Retrograde Amnesia Flashcards
What is retrograde amnesia?
A deficit in remembering information acquired pre-morbidly to varying extents.
What is the memory process?
Encoding > Consolidation > Retrieval.
Who studied consolidation interference in 2004?
Cowan et al.
Who studied consolidation interference in 2010?
Dewar et al.
What memory process is most likely to have a deficit regarding amnesia?
Consolidation.
In what year did Cowan et al study consolidation interference?
2004.
In what year did Dewar et al study consolidation interference?
2010.
Regarding the consolidation interference studies in 2004 and 2010, what input allows for better memory consolidation?
Minimal sensory input.
Regarding the consolidation interference studies in 2004 and 2010, minimal sensory input allows for what?
Better memory consolidation.
Regarding the consolidation interference studies in 2004 and 2010, high interference with consolidation can substantially contribute to __________.
Anterograde amnesia.
Regarding the consolidation interference studies in 2004 and 2010, ______________________ can substantially contribute to anterograde amnesia.
High interference with consolidation.
Regarding the consolidation interference studies in 2004 and 2010, _______________ reduced substantially when sensory input is minimized immediately after learning.
Anterograde amnesia.
Regarding the consolidation interference studies in 2004 and 2010, anterograde amnesia is reduced substantially when ________________ is __________ immediately after learning.
Sensory input is minimized.
Discuss the “Filled delay” results regarding the 2004 and 2010 consolidation interference study.
Patient told a story. Listened to music. Asked if they remember anything from the story. 0% retention.
Discuss the “Unfilled delay” results regarding the 2004 and 2010 consolidation interference study.
Patient told a story. Rested. Asked if they remember anything from the story. 70% retention.
What did Ribot say in 1882 regarding retrograde amnesia?
Retrograde amnesia is often more severe for recent than distant memories.
Who said “Retrograde amnesia is often more severe for recent than distant memories.” and in what year?
Ribot in 1882.
What is the temporal gradient of retrograde amnesia?
There is a time gradient in retrograde amnesia, so that recent memories are more likely to be lost than the more remote memories.
Who created the temporal gradient of retrograde amnesia and in what year?
Ribot in 1882.
Patient HM had partial _______ amnesia.
Retrograde.
What events were affected by Patient HM’s partial retrograde amnesia?
Could not remember the death of favorite uncle 3 years previously nor anything about his time in hospital.
What was the temporal gradient for Patient HM during early observation? What was the actual temporal gradient under formal testing?
3 years. 11 years.
Patient HM’s retrograde amnesia was tested using the Crovitz technique - what is this?
HM was presented with 10 nouns (cues), asked to describe an event from his life relating to each noun and then asked to date and place each memory. E.g: “River” - we went fishing in Summer of 2010 in Scotland. Scored on a 3 point scale.
What are some flaws with the Crocvitz technique?
How could you check the accuracy? What is the evidence of the events? How many people can accuracy date and time each life event? Maybe genuinely had no memories at a river but was interpreted as he had forgotten.
What methodology did Kopelman et al create in 1989?
Autobiographical Memory Interview.
Who created the Autobiographical Memory Interview and in what year?
Kopelman et al, 1989.
What are the 3 age ‘groups’ in the Autobiographical Memory Interview by Kopelman et al, 1989?
Childhood, early adulthood and recent times (within the past year).
What two types of questions are asked in the Autobiographical Memory Interview by Kopelman et al, 1989? Give an example.
Personal semantic (what was the name of your first school?) and autobiographical (tell me something that happened to you while you were at school).
When Patient CW took the Autobiographical Memory Interview by Kopelman et al, 1989, what were his results over the 3 age groups of recent, early adulthood and childhood?
Impaired but scored better the younger the age group.
What are two theories of what causes retrograde amnesia?
Standard Consolidation Theory and the Multiple Trace Theory.
What is the Standard Consolidation Theory?
Argues that extensive retrograde amnesia is due to damage to structures outwith the hippocampus.
That consolidation is a very long process (which could take years to decades) which relates to the temporal gradient being more severe for recent memories than distant.
What is the Multiple Trace Theory?
Argues that some memories can become semanticized via frequent retrieval and repetition so become independent from the hippocampus.
Truly episodic memories are always dependent on hippocampus.
What is psychogenic amnesia?
Psychogenic amnesia is a memory disorder characterized by sudden retrograde episodic memory loss, said to occur for a period of time ranging from hours to years.
What are causes of psychogenic amnesia?
It has been linked to overwhelming stress, which may be caused by traumatic events such as war, abuse, accidents, or disasters. The person may have suffered the trauma or just witnessed it.
What happens in psychogenic focal retrograde amnesia?
Sudden loss of memory including autobiographical amensia, no loss of personal identity and no wandering and structural imaging of brain is normal.
What happens in fugue transient psychogenic amnesia?
Usually period of wandering, unconcerned (‘la belle indifference’), sudden loss of memory including autobiographical memory and a sense of personal identity.
What are the 3 kinds of organic transient amnesias?
Post-Traumatic Amnesia, PTA.
Transient Global Amnesia, TGA.
Transient Epileptic Amnesia, TEA.
Describe post-traumatic amnesia (PTA).
Any age. Variable duration (minutes to months). No loss of identity. Anterograde amnesia and some retrograde. Caused by head injuries (e.g.: concussion).
Discuss transient global amnesia (TGA)
50years+
4 - 6 hours.
Anterograde and varying levels of retrograde.
No loss of identity.
Repetitive questioning.
Caused by physical and psychological stresses.
Includes headaches and nausea.
Post onset: subtle impairment may persist but no permanent deficit.
Discuss transient epileptic amnesia (TEA)
50years+
1 hour.
Variable mix of anterograde and retrograde amnesia but may later remember attack.
Sometimes repetitive questioning.
No loss of identity.
Causes: Epileptic-related and waking.
Post - accelerated long-term forgetting and autobiographical memory loss.
