Cognition - chapter 7 - Long-term Memory Systems

This set of flashcards focuses on key concepts regarding long-term memory systems, specifically on the relationships and distinctions between different types of memory and their underlying brain mechanisms.

What are category-specific deficits?

Disorders caused by brain damage that disrupt semantic memory for certain semantic categories.

What brain area is mainly associated with semantic dementia?

The anterior temporal lobes.

What effect did transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) have on concept processing?

TMS disrupted concept processing comparably in both anterior temporal lobes.

What did Pobric et al. (2010b) study about the inferior parietal lobule?

They found it is involved in specific processing related to manipulable objects.

What type of stimulation was used in Pobric et al. (2010a)?

Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS).

What role does the ventral anterior temporal lobe play according to Murphy et al. (2017)?

It responds to meaning and acts as a hub.

What is an important finding from Ishibashi et al. (2018) regarding anodal tDCS?

It enhanced performance on tasks requiring access to semantic information.

What is the main function of schemas?

Schemas are organized packets of information about the world, events, or people.

How is a script defined in relation to a schema?

A script is a form of schema containing information about a sequence of events.

What are two main areas of the brain involved in schema processing?

The ventromedial prefrontal cortex and the hippocampus.

What evidence supports the hub-and-spoke model?

Findings that concepts are represented by abstract core information and modality-specific information in the brain.

What are the limitations of the hub-and-spoke model?

It emphasizes single concept processing, not relations between concepts.

What issues did Mesulam et al. (2013) find regarding the anterior temporal lobes?

Damage primarily to the left anterior temporal lobe affected verbal concepts more than visually triggered ones.

How do semantic dementia patients perform on script knowledge tasks?

They have difficulties accessing script knowledge due to impairments in concept knowledge.

What are perceptual priming and conceptual priming?

Perceptual priming facilitates processing of perceptual features; conceptual priming facilitates processing of meaning.

What is an example of procedural memory?

Skill learning, such as playing a musical instrument.

In what way do amnesic patients typically perform on non-declarative tasks?

They show intact skill learning despite having severely impaired declarative memory.

What was the key finding of Oudman et al. (2015) regarding amnesic patients?

They demonstrated nearly intact non-declarative memory in various tasks.

What did researchers find about priming in amnesic patients?

Amnesic patients show equivalent perceptual priming to healthy controls but some have modest impairment.

What did Kim (2017a) identify as associated with repetition suppression?

Reduced activation in the ventromedial prefrontal cortex.

What is repetition enhancement in memory?

Increased brain activity associated with repeated stimulus presentation.

What does a double dissociation in memory research imply?

Evidence that two cognitive processes are independent of each other.

How does the role of the striatum relate to Parkinson's disease and non-declarative learning?

Patients with striatum damage typically have impaired non-declarative learning.

What evidence shows intact declarative memory in Parkinson's patients?

They perform normally on free recall, cued recall, and recognition memory despite non-declarative impairment.

What is a major conclusion about skill learning in amnesic patients?

They often have intact skill learning even with severe impairment in declarative memory.

What did Cavaco et al. (2004) reveal about amnesic patients?

They showed comparable learning on real-world skills to healthy controls despite impairment in declarative memory.