6 - Learning and Memory Flashcards
What did Lashley observe in rats?
When he sliced their brains, learning and memory did not depend entirely on connections across the cortex
What is equipotentiality (Lashley)?
The notion that all parts of the cortex contribute equally to learning
What is mass action (Lashley?
The notion that the cortex works as a whole, not as solitary isolated units
Richard F Thompson suggested that the engram for classical conditioning is located not in the cortex, but the..?
Cerebellum
What are the five main mechanisms for learning?
Classical conditioning, operant conditioning, delayed responses, insightful behaviour, imitation
What characterizes the delayed responses learning mechanism?
e.g. food aversion after food poisoning
Aside from the hippocampus, what are the two other important areas for learning in the brain?
Basal ganglia and the prefrontal cortex
What is the basal ganglia comprised of?
Caudate nucleus, putamen, globus pallidus
The basal ganglia is most important for g___ learning?
Gradual
What is a Hebbian synapse?
Involved in memory, an increase in effectiveness occurs because of simultaneous activity in the presynaptic and postsynaptic neurons, strengthening the connection between axon and neuron
What is Long-Term Potentiation?
LTP occurs when one or more axons bombard a dendrite with stimulation leaving the synapse potentiated for a period of time
Which properties of Long-Term Potentiation suggest it is the cellular basis for learning and memroy?
Specifity, cooperativity and associativity
What is the principle of specificity in LTP?
If some synapses onto a cell have been highly active and others have not, only the active ones are strenghened
