Memory and Brain Function

12 Questions

Which brain region is primarily involved in the formation of new memories about experienced events?

Hippocampus

What is the process by which a temporary memory is transformed into a long-lasting form?

Memory consolidation

What type of memory is associated with skills requiring coordination and fine motor control?

Procedural memory

Which brain area is thought to be distributed in neural networks throughout the brain?

Memory

What is the term for the strength with which a memory is consolidated?

Modulation

Which brain region is involved in the learning of routine skills?

Cerebellum

What is the primary function of sensory memory?

To briefly retain large amounts of sensory information

Which type of sensory memory is responsible for processing odors?

Olfactory memory

What is the primary brain region involved in supporting short-term memory?

Prefrontal cortex

How long does information typically persist in iconic memory?

No more than half a second

What is the primary difference between short-term and long-term memory?

The duration of storage

What is the result of the process of long-term memory formation?

Stable and permanent changes in neural connections

Study Notes

Memory Consolidation

The hippocampus, amygdala, and cerebellum play crucial roles in the consolidation and manipulation of memory.
The hippocampus is essential for forming new memories about experienced events and declarative memory.
The amygdala is involved in memory consolidation, modulating the strength of memory consolidation.
The cerebellum plays a role in the learning of procedural memory and motor learning.

Memory Process

The physical location of memory remains relatively unknown, but it is thought to be distributed in neural networks throughout the brain.
Certain areas of the brain are specialized for collecting, processing, and encoding specific types of memories.
Activity in different lobes of the cerebral cortex has been linked to the formation of memories.

The three major classifications of memory are sensory memory, short-term memory, and long-term memory.
Sensory memory is a mental representation of how environmental events look, sound, feel, smell, and taste.
The temporal and occipital lobes are associated with sensation and are involved in sensory memory.
Sensory memory has three types: echoic memory (ultra-short-term memory for sounds), iconic memory (immediate, brief memory of visual images), and haptic memory (information collected by tactile sense).
Olfactory memory processes odors, and gustatory memory processes taste.

Short-Term Memory

Short-term memory is involved in remembering pieces of information for a short period of time (up to 30 seconds).
It is supported by brief patterns of neural communication dependent on regions of the prefrontal cortex, frontal lobe, and parietal lobe.

Long-Term Memory

Long-term memory takes information from short-term memory and creates a long-lasting memory.
These memories can be from an hour ago or several decades ago.
Long-term memory is maintained by stable and permanent changes in neural connections spread throughout the brain.