Physiological & Types of Memory [Memory]
Anatomy of Memory
retrograde amnesia
person loses memories for events that occurred prior to the injury
anterograde amnesia
person loses memories for events that occur after the injury
entire hippocampal region & adjacent areas in cortex
critical for many types of LTM
medical temporal lobe memory system
key role
consolidation of memories
hypothetical process involving gradual conversion of new, unstable memories into stable, durable memory codes stored in LTM
hippocampal area
widely distributed areas of cortex
allows new memories
become independent
gradually integrated with other memories
subject to modification when reactivated
temporarily returned
unstable state
restablized
reconsolidation
memories weaken / strengthen / updated
take into account more recent info
make LTM more adaptive
updating process
introduce distortion
Neural Circuitry of Memory
specific memories depend on localized neural circuits
create unique, reusable pathway which signals flow
memory formation → alternations in synaptic transmission
neurogenesis
formation of new neurons
sculpting of neural circuits that underlie memory
new brain cells
dentate gyrus of hippocampus
suppress neurogenesis
memory impairment
many types of learning tasks
↑ neurogenesis
enhanced learning
Declarative vs Nondeclarative
declarative
handles factual information
nondeclarative
memory for actions, skills, conditioned responses & emotional memories
procedural memories
execute these actions
conscious, effortful processs
largely automatic
require little effort & attention
performance deteriorates
think too much what they're doing
more vulnerable to forgetting
Semantic vs Episodic
subdivided declarative memory
episodic
personal facts
sematic
general facts
made up of chronological, or temporally dated, recollections of personal experiences
record of things done / seen / heard
encoding
rapid, automatic
little / no conscious effort
allow one to reexperience past
general knowledge that is not tied to the time when information was learned
associated with 'sense of knowing'
Prospective vs Retrospective
retrospective
remembering events from the past / previously learned information
prospective
remembering to perform actions in the future
easy to forget
interruptions & distractions
failures
serious consequences
sleep deprivation
increase prospective memory failures
major mistakes
deficit
'absentminded'
older adults more vulnerable to problems with prospective memory