Week 8: Memory and memory assessment

Question 1

What is memory?

Answer 1

Memory is a process by which we take things that we have observed, and convert it into a form we can store, retrieve, and use.

Question 2

What is the process of memory?

Answer 2

Encoding > storage > retrieval

Question 3

What is the information processing model of memory?

Answer 3

A stimulus goes to the sensory registers, some information is lost and some information moves to short-term memory (STM). At STM, some information is lost and information that is rehearsed goes into long-term memory (LTM). Information is retrieved from LTM back to STM and is recalled. Information can be lost from LTM.

Question 4

What is short-term memory?

Answer 4

It is the temporary storage of information which lasts from seconds to hours.

Question 5

What is long-term memory?

Answer 5

It is the storage of information which is permanent and more stable than STM.

Question 6

What is declarative memory?

Answer 6

It is the ability to store and retrieve specific pieces of information or knowledge consciously.

Question 7

What is procedural or implicit memory?

Answer 7

It regulates change in behaviour based on experience, without the person necessarily having conscious awareness of what produced the change.

Question 8

What is semantic memory?

Answer 8

It is the memory of general facts or concepts.

Question 9

What is episodic memory?

Answer 9

It is the memory of information that is situational and context specific.

Question 10

What is working memory?

Answer 10

It is a limited capacity cognitive system relating to the temporary storage and manipulation of information.

Question 11

What is the phonological loop?

Answer 11

The storage system that actively maintains information based on its acoustic and phonemic characteristics. It decays rapidly unless rehearsed.

Question 12

What is the visuospatial sketchpad?

Answer 12

It stores and actively maintains visual and spatial information.

Question 13

What is the central executive system?

Answer 13

It supervises the PL and VS by regulating the flow of information, controlling attentional resources, and engaging the LTM system when required.

Question 14

What is the Wechsler Memory Scale?

Answer 14

It is tool that assesses learning, memory and working memory, consisting of 7 subtests across 5 different domains.

Question 15

What are the 5 domains for the WMS?

Answer 15

1. Auditory memory
2. Visual memory
3. Visual working memory (no auditory)
4. Immediate memory
5. Delayed memory

Question 16

What is the auditory memory index?

Answer 16

It measures a person’s ability to remember orally presented information.

Question 17

What is the visual memory index?

Answer 17

It measures a person’s ability to remember visually presented information.

Question 18

What is the visual working memory index?

Answer 18

It measures a person’s ability to remember and manipulate visually presented information in short-term memory storage.

Question 19

What is the immediate memory index?

Answer 19

It measures a person’s ability to remember both oral and visual information immediately after it is presented.

Question 20

What is the delayed memory index?

Answer 20

It measures a person’s ability to remember both oral and visual information after a 20-30 min delay.

Question 21

What are the strengths of the WMS?

Answer 21

The development of the test was guided by significant research and there is a shorter version for older patients. The scoring criteria has improved, along with ease of administration, and strong psychometric properties.

Question 22

What are the weaknesses of the WMS?

Answer 22

1. Loaded too high on attention
2. Removal of two trials from LM not empirically decided
3. Too long
4. Clinical benefit has yet to be demonstrated
5. Australia adaptation but American norms
6. Small clinical samples
7. Battery approach to memory assessment potentially demoralising for memory impaired people