Learning and Memory

Question 1

how many items on a list on average can be recalled in short term memory?

Answer 1

7 items

Question 2

which parts of the brain are associated with declarative memory (facts and events)?

Answer 2

hippocampus - medial temporal lobe, diencephalon

Question 3

which parts of the brain are associated with NON-declarative memory (implicit)?

Answer 3

striatum, motor cortex, cerebellum - skills & habits
neocortex - priming
amygdala and cerebellum - associative learning
non-associative learning - reflex pathways

Question 4

where are memories stored?

Answer 4

medial temporal lobe: hippocampus

–>changes in hippocampi size correlated with experience?spatial skills

Question 5

how is receptor NR1 related to memory?

Answer 5

NMDA glutamate receptor subtype.

-mutation causes impaired learning in laboratory rats

Question 6

how are short-term memories formed?

Answer 6

insertion of AMPA receptors (glutamate receptor, AMPA chemical binds), phosphorylation, enhanced pre-synaptic release via retrograde signalling

–>with extra receptors, next time glutamate is released, you get more of a response in post-synaptic neuron

Question 7

how are long-term memories formed?

Answer 7

protein synthesis, structural changes (ie increase surface area of pre-synaptic release site–> for a given action potential, more glutamate is released on the post-synaptic membrane AMPA receptors