Biology and Memory Biology and Memory The Hippocampus

Biology and Memory

Biology and Memory

The Hippocampus

Anatomy of Memory Damage to the hippocampus results in anterograde amnesia

Anatomy of Memory • Amygdala: emotional memory and memory consolidation • Hippocampus: memory recognition, spatial, episodic memory, laying down new declarative long-term memories • Thalamus, formation of new memories and working memories • Cortical Areas: encoding of factual memories, storage of episodic and semantic memories, skill learning, priming.

Memory Deficiency & Memory #9 Explain how biological factors affect ONE cognitive process (memory) Alzheimer’s Disease Alzheimer Brain

Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) • Degenerative brain disease – Symptoms are gradual – Progression is continuous and irreversible • Symptoms (2 cognitive symptoms) – Main: memory impairment • Attentions, language (speaking/understanding) impaired movement, altered personality – Progression • Depression, hallucinations, delusions, loss of sleep and appetite

What memory is impacted? • Episodic memory! – Less impact: Memory from distant pass • Procedural memory less impacted through most of the course of the disease

The Brain and AD • Temporal Lobe – Main responsibility • Why? – f. MRI shows a decrease in activity – Important to episodic memory • Stages in Brain change – Temporal Lobe + hippocampus – Parietal lobes – Other regions

Acetylcholine & AD • AD shows a decrease in acetylcholine (neurotransmitter) – Hippocampus contains high levels of acetylcholine

Learning Objective #12 12. Discuss the use of technology in investigating cognitive processes • Alzheimer’s and f. MRI • Hippocampus and f. MRI

Perception and Biology

• Each type of sensory receptor takes some sort of external stimulus and converts it into a chemicalelectrical message that can be understood by the brain. • Perception is based on Sensation!!! • Top-Down Perception • Incorporate sensation biology with other higher level thinking (memory) • Bottom-Up Perception • Based on sensation alone

• Vision: – Receptors Retina • Rods (Light) night vision • Cones (color) – Stimuli Light • Color, depth, pattern, motion • Hearing – Receptors • Hair cells in inner ear • Auditory nerve – Stimuli • Sound (Noises & tone)

• Smell – Receptors • Hair cells of olfactory membrane – Stimuli • Odors • Taste – Receptors • Taste buds of tongue – Stimuli • Flavors (sweet, sour, salty, bitter) • Both usually respond to chemicals

• Skin Sensation – Receptors • Nerve endings in skin – Stimuli • Pressure • Pain • Temperature (warm, cold)