L # 57: MEMORY PROCESSES AND LEARNING THEORY

Dr.Khaled Ezam PhD Physiology

2011

: Learning Objectives At the end of the lecture you should be able to: List the types of memory Explain the mechanisms of memory Describe how memory is consolidated Explain encoding of memory list types of amnesia list the main ways of learning
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Memory
Definition: The process of recovering information

about past events or knowledge the ability to recall knowledge as well as events that have happened to us in the past.

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TYPES OF MEMORY

Sensory memory: few seconds (just long enough to develop a perception) Short term memory working memory limited in time several sec. to a min. increased with rehearsal & If it is presented in meaningful rows instead of just scrambled..
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 Long term memory: Unlike short term and sensory memory, can be stored for several years. permanent

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Long term memory is that information that sticks with you for a long time, on the order of days, weeks and years . Declarative (Conscious) Non-declarative (Non Conscious)
includes things like procedural memory, certain habit learning or skills learned that have now become totally unconscious (Like driving( The skills like speaking, typing, riding a bike, also rely on procedural memory. Controlled largely by the brain motor areas, but may also intermittently interact with declarative systems.

Episodic memory refers to personal life memories, events you took part in, what you had for breakfast yesterday, childhood experiences

Semantic memory is more general knowledge about the world and language, such as

as who was the first person who win the Nobel prize in Medicine. 2011

Mechanism of sensory memory and short term memory

Mechanism: it is due to electrical changes in cerebral cortex It is fragile and can be lost Anesthesia Brain concussion Hypothermia Electro convulsion shock
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Long term memory

biochemical theories
Mechanism: it depends on protein synthesis (DNA

RNA and enzymatic activity in the synapse)

neural circuit theories there may be specific circuits in the brain for specific memories Mechanism: there may be dendritic growth
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How does short term memory "stuff" get into long term memory
By rehearsal Types of rehearsal:
1. maintenance rehearsal: simple recitation 2. elaborative rehearsal: meaning of the information is involved and this is more likely to cause shift into long term memory

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ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURES OF LONG TERM MEMORY

Clustering: related items are usually remembered together Conceptual: classification scheme used when possible to organize memories Semantic networks: less neatly organized bunches of conceptual linked together by associations to other concepts
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 Schemas: are clusters of knowledge about an

event or object abstracted from prior experience with the object (we tend to recall objects that fit our conception of the situation better than ones that do not) A script: is a schema which organizes our knowledge about common things or activities: if you know the script applicable to the event, you can better remember the elements of the event
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Encoding
It is an active process and requires selective attention to the material to be encoded Types of encoding: structural encoding: shallow level phonemic encoding: intermediate level semantic encoding: deep processing
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Retrieval
not a random process cues can help with retrieval context cues: the reinstatement of context cues that accounts for the helpfulness of hypnosis in recall mood: refers to the improvement in recall that can occur when the same emotional state is created as was present in the acquisition phase
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Memory (brain regions)

Short-term: Memory of recent events. Medial temporal lobe: consolidates short term into long term memory. Hippocampus is critical component of memory. Acquisition of new information, facts and events requires both the medial temporal lobe and hippocampus.
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Some of the brain regions involved in creating long-term memories.

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Long-term: Requires activation of genes, leading to protein synthesis. Growth of dendritic spines. Formation of new synaptic connections. - Cerebral cortex stores factual information - Prefrontal lobes involve retrieval of parts of memories from different areas of the brain to use as a whole

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Consolidation of memory
It is the change of STM to LTM Site: HIPPOCAMPUS Consolidation of memory increased

by: Repetition (Reharsement) Mental concentration Caffeine Nicotine Amphetamine
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Memory loss = Amnesia Short term memory loss Synaptic fatigue Anathesia Brain concussion Anterograde amnesia It is loss of consolidation of memory while the remote and life term memory are intact It is caused by lesion in HIPPOCAMPUS
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Retrograde amnesia Inability to retrieve information It is the loss of LTM (remote memory) while the recent memory is intact Dementias: Loss of recent memory, impaired learning, intellectual decline e.g. Alzheimer's diseases.
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Pathologies of the Brain

Head trama Schizophrenia Epilepsy Depression Alzheimer's
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Learning
Learning and memory are different sides of the same coin. Memories are what left behind as a result of learning we infer the existence of learning from the presence of memories.

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 Learning is the storage of the inform. as a function of experience and resulting in a relatively permanent change in personality, and reflect a changes in performance usually brought about by practice although it may arise from insight or other factors including memory. Which we mean any process whereby a person or a machine increases its knowledge or improves its skill.
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Types of learning:
Cognitive: mental skills (Knowledge) Affective: growth in feelings or emotional areas (Attitude) Psychomotor: manual or physical skills (Skills)

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