Ch 24, : Memory Systems - Part 1 (Wednesday Lecture)

What is memory?

The (temporary or long term) retention of information for later use

What is learning?

the acquisition of new information

What does Learning and memory together entail?

lifelong adaptations of the brain to the surrounding environment

• Multiple memory systems of the brain

What is Long term Memory?

Memory that persists for days to years

What is Declarative memory?

memory for facts and events that you can declare or verbalize

What is Non declarative memory?

heterogenous category of memory like skills, habits, priming, and conditioning.

Where does Episodic memory memory occur?

medial temporal lobe

What is Episodic memory memory?

memory for events that happened at a specific place and/or time

Where does Semantic memory occur?

Medial Temporal lobe

What is Semantic memory?

memory for facts/knowledge that has no specific place or time context

Types / steps of non declarative memory?

1. Priming

2. Non associative memory\

3. Procedural memory

4. Fear conditioning

5. Classical conditioning

Priming is linked to -

neocortex

Non - associative memory is linked to -

reflex pathways

Procedural memory Is linked to -

striatum

Fear conditioning Is linked to -

amygdala

Classical conditioning Is linked to -

cerebellum

What is Priming?

when prior exposure to a stimulus affects your response to a subsequent stimulus; not a conscious process

Types of priming

1. Repition priming

2. Semantic priming

What is Repetition priming?

Subsequent presentations of a stimulus process faster than the first

What is Semantic priming?

presentation of a semantically related word. Health = doctor

Types of Non-associative learning

1. Habituation

2. Sensitization

What is Habituation?

Learning to ignore a stimulus that lacks meaning; example: suppressed startle response

What is Sensitization?

Learning to have a heightened response to a stimulus that once evoked little or no response; example: heightened startle response

What is associative learning?

change in response over time to the association of multiple stimuli

Types of Associative learning

1. Classical conditioning

2. Fear conditionin

3. Instrumental/Operant conditioning

What is Classical conditioning

association

between an unconditioned

Stimulus - stimulus that naturally evokes a response VS. Conditioned stimulus - stimulus that does not naturally evoke a response)

In Classical conditioning, what are Motor responses?

Eyeblink conditioning, motor aspects of the salivary response

In Classical conditioning, what are Conditioning trials?

A neutral stimulus and an unconditioned stimulus are paired to produce a reflex (e.g., salivation)

Under Classical conditioning, in Conditioning trials, what is a Neutral stimulus?

Anything the animal can see or hear as long as it is not associated with the reflex being tested (e.g., a ringing bell)

Under Classical conditioning, in Conditioning trials, what is a Unconditioned stimulus?

A stimulus that elicits a response, such as a reflex, without any prior learning (e.g., food)

Under Classical conditioning, in Conditioning trials, What are Test trials?

The neutral stimulus alone is tested, and the effect on the reflex is measured

Unconditioned response Is

A response that does not have to be learned, such as a reflex

Conditioned stimulus is -

A stimulus that elicits a response only after learning has taken place

Conditioned response

A response to a conditioned stimulus; a response that has been learned but the behavior is same as the unconditional stimulus

Describes the proper order of events that must take place in order for classical conditioning to occur

The neutral stimulus is presented, followed by the unconditioned stimulus, which elicits the unconditioned response

What is Fear conditioning?

association between an aversive unconditioned stimulus and a conditioned stimulus that doesnt naturally evoke a response

Where does Fear conditioning occur?

The amygdala

In Fear conditioning, Which is cued v contexual?

1. Cued - Foot Shock

2. Contexual - specific location

Properties of Fear Conditioning

1. Can be cued or context based

2. Includes other emotion related conditioning like food aversions, anxiety responses and aversive memories related sadness or PTSD

Explain the Fear Conditioning test

1. A foot shock is paired with a tone (cued) or given in a specific location (contextual).

2. The tone or specific location are presented alone,

3. Freezing behavior is measured as a proxy for fear memory.

Where does Instrumental / Operant conditioning occur?

striatum

Where does Procedural memory occur?

striatum

Types under Procedural memory

1. Habitual learning

2. Skill learning

What do Conditioning trials entail?

An action or behavior is followed by a reinforcer to shape the likelihood of the behavior occurring again

In Conditioning trials, what is a Behavior / response?

Any voluntary action the animal can perform (e.g., pressing a lever)

In Conditioning trials, what is Reinforcement?

A consequence that either increases (reinforcer) or decreases (punisher) the likelihood of the behavior being repeated (e.g., food delivery, mild shock)

Under Conditioning trials what are test trails?

This is where the the animal is given the opportunity to perform the behavior without immediate reinforcement, and the frequency or persistence of the behavior is measured to assess learning

What is Instrumental/Operant conditioning?

Association between an action or behavior and a consequence, typically a reinforcer that can be positive or negative

What types of learning depend on operant conditioning?

Both Habitual learning & skill learning

What is Habitual learning?

Happens through instrumental/operant conditioning and behaviors like addiction, where actions become automatic through reinforcement.

What is Skill learning?

Gradual improvement in motor or cognitive tasks with practice (e.g., riding a bike, doing quick mental arithmetic

What is Classical conditioning?

Learning that a specific stimulus leads to a reward

What is Operant conditioning?

Learning that an action leads to a consequence