Use LEFT and RIGHT arrow keys to navigate between flashcards;
Use UP and DOWN arrow keys to flip the card;
H to show hint;
A reads text to speech;
40 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
|
What is learning? |
acquisition of new knowledge or information |
|
|
What is memory? |
retention of learned information |
|
|
What & where is declarative memory? |
Generic memory such as facts, words. Explicit memory (aware, conscious effort). E.g. what you wore yesterday. @ the medial temporal lobe (hippocampus) |
|
|
What is non-declarative memory? |
Implicit memory (unaware, past experiences influence the current task). E.g. washing your hair. |
|
|
What & where is procedural memory? |
learning a motor procedure in response to a sensory input. where: cerebellum (muscular responses) striatum (habits, skills) amygdala (emotional responses) |
|
|
What is non-assoicative learning? |
change in a behavioural response to a repeated stimulus HABITUATION: becoming tolerant to it or SENSITISATION: becoming more sensitive to it |
|
|
What is associative learning? |
forming associations between events CLASSICAL CONDITIONING: pavlov's dogs or INSTRUMENTAL CONDITIONING: rats press a lever to get meth |
|
|
How can a memory go straight to LTM? |
If it was traumatic or highly salient. |
|
|
What are the 2 main ways of learning? |
1. SPACED PRACTICE: repeating over time 2. MASSED PRACTICE: i.e. cramming |
|
|
What is neurodegeneration? |
the death of neurons & rearrangement of synapses |
|
|
What is synaptic plasticity? |
Long term changes to how our synapses work |
|
|
What is neurogenesis? |
New neurons from precursor cells |
|
|
What are the two types of neurogenesis? |
1. EMBRYONIC: pluripotential stem cells taken from fertilised eggs (blastocyst) 2. TISSUE SPECIFIC: neural stem cells which line the ventricles & lie beneath the ependymal later |
|
|
Depression and neurogenesis |
Depression is associated with decreased neurogenesis in the hippocampus. Anti-depressants enhances neurogenesis in the dentate gyrus |
|
|
The importance of neuron death |
Neurons grow to meet target neurons & if they don't get the growth factors needed then they die. neuron death helps to focus on the output of the remaining neurons. Smaller number of post-synaptic cells = selectivity of neurotransmission |
|
|
Synapse elimination |
Synapses can be pruned to focus contact between cells and get a clearer signal. |
|
|
Dendritic branching |
Neurons grow more branches in response to our experiences. Correlated with enriched and improved learning skills |
|
|
Dendritic pruning |
Dendrites not used regularly can be pruned *USE IT OR LOSE IT* |
|
|
Aplysia |
Sea slug, used to study habituation and sensitisation because they have simple neurons that are similar from one aplysia to the next |
|
|
Synaptic Specificity |
Active synapses become stronger (the more used!) |
|
|
Synaptic Co-operativity |
2 STRONG SIGNALS neurons that fire together wire together if 2 sensory signals are repeatedly received within 50ms of an action potential they become linked and strengthened meaning one signal can have the effect of two e.g. the smell & the sight of a rose |
|
|
Synaptic Associativity |
1 STRONG SIGNAL + 1 WEAK SIGNAL Weak inputs paired with an EPSP & an AP will become stronger with more pairings |
|
|
Donald Hebb's theory |
If the stimulation of the pairing of these cells occurs long enough or repeatedly then there will be change (growth) in the neurons. Successful pairing requires huge depolarisations (within 50ms of an AP) |
|
|
What is a low frequency? |
1-5 Hz |
|
|
What is a high frequency? |
50-100 Hz |
|
|
What is Long Term Potentiation (LTP)? |
Brief high freq stimulation of an excitatory pathway leads to a long-lasting enhancement in the strength of the synapses - LTP strengthens the connections that our brain require to remember - has the properties of synaptic specificity, co-operatively and associativity |
|
|
What is Long Term Depression (LTD)? |
Brief low freq stimulation of an excitatory pathway leads to a long-lasting weakening of the strength of the synapses - LTD weakens and prunes the unwanted connections to correct incorrectly learnt pathways or unlearn behaviours. (the increase in pho sphatases helps us forget unimportant things) |
|
|
What do LTP & LTD rely on? |
GLUTAMATE RECEPTORS! |
|
|
In a LTP what enzymes are activated? |
1. CaMKII 2. Protein Kinase C (PKC) |
|
|
In a LTD what enzymes are activated? |
1. Phosphatases |
|
|
What is BCM theory? |
coined BIDIRECTIONAL REGULATION of synaptic strength (up or down) = LTD |
|
|
What are NMDA receptors needed for? |
The acquisition or consolidation of memory |
|
|
Memories: |
1. Begin as electrical synapses 2. temporarily remain by changes in the 2nd messenger systems 3. become long term when synaptic structures are modified |
|
|
What and where is working memory? |
WM is temp storage of infer so that our actions are ongoing. You can manipulate the info (e.g. doing maths in your head). Involves the PFC of the frontal lobe. |
|
|
How is WM tested? |
Through delayed response tasks. |
|
|
What two types of memory is the hippocampus involved in? |
1. DECLARATIVE: explicit memory; many of ours are episodic. Tested with object recognition. 2. SPATIAL: memories of things in space. Tested with radial arm maze & morris water maze. |
|
|
Alzheimier's Disease involves: |
- Degeneration of neurons - Memory loss - Aphasia (can't articulate ideas/words) - Apraxia (can't co-ordinate movements) - Agnosia (can't interpret sensory stimuli) - slowly progressing dementia - inability to regulate respiration - death of Acetylecholine (Ach) cells |
|
|
Where is Ach prevalent? |
In areas of memory (hippocampus, cortex) & movement (striatum) |
|
|
What does Ach bind to? |
1. Nicotinic 2. Muscarinic |
|
|
What is Atropine? |
Atropine is a muscarinic antagonist that disrupts memory processing as well as inhibits neurogensis. |
