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NEURO > Memory and cognition > Flashcards

Memory and cognition Flashcards

1
Q

what is cognition

A

the integration of all sensory information to make sense of a situation

requires an ability to remember events and learn from them

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2
Q

what is neuronal plasticity

A

the ability of central neurons to adapt their neuronal connections in response to learning experiences

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3
Q

what is the cerebrum mostly comprised of

A

association areas

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4
Q

what do association areas do

A

integrate information from multiple sources - i.e. multiple parallel processing

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5
Q

what re the 3 key components of learning and memory and what does each do

A

hippocampus - formation of memories

cortex - storage of memories

thalamus - search and access of memories

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6
Q

where are memories formed

A

the limbic system

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7
Q

what are the components of the limbic system

A

hypothalamus (ANS response)

hippocampus (learning and memory)

cingulate gyrus (role in emotion)

amygdala (emotion and memory)

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8
Q

what is the limbic system responsible for

A

forming memories - choosing what memories are significant to keep

instinctive behaviour - e.g. thirst, sex, hunger, etc

emotive behaviour

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9
Q

what drives emotive behaviour (and almost every conscious thing we do)

A

reward or punishment - form the affective components of sensory experiences

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10
Q

what are the rewards and punishment responses that can be elicited by electrical stimulation of the limbic system in patients

A

rewards - can elicit intense feelings of well being, euphoria, sexual arousal

punishments - can elicit terror, anger, pain

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11
Q

what happens to experiences that are neither rewarding or punishing

A

deemed insignificant and barely remembered

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12
Q

where does sensory information for memories first travel

A

first through hippocampus - then relayed to other limbic system structures

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13
Q

what can happen to people with bilateral hippocampal damage

A 
have immediate (sensory) memory and intact long-term memory (from before damage)
BUT
unable to form new long term memories

relfexive motor memory (motor skills) remain intact

**unilateral damage not as severe

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14
Q

what are the 4 type of memory

A

immediate/sensory
short term
intermediate long term
long term

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15
Q

what is immediate/sensory memory

A

a few seconds.

describes the ability to hold experiences in the mind for a few seconds.

based on different sensory modalities.

Visual memories decay fastest (<1s), auditory ones slowest (<4s)

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16
Q

what is short term memory

A

seconds - hours.

often called Working Memory.

used for short term tasks such as dialling a phone number, mental arithmetic, reading a sentence.

associated with reverberating circuits

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17
Q

what is intermediate long term memory

A

hours to weeks e.g. what you did last weekend.

associated with chemical adaptation at the presynaptic terminal.

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18
Q

what is long term memory

A

can be lifelong. e.g. where you grew up and your childhood friends.

associated with structural changes in synaptic connections

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19
Q

what does short term memory depend on

A

maintained excitation from reverberating circuits - i.e. need to be constantly refreshed

20
Q

how does a reverberating circuit work

A

A to B with a loop of synapses off to the side in-between

each synapse is excitatory so a brief excitatory stimulus at A will cause long lasting neuronal activity at B as the reverberating circuit neurons continue to excite all neurons in the pathway

keeps the short term memory alive

21
Q

what happens to short term memory if they are deemed insignificant or significant respectively

A

insignificant - reverberation fades, memory lost

significant - reverberation results in consolidation of the memory into long term memory

22
Q

how can reverberation be disrupted

A

head injury, infection involving hippocampus and or/thalamus

23
Q

what is the result of disruption to reverberation

A

memory loss - amnesia

24
Q

what are the two types of amnesia

A

anterograde - cannot form new memories

retrograde - cannot access (more recent) old memories

25
Q

what occurs in anterograde amnesia

A

inability to recall events that happen after the injury.

depending on the severity of the injury this can be short lived or permanent.

destruction of the hippocampus results in permanent inability to form new memories

26
Q

what occurs in retrograde amnesia

A

can’t remember events leading up to the injury,

recall of events that happened a long time ago is usually unaffected, probably because they are better rehearsed and more deeply ingrained

27
Q

how does retrograde amnesia usually present

A

with anterograde amnesia

28
Q

what type of amnesia would be seen if the thalamus is damaged but hippocampus spared and what does this suggest

A

retrograde only

suggests thalamus is required for searching existing memory bank

29
Q

what occurs in intermediate long term memory

A

involves chemical cages in presynaptic neurons

increasing Ca++ entry to presynaptic terminals increased neurotransmitter release

30
Q

what occurs in long term memory

A

structural changes at the synapse

increased amplitude in graded membrane potential (EPSP) in post synaptic cells = strengthens synapse

31
Q

what are the structural changes seen at the synapses

A

Increase in NT release sites on presynaptic membrane.

Increase in number of NT vesicles stored and released.

Increase in number of presynaptic terminals

32
Q

what are the 2 main types of long term memory

A

declarative/explicit memory

procedural/reflexive/implicit memory

33
Q

what is declarative/explicit memory

A

Abstract memory for events (episodic memory) and for words, rules and language (semantic memory).

Relies heavily on the hippocampus

34
Q

what is procedural/reflexive/implicit memory

A

Acquired slowly through repetition.

Includes motor memory for acquired motor skills and rules based learning

Is based mainly in the cerebellum.

Is independent of hippocampus

35
Q

what can thinking about procedural memories do

A

impair performance

36
Q

how is short term memory converted to long term memory

A

through consolidation - selective strengthening of synaptic connections through repetition - takes hours/days

require attention - therefore is harder when you are tired

37
Q

why is memory vulnerable during the consolidation stage

A

exists as an electrical impulse - vulnerable to being wiped out

38
Q

what does memory recall depend on

A

the significance of the event - assessed by the frontal cortex and associated reward/punishment centres of the limbic system

39
Q

how does consolidation occur

A

reverberation between the papez circuit, frontal cortex, sensory and association areas

40
Q

what is the papez circuit

A

neural circuit part of consolidation gated by the frontal cortex

involves reverberation in a circle between:

  1. hippocampus
  2. maxillary bodies
  3. anterior thalamus
  4. cingulate gyrus
41
Q

why can recall be evoked by multiple associations

A

different components of the memory are laid down in different parts of the brain - e.g. visual components in visual cortex, auditory in auditory cortex etc

42
Q

why can smells be powerful stimuli in evoking long term memory

A

its route thought the limbic system:

olfactory stimuli are relayed from the olfactory tract through the amygdala and hippocampus to the prefrontal cortex where they are acknowledged

43
Q

why is memory consolidation impaired in chronic alcoholism (korsakoffs syndrome)

A

Vit B1 déficience - leads to damage of limbic structures

44
Q

why is memory impaired in Alzheimers

A

severe loss of cholinergic neurons throughout the brain, including hippocampus

some improvement can be seen with anti-cholinesterase BUT underlying degeneration continues

45
Q

how can REM sleep deprivation affect memory

A

significantly impairs memory consolidation for complex tasks

patients with korsakoffs and alzheimers have greatly reduced REM (cholinergic neurones responsible for REM)

46
Q

what are inherited memories

A

evidence suggests we are born with some inherited memories essential for surviving e.g. new born monkeys scared of snakes despite never countering once before

NEURO (51 decks)

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