Lecture 6 - Memory and Executive Functions

Question 1

When does the prefrontal cortex peak in synaptic density?

Answer 1

At 1 year old

Question 2

When does the prefrontal cortex reach adult level of synaptic density?

Answer 2

At 15 years

Question 3

What are the functions of the frontal lobe?

Answer 3

Organizes thoughts, remember facts, start and complete tasks, tell stories

Question 4

What are executive functions (EF)? Give examples too

Answer 4

Higher cognitive functions; cognitive sills guiding goal-directed behavior

Question 5

Explain flexibility/shifting

Answer 5

Shift between thoughts. 3-4 yr olds can already do it, then steady increase with age

Question 6

Explain inhibition

Answer 6

Ability to stop/suppress actions

Question 7

Explain planning

Answer 7

The ability to plan actions

Question 8

Explain working memory/updating

Answer 8

Type of short-term memory, “updating”.
Mastering of WM tasks depend on their complexity.
Develops slowly. Capacity diminishes with age.

Question 9

How to improve short-term memory span?

Answer 9

Rehearsal

Question 10

Which are the two main categories of long-term memory?

Answer 10

Explicit (declarative) and Implicit (nondeclarative) memory

Question 11

Which are the subcategories of explicit (declarative) memory?

Answer 11

Semantic memory - facts,

Episodic memory - events

Question 12

Which are the subcategories of implicit (non declarative) memory?

Answer 12

Procedural - skills and procedures

etc. (others are not discussed)

Question 13

Explain procedural memory

Answer 13

Automatic, unconscious memory (often motor)

Question 14

Explain semantic memory

Answer 14

Knowledge of facts, concepts, word meanings

Question 15

Explain episodic memory

Answer 15

Remembering events and details from the past

Question 16

Procedural memory in old age

Answer 16

Implicit memory capacity changes little. Only issue that could hinder it is biological decline

Question 17

Semantic memory in old age

Answer 17

It’s preserved with age, some parts even expand (vocab, history). But older adults show difficulties when the info needs to be accessed rapidly

Question 18

Which are the encoding strategies? Explain them

Answer 18

Use of mental activities to improve processing of information.
Rehearsal - for short-term memory,
Organization - for long-term m,
Elaboration - for long-term m

Question 19

Episodic memory in adolescence

Answer 19

New strategies develop during adolescence. More deliberate and more selective

Question 20

Episodic memory during adulthood

Answer 20

Decline towards older years. Magnitude of decline depends on the nature of the task and method of testing.

Question 21

What are the age differences in episodic memory?

Answer 21

The differences are mostly in the ability to recall (not in recognition)

Question 22

What is the associative deficit hypothesis?

Answer 22

There is no age difference in recognition, it is actually the association (name and face for example) what is difficult for older people

Question 23

Which are the four hypotheses about memory improvement and decline?

Answer 23

1. Changing in basic capacities
2. Changing memory strategies
3. Knowledge of memory
4. Knowledge of the world

Question 24

Explain the changes in basic capacities hypothesis

Answer 24

Brain changes, change in working memory space for manipulating and processing information

Question 25

Explain the changes in memory strategies hypothesis

Answer 25

Development of effective methods for storing and retrieving information

Question 26

Explain the knowledge of memory hypothesis

Answer 26

This knowledge results in selecting appropriate strategies to learn

Question 27

Explain the knowledge of the truth hypothesis

Answer 27

The more familiarized we become with the world, the easier it is for us to learn and remember

Question 28

What are contextual factors in aging in regards to memory?

Answer 28

Characteristics of learner, characteristics of task/situation, environmental differences > Biological and environmental factors

Question 29

What declines and what increases in the midlife intersection?

Answer 29

Decline: functional health, speed of processing, working memory Increase: knowledge, experience, emotional regulation

Question 30

Is it possible to minimize or slow down decline in midlife with protective resources?

Answer 30

Yes, by adapting our lifestyle (healthy) and interventions cam also help

Question 31

What are strategy-based interventions?

Answer 31

Rehearsal, organization, visual imagery, Method of Loci, Peg-Word Mnemonic > teach strategies

Question 32

What are process-specific interventions?

Answer 32

Training of specific processing systems without providing explicit strategy info

Question 33

What is the difference between working memory and short-term memory span?

Answer 33

Working memory is the active treatment of information; short-term memory is passive retaining of info for 30 seconds. Short-term memory span is also less affected by age.

Question 34

Which type of long-term memory develops earlier?

Answer 34

Implicit procedural (bc of conditioning) - 2.5 months

Question 35

Changes in basic capacities during childhood

Answer 35

Not much change in sensory register and LTM, encoding improves, speed of mental processes improves

Question 36

Changes in basic capacities in older age

Answer 36

Decline in sensory abilities, decline in working memory, inhibition deficit, reduced speed of processing

Question 37

Why does working memory decline in older age?

Answer 37

The prefrontal cortex is not as good anymore

Question 38

What happens to memory strategies in older age?

Answer 38

Adults do not use them spontaneously, however, when prompted to use one they show improvement

Question 39

What is the effect of metamemory awareness in childhood?

Answer 39

Those children who have metamemory awareness have better memory ability but they must be motivated to use the appropriate strategy

Question 40

What is the prospective memory paradox?

Answer 40

When tested in a lab young adults outperform old adults. However when tested in naturalistic contexts older adults perform better than young adults

Question 41

What is needed to carry out everyday activities?

Answer 41

Intact cognitive abilities

Question 42

Biological markers of cellular aging. Shorten with age

Answer 42

Telomeres

Question 43

What are predictors of leukocyte telomere length?

Answer 43

Healthy behaviors > longer

Question 44

What lowers the risk of dementia and increases cognition in older age?

Answer 44

Exercise and physical fitness during middle age

Question 45

Which memory improvement intervention is better? Strategy or process?

Answer 45

Magnitude - both are good, Maintenance - process better (more researched so not sure), Transfer - process better