined to one m…
  
  • Deficits may include a difficulty in recognizing …

Answer 23

• Semantic dementia
• Poor knowledge of meaning of words or concepts
• Naming difficulties
  
  • Including semantically related errors (e.g. “dog” for rabbit).
• Not confined to one modality
  
  • Deficits may include a difficulty in recognizing sounds (e.g. doorbell or telephone)

Question 24

Typical scan of an individual with semantic dementia:

• Semantic knowledge associated with lateral … cortex (on the left side of the brain)

Answer 24

• Typical scan of an individual with semantic dementia
• Semantic knowledge associated with lateral temporal cortex (on the left side of the brain)

Question 25

_Frontal lobes and memory_ * Janowsky et al., 1989 * 7 patients with frontal lobe lesions * Learned 20 trivia facts (e.g. the actor who played watson in the sherlock holmes series was bruce) * 6-8 day interval * Tested 40 Q's (20 studied, 20 general knowledge) * If correct - where did you learn this * What were the results?

Answer 25

* Janowsky et al., 1989 * 7 patients with frontal lobe lesions * Learned 20 trivia facts (e.g. the actor who played watson in the sherlock holmes series was bruce) * 6-8 day interval * Tested 40 Q's (20 studied, 20 general knowledge) * If correct - where did you learn this

Question 26

_Confabulation_ In psychology, confabulation is a ... ... defined as the production of fabricated, distorted, or m.. ... about oneself or the world.

Answer 26

* **In psychology, confabulation is a memory error defined as the production of fabricated, distorted, or misinterpreted memories about oneself or the world.**

Question 27

"Erreneous memories, either false in themselves or resulting from "true" memories misplaced in context an inappropriately retrieved or interpreted" Kopelman, 1995 - known as c...

Answer 27

Confabulation

Question 28

_Frontal lobes and memory - confabulation_ * "Erreneous memories, either ... in themselves or resulting from "..." memories misplaced in context an inappropriately retrieved or interpreted" - Kopelman, 1995 * **...** - a normal response to a demand for information which is not available (e.g. saying that items in a test have been shown before when they were not) * **...** - the person acts on their erroneous memories (e.g. tries to leave a hospital because they believe they have to go to work or cook a meal)

Answer 28

* "Erreneous memories, either **false** in themselves or resulting from "**true**" memories misplaced in context an inappropriately retrieved or interpreted" - Kopelman, 1995 * **Provoked** - a normal response to a demand for information which is not available (e.g. saying that items in a test have been shown before when they were not) * **Spontaneous** - the person acts on their erroneous memories (e.g. tries to leave a hospital because they believe they have to go to work or cook a meal)

Question 29

_Frontal lobes and memory - confabulation_ * "Erreneous memories, either false in themselves or resulting from "true" memories misplaced in context an inappropriately retrieved or interpreted" - Kopelman, 1995 * **Provoked** - a ... response to a demand for ... which is not available (e.g. saying that items in a test have been shown before when they were not) * **Spontaneous** - the person .... on their erroneous memories (e.g. tries to leave a hospital because they believe they have to go to work or cook a meal)

Answer 29

* "Erreneous memories, either false in themselves or resulting from "true" memories misplaced in context an inappropriately retrieved or interpreted" - Kopelman, 1995 * **Provoked - a normal response to a demand for information which is not available (e.g. saying that items in a test have been shown before when they were not)** * **Spontaneous - the person acts on their erroneous memories (e.g. tries to leave a hospital because they believe they have to go to work or cook a meal)**

Question 30

_Spontaneous confabulation_ * Usually a result of ... ... damage - not due to damage to ... storage * Caused by a breakdown in memory "control processes" such as monitoring whether retrieved memories are relevant to now (Often caused by a rupture to an ... ... artery - Affect memory in a specific away - breakdown of memory control processes)

Answer 30

* Usually a result of **frontal** **lobe** damage - not due to damage to **memory** storage * Caused by a breakdown in memory "control processes" such as monitoring whether retrieved memories are relevant to now (Often caused by a rupture to an **anterior communicating** artery -Affect memory in a specific away - breakdown of memory control processes)

Question 31

_Summary - Neuropsychology of Memory_ * Damage to the ... ... lobes and closely-connected regions (e.g. Thalamus, fornix) causes amnesia * Amnesia is a loss in the ability to form new ... memories * Other brain regions specialised for, e.g. procedural and ... memory * The brain regions necessary for new ... learning and remote ... memories are unknown and vigorously debated * ... lobes associated with specific aspects of ... memory (e.g. source memory, and “control” processes

Answer 31

* **Damage to the medial temporal lobes and closely-connected regions (e.g. Thalamus, fornix) causes amnesia** * **Amnesia is a loss in the ability to form new episodic memories** * **Other brain regions specialised for, e.g. procedural and semantic memory** * **The brain regions necessary for new semantic learning and remote episodic memories are unknown and vigorously debated** * **Frontal lobes associated with specific aspects of episodic memory (e.g. source memory, and “control” processes**