Chapter 11 Flashcards
(24 cards)
What is working memory?
A system that holds and manipulates a small amount of information temporarily in an active state.
What is the typical capacity of working memory?
7 ± 2 items.
What brain regions are involved in working memory?
Frontal and parietal lobes (left hemisphere for phonological; right for visual sketchpad).
What are the components of working memory?
Central Executive
Phonological Store
Silent Rehearsal Loop
Visuo-Spatial Sketchpad
Inner Scribe
What experiment tests the capacity of working memory?
Letter-span test.
What are the main types of long-term memory?
Semantic Memory: Factual knowledge
Episodic Memory: Personal experiences
Procedural/Skill Memory: Learned actions
Emotional Memory: Feelings tied to events
What is semantic memory?
Knowledge organized into categories, such as facts about the world.
What brain structures are involved in skill learning?
Basal ganglia and cerebellum.
What brain structure processes emotional memory?
Amygdala.
What makes episodic memory unique?
It tracks personal experiences that happen only once.
Which brain areas are essential for episodic memory?
Hippocampus and perirhinal cortex.
What is retrograde amnesia?
Inability to remember events from before the onset of amnesia.
What happens in amnesia?
Loss of episodic memory; inability to form new memories, but language and working memory may remain.
What is semantic dementia?
A form of Alzheimer’s that disrupts factual knowledge, especially category-specific information.
What is imprinting in animals?
Rapid learning process seen in chicks recognizing and following their mother.
What are place cells?
Neurons in the hippocampus that activate when an animal is in a specific place.
What supports spatial memory in animals?
Place cells (hippocampus) and head-direction cells.
What neurotransmitter receptor is important for memory formation?
NMDA receptors.
What happens when NMDA receptors are blocked?
Impaired learning and spatial memory.
What role do AMPA receptors play?
They may express changes in synaptic strength, but their role in memory is still under study.
Why might a ‘memory pill’ not be beneficial for healthy people?
Because memory requires a balance between remembering and forgetting.
What are some non-drug memory improvement strategies?
Spaced repetition
Attention strategies
Frequent reminders
Cognitive aids like NeuroPage
What is cognitive engineering?
Using strategies based on how memory works to enhance learning and recall.
Why is practice essential for skill learning?
Because skills cannot be learned just by hearing or reading about them.
