Learning & Memory Flashcards

1
Q

What are the different types of memory?

A
  • Declarative memory

- Nondeclarative memory

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2
Q

What is learning?

A

Learning: acquisition of new information

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3
Q

What is memory?

A

Memory: retention of learned information

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4
Q

What is declarative memory?

A
Declarative memory (explicit)
Facts and events – hippocampus
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5
Q

What is nondeclarative memory?

A
Nondeclarative memory (implicit)
Procedural memory—motor skills, habits - striatum
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6
Q

Which brain regions are involved in declarative memory?

A

Medial temporal lobe
Diencephalon
Hippocampus

  • Facts and events
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7
Q

Which brain regions are involved in nondeclarative memory?

A

Striatum: Procedural memory: skills + habits

Cerbellum: Skeletal musculature

Amygdala: Emotional responses

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8
Q

What are the subcategories of declarative memory?

A

Facts and events

  • Working memory
  • Short term memories
  • Long term memories
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9
Q

What is working memory?

A

Temporary storage, lasting seconds e.g. random numbers

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10
Q

What is short term memory?

A

Short-term memories - vulnerable to disruption

Facts and events stored in short-term memory
Subset are converted to long-term memories

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11
Q

What are long term memories?

A

Recalled months or years later

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12
Q

What is memory consolidation?

A

The process of converting short- to long-term memories

There is a flow of info from the short-term and immediate working memory

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13
Q

How does the brain structure aid memory?

A

Primates have a large frontal lobe - have greater capacity for higher level thinking

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14
Q

What is the function of the prefrontal cortex?

A

self-awareness, capacity for planning and problem solving

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15
Q

What regions are involved in working memory?

A

Prefrontal cortex, lateral intraparietal cortex neuron response in delayed-saccade task - located posteriorly in the brain - occipital cortex

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16
Q

What is an engram?

A

A unit of cognitive information inside the brain, theorized to be how memories are stored as biophysical or biochemical changes in the brain (and other neural tissue) in response to external stimuli

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17
Q

Name the theory of memory storage

A

Hebb’s Cell Assembly and Memory Storage

18
Q

Describe the Hebb’s cell assembly and memory storage theory

A

Neurons in the brain are interconnected in neural networks which cause cell assembly (collective firing).

This leads to reverberating electrical circuits within these neurons that continue to show increased activity even after the stimulus is removed

=> goes on to Hebbian modification of these circuits where connections are strengthened between neurons

19
Q

Which brain region is responsible for consolidation of memories?

A

Medial temporal lobe (under the temporal bone) important in speech and memory

Hippocampus is important in consolidation of memories and is found within the medial temporal lobe
Quite closely associated with the neocortex, rhinal cortex and cerebral cortex

20
Q

Outline the flow of info through the medial temporal lobe to become long term memories

A
  1. Sensory information
  2. Cortical association areas
  3. Parahippocampal and rhinal cortical areas
  4. Hippocampus
  5. Fornix
  6. Thalamus + hypothalamus
21
Q

What is amnesia?

A

serious loss of memory and/or ability to learn

22
Q

What are the causes of amnesia?

A

Causes: concussion, chronic alcoholism, encephalitis, brain tumor, stroke

23
Q

What is retrograde amnesia?

A

Retrograde amnesia - still able to form new memories at time of trauma, but unable to recall old ones

24
Q

What is anterograde amnesia?

A

Anterograde amnesia - following trauma being unable or severely limited in capacity to form new memories, but past memories are unaffected

25
Q

What is spatial memory?

A

Spatial memory is being able to navigate yourself from one place to another

26
Q

What brain region is required for spatial memory?

A

Place cells in the hippocampus fire when the animal is in a specific place

27
Q

How do place cells enable us to be spatially aware?

A

Certain place cells are activated at specific locations

Place fields dynamic and adapt to new surroundings

28
Q

What are the 2 models of memory consolidation?

A
  1. Standard model of memory consolidation

2. Multiple trace model of consolidation

29
Q

Describe the standard model of memory consolidation

A

Standard model of memory consolidation
- Information from neocortex areas associated with
sensory systems sent to medial temporal lobe for -
processing
- Synaptic consolidation, systems consolidation
- Post consolidation, hippocampus not necessary

30
Q

What is the multiple trace model of consolidation?

A

Multiple trace model of consolidation

  • Hippocampal involvement is continued to tweak memories
  • Multiple memory traces
31
Q

What are both memory consolidation models dependent upon?

A

Both models are dependent upon synaptic plasticity – ‘the biological process by which specific patterns of synaptic activity result in changes in synaptic strength’

32
Q

Describe the model of distributed memory

A

Once we learn a new characteristic about something/someone, there is a differential change in neuronal activity and the load is spread across neurons

33
Q

Explain how the model of distributed memory works

A

The changes in neuronal response can be explained by synaptic plasticity. The trisynaptic circuit of the hippocampus is often used in studies of this phenomenon

34
Q

Outline the trisynaptic circuit of distributed memory

A

> involves 3 synapses

  1. Informations flows from entorhinal cortex, via performant
    path to the dentate gyrus
  2. Mossy fibres originate from dentate gyrus and synapse
    upon pyramidal neurons in CA3 hippocampal region
  3. Axons from CA3 (schaffer collaterals) synapse upon
    pyramidal neurons in A1 hippocampal region
35
Q

On a molecular level explain what causes the ability to form memories

A

Bliss and Lomo (1973)

Long-Term Potentiation (LTP) in CA1 region of the hippocampus

36
Q

What is the theory behind memory formation and storage

A

Increasing neuronal activity strengthening of neuronal connections

at the pyramidal neuron in CA1 region

37
Q

Describe how LTPs allow memories to be formed

A

Stimulating input 1 repeatedly, shows an increase in excitatory postsynaptic potentials in the target neuron = more responsive

That connection is very specific and directed

38
Q

What is the mechanism behind LTP in CA1?

A

Glutamate receptors mediate excitatory synaptic transmission.
NMDA receptors and AMPA receptors

39
Q

Outline the mechanism of LTPs in CA1

A
  1. Glutamate release
  2. Causes an initial increase in AMPA receptors
  3. Glutamate binds to the AMPA receptors causing
    depolarisation
  4. Activates NMDA receptors
  5. NMDA receptors allow influx of Ca2+
  6. Elevated [Ca2+]i in target postsynaptic neuron
  7. Calcium calmodulin mechanism activate kinases to
    phosphorylate AMPA receptors
    • Increase AMPA receptors + sensitivity
    • Increased expression of AMPA at postsynaptic surface

=> elevated postsynaptic excitatory response

40
Q

What structural changes take place after LTP

A

Structural changes following LTP include dendritic spine growth