Topic 6 Long Term Memory pt 2

Question 1

This theory follows on evidence suggesting that meaning is represented in the brain based on relevant sensory and motor features

Answer 1

Sensory/Functional theory

Question 2

memories of color and movement activate which part of the brain?

Answer 2

ventral visual stream (occipital and temporal cortex)

Question 3

action words activate which part of the brain?

Answer 3

primary motor cortex for specific body parts

Question 4

which word causes the most activation in the primary motor cortex? (throw, lick, kick)

Answer 4

lick, because it has to do with our face which has the most activation in our face

Question 5

This theory follows on evidence suggesting that meaning is represented in the brain based on semantic categories

Answer 5

Domain - Specific Theory

Question 6

How did researchers find that “Domain - Specific Theory” exists? What is the study that was done?

Answer 6

when patients were presented with lesions to different parts of the cortex, they often show word and meaning related deficits related to specific categories

Question 7

Say you consider thinking about a tool. Where in the brain would you say this is activated?

Answer 7

tool -> premotor cortex because we think about using a tool with our hands.

This fMRI showing activation in the premotor cortex suggests that perhaps both the sensory/functional and the domain-specific theory are correct

Question 8

how does looking at a hammer and a camel back up the domain specific theory? How does it back up the sensory/functional theory?

Answer 8

looking at a tool and a camel will be activated in distinct parts of the brain (visual cortex). Looking at a tool will also activate the action part of the brain (premotor cortex)

Question 9

the hippocampus is part of an overall set of structures called the ______________

Answer 9

hippocampus is part of the medial temporal lobe along with surrounding structures (perrihinal, entorhinal, and parahippocampal cortex)

Question 10

from most rostral to most caudal, what are the surrounding parts of the hippocampus?

Answer 10

perrihinal cortex
entorhinal cortex
parahippocampal cortex

Question 11

what are place cells

Answer 11

cognitive representation of a specific location in space. It works with other neurons in hippocampus to allow for spatial processing

Question 12

when do place cells fire?

Answer 12

fire when an animal is in a particular location

Question 13

what theories try to explain semantic memory?

Answer 13

sensory/functional theory

domain-specific theory

Question 14

what theories try to explain episodic memory?

Answer 14

cognitive map theory

relational memory theory

Question 15

what does lesion to the fornix do?

Answer 15

cuts off communication from the hippocampus back to the cortex

Question 16

define the relational memory theory

Answer 16

theory that suggests that medial temporal lobes are crucial to linking relationships together to form an episodic memory

eg, someone asking you if you remembered the elmo costume party last night, and then you remember how you also ate MandMs that night as well

Question 17

what is the role of medial temporal lobe?

Answer 17

theories state that different regions of temporal lobes contribute to episodic memories in different ways.

perihinal cortex is focussed on binding features together

Question 18

describe Hebbian Learning: “neurons that fire together wire together”

Answer 18

when neuron A sends excitatory signals to neuron B and causes an AP, it will strengthen connections-the next time A fires, B will likely to fire again

Question 19

what is reconsolidation?

Answer 19

when memory is retrieves, the memory is reformed , and it is once again subject to interference

• when memory is retrieves, the memory is malleable once again

Question 20

function of perirhinal cortex

Answer 20

binding features of objects

Question 21

parahippocampal cortex

Answer 21

encoding spatial layout

Question 22

when a presynaptic AP leads to a postsynaptic AP, connections between become ______ (Stronger, weaker)

Answer 22

stronger

Question 23

Early long term potentiation (2 points)

Answer 23

• increased presynaptic release of neurotransmitter

- increased number of post synaptic receptors

Question 24

Late long term potentiation (1 point)

Answer 24

• increased number of dendritic spines and synapses (later because it takes longer to grow spines)

Question 25

define long term potentiation

Answer 25

when a presynaptic AP leads to postsynaptic AP, connections become stronger

Question 26

define long term depression

(what is it, what happens in LTD, and why do we need LTD) 3 points

Answer 26

• when a presynaptic AP does not leada to a postsynaptic AP, connections become weaker
• reduced NT released, reduced # of receptors, reduced # of synapses
• need LTD to prevent neurons from firing out of control

Question 27

what does episodic memories (reconstruction) depend on? 5 points

Answer 27

• memory trace
• genes
• past experience
• internal state
• environmental context

Question 28

true or false: memory is a process of replay

Answer 28

false: memory is a process of reconstruction

Question 29

James got into a car accident. Witnesses claim it was James’ fault because he ran in front of the car, but James thought he wasn’t even walking yet. What could be the cause of this inaccurate episodic retrieval?

Answer 29

source misattribution

Question 30

anterograde amnesia

Answer 30

inability to form new memories after surgery

Question 31

retrograde amnesia

Answer 31

inability to form new memories before surgery

Question 32

hippocampus (3 points)

Answer 32

• learns rapidly (single trial learning)
• creates distinct memories for each event/instance
• more important for episodic memories

Question 33

cortex (3 points)

Answer 33

• learns slowly
• extracts generalities across events
• more important for semantic memories

Question 34

old memories tend to rely on the representations and links in the ______

Answer 34

cortex

Question 35

recall and reactivation of memories lead to _______.

Answer 35

reconsolidation

Question 36

what happens if memory is blocked during reconsolidation?

Answer 36

the memory is forgotten

Question 37

true or false: when a memory is formed, it is more or less important

Answer 37

False; this is an old construct

The new idea is that in reconsolidation, when a memory is retrieved, the memory is reformed and it is once again subject to interference.