Psychology Chapter on Memory and Amnesia

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Questions and Answers

Which characteristic is NOT associated with functional amnesia?

Key stimuli can trigger recollection of past memories. (correct)

The amnesia affects personal data including the person's own name.

Recovery of memory is almost always complete.

The inability to remember past events while making new memories is present.

What is a primary cause of Alzheimer's disease?

Excessive neural connections in the neocortex.

Degeneration of cholinergic fibers from the basal forebrain. (correct)

Inflammation of the hippocampus.

Increased production of cholinergic fibers.

Which statement about senile dementia is correct?

It occurs in 10-15% of individuals over 65 years old. (correct)

It is found in 5% of the population under 65 years of age.

It only occurs due to genetic factors.

It is completely reversible with appropriate treatment.

What effect does eserine have on Alzheimer's disease?

It provides some improvement in symptoms. Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary function of the dominant hemisphere in terms of speech and language?

Expressing ideas through speech and writing. Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary duration characteristic of primary memory?

From a few minutes to a few hours Signup and view all the answers

What process leads to the facilitation of synaptic transmission in primary memory?

Increased Ca++ concentration in presynaptic terminals Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following describes the changes involved in forming secondary memory?

Formation of engrams through structural alterations in synapses Signup and view all the answers

How long can secondary memory traces remain in the brain?

Up to several years Signup and view all the answers

What is the role of sensory memory in the memory process?

To retain sensory signals for a very short interval Signup and view all the answers

Which structure of the brain is primarily involved in the initial temporary memory traces?

Hippocampus Signup and view all the answers

What happens to the information not deemed important by the brain during the memory process?

It is neglected and forgotten Signup and view all the answers

What anatomical changes characterize the formation of memory engrams?

Increase in number and size of presynaptic terminals Signup and view all the answers

What is the mechanism that leads to synaptic short-term potentiation?

Increased Ca++ concentration in presynaptic terminals Signup and view all the answers

Which type of amnesia affects the ability to recall past events that occurred shortly before a brain malfunction?

Retrograde Amnesia Signup and view all the answers

What change occurs in the postsynaptic membrane during the formation of a long-term memory trace?

Enhanced sensitivity to chemical transmitters Signup and view all the answers

What is a primary characteristic of anterograde amnesia?

Inability to form new long-term memories Signup and view all the answers

Which condition is typically related to severe psychological stress resulting in memory loss?

Psychogenic Amnesia Signup and view all the answers

Long-term potentiation (LTP) is associated with which of the following processes?

Repetition of new information during verbalization Signup and view all the answers

What is often a result of a lesion in the hippocampus?

Inability to form new long-term memories Signup and view all the answers

Which neurological mechanism is primarily responsible for temporary memory trace formation?

Short-term synaptic potentiation Signup and view all the answers

Which area of the brain is primarily responsible for language formation and production?

Broca's area Signup and view all the answers

In most right-handed individuals, where are the speech centers predominantly located?

In the left cerebral hemisphere Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary function of the arcuate fasciculus in the brain?

Connecting Broca’s area and Wernicke’s area Signup and view all the answers

What does somatosensory area primarily detect?

Tactile sensations Signup and view all the answers

Which area of the brain is most involved in the secondary processing of auditory information?

Secondary auditory area Signup and view all the answers

What aspect of speech function does the lateralization of the brain refer to?

The specialization of speech in one hemisphere Signup and view all the answers

Which part of the motor area is primarily associated with hand skills and writing?

Premotor area Signup and view all the answers

Which function is primarily associated with the primary visual area in the brain?

The detection of visual stimuli Signup and view all the answers

What characterizes non-fluent aphasia?

The patient cannot vocalize words but can make noises. Signup and view all the answers

Which type of aphasia results from lesions in both the frontal and temporal lobes?

Global aphasia Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary defect observed in dysarthria?

Defect in the articulation process Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is a characteristic of habituation?

Decreased response to a frequently repeated stimulus Signup and view all the answers

What type of learning involves modifying responses based on previous experiences?

Associative learning Signup and view all the answers

Which condition is NOT associated with the causes of dysarthria?

Global aphasia Signup and view all the answers

What is an example of a stimulus-specific response in non-associative learning?

Responding to a loud unexpected sound Signup and view all the answers

What is a common symptom of hypotonia in dysarthria?

Flaccid speech Signup and view all the answers

What characterizes sensitization in learning?

It is the enhancement of response to a stimulus following intense experiences. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is a requirement for conditioning to occur?

The conditioned stimulus must not be disturbed by external stimuli. Signup and view all the answers

In Pavlov's experiment, what was the conditioned stimulus?

The sound of the bell. Signup and view all the answers

What defines insight learning?

The integration of past experiences to solve current problems. Signup and view all the answers

Which statement accurately describes habituation?

It enables ignoring irrelevant stimuli. Signup and view all the answers

What is essential for insight learning to be effective?

A strong memory capability and proper recall at the right time. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of classical conditioning?

The response evoked can vary widely across different stimuli. Signup and view all the answers

What is a potential outcome if the conditioned reflex is reinforced only occasionally?

The conditioned response may persist indefinitely. Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Memory and Speech Learning

Memory is the brain's ability to store and recall information later.
The human brain's storage capacity is limited.
Incoming information is classified; the most important 1% is stored, the rest is ignored and forgotten.

Types of Memory

Sensory Memory: The brain retains sensory signals briefly after sensory experience in sensory areas. This is the initial stage of memory. It can last a few seconds and be transferred to primary or secondary memory or lost.
Primary Memory: This memory lasts for several minutes to a few hours.
- Synaptic short-term potentiation: Multiple successive stimuli of presynaptic neurons increase calcium concentration in presynaptic terminals, increasing neurotransmitter release and facilitating synaptic transmission.
Secondary Memory: "Memory engrams" (long-lasting memory traces) are formed by structural changes in synapses:
- Increased number of transmitter vesicles in presynaptic terminals.
- Increased number and size of presynaptic terminals.
- Changes in dendrite sizes and conductivities.
- Memory engrams last for years.
- Formation requires protein synthesis.
- Antibiotics inhibiting protein synthesis (e.g., puromycin) impair secondary memory formation but don't affect primary memory.
Tertiary Memory: The formation of "permanent engrams" marks an advanced stage of secondary memory. Consolidation is the transfer of information from primary to secondary long-term memory and takes 5 minutes to 2 hours, depending on the information's importance. Brain injury or seizures during this period could cause loss of recently acquired memories.

Memory Consolidation

Natural tendency of the brain to rehearse new important information.
Encoding of memory: Information is first sorted and classified in the hippocampus; important information goes to the mammillary body of the hypothalamus, basal forebrain cholinergic fibers, the neocortex, amygdala, and hippocampus for storage.
Access to memories requires reactivation of engrams in suitable areas. The thalamus might play a role in the search.

Memory Trace Mechanisms

Temporary Memory Traces (Short-term): Multiple successive stimuli of presynaptic neurons lead to increased calcium concentration and neurotransmitter release, facilitating synaptic transmission.
Temporary Memory Traces (Long-term): During verbalization, the brain catches new information and repeats it.
Permanent Memory Traces (Long-term): Physical changes in postsynaptic membranes occur resulting in an enhanced sensitivity to chemical transmitters.

Types of Amnesia

Retrograde Amnesia: Inability to remember events occurring before a brain injury's onset, while remote memories remain intact. Temporary primary memory disruption during this period is erased.
Anterograde Amnesia: Inability to form new long-term memories. Primary memory remains intact, but information cannot be fully consolidated. This is often caused by damage to the hippocampus.
Psychogenic/Hysterical Amnesia: Amnesia resulting from severe psychological stress, possibly a functional disorder without physical cause. Often complete recovery occurs.
Alzheimer's Disease/Senile Dementia: Caused by degeneration of cholinergic fibers; leads to memory impairment and inattentiveness. Eserine (a medication) shows modest improvement.

Speech and Language

Speech is understanding and expressing ideas through spoken or written words. Controlled by the dominant hemisphere (left in most).
The right hemisphere is involved in other functions like recognizing faces, patterns and spatial recognition.
Speech Centers:
- Wernicke's Area: Comprehends spoken and written language; stores language information.
- Broca's Area: Forms the speech motor program and is connected to Wernicke's area by the arcuate fasciculus.
- Exner's Area: The center for written language in the premotor area.

Speech Defects

Aphasia: A speech defect not related to vision, hearing or paralysis.
- Sensory Aphasia: Failure to understand language because of lesions in sensory areas. Examples include visual (word blindness) and auditory aphasia (word deafness).
- Wernicke's Aphasia (general sensory): Lesion in Wernicke's area or the arcuate fasciculus can cause fluent aphasia. The speech itself is normal but full of jargon and little meaning; understanding spoken or written language is largely impaired.
- Motor Aphasia (Expressive Aphasia): Vocal aphasia: Lesion in Broca's area; ability to understand words but unable to speak. Writing Aphasia (Agraphia): Difficulty writing.
- Global Aphasia: Lesions in the speech-dominant hemisphere involving both frontal and temporal lobes. Patients lose both language comprehension and production.
Dysarthria: Impaired articulation. This can be caused by lesion to primary motor cortex, cranial nerve nuclei, diseases of the neuromuscular junction (e.g., myasthenia gravis). Other causes include muscle disease, muscle tone disturbances (e.g., hypertonia as seen in Parkinson's disease), incoordination (as seen in cerebellar lesions).

Learning

Learning is the ability of previous experiences to modify inborn reactions or create new ones.
Types of Learning:
- Non-associative Learning: Learning to either ignore or react to a stimulus based on repeated exposure to it.
  - Habituation: Gradual reduction in responsiveness to a repeated stimulus.
  - Sensitization: Enhanced response to a stimulus due to pairing with a noxious stimulus.
- Associative Learning (Classical Conditioning): Learning the association between two stimuli, such as in Pavlov's experiment.
- Insight Learning: The highest form of learning; involves combining prior experiences to solve problems and achieve desired goals. This is essential to studying and professional performance in intellectual fields like science and medicine. This type of learning relies on good memory stores and the ability to retrieve information precisely when needed.

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Description

Test your knowledge on the different aspects of memory, including functional amnesia, Alzheimer's disease, and synaptic transmission. This quiz examines the mechanisms and structures involved in memory formation and retention. Challenge yourself and deepen your understanding of psychological concepts related to memory.