6. Sensation, Perception, Learning & Memory | Quizlet

Motor Cortex

The primary motor cortex (M1 Area 4) and premotor cortex (PMA SMA Area 6) are involved in planning, initiating, and directing voluntary movements.

The Cerebellum

Critical for movement accuracy and motor learning. It corrects errors by comparing the intended movement (from the cortex) with the actual movement (sensory feedback).

Circuitry

Involves a deep excitatory loop and a cortical inhibitory loop.

The Basal Ganglia

A group of nuclei (caudate, putamen, globus pallidus, subthalamic nucleus, substantia nigra) that helps select and produce skilled movements.

Direct Pathway (Basal Ganglia)

Facilitates the expression of an intended motor program by disinhibiting the thalamus.

Indirect Pathway (Basal Ganglia)

Suppresses competing motor programs by exciting the surround region of the internal globus pallidus.

Parkinson's Disease (Basal Ganglia)

Loss of dopamine disrupts the balance between the direct and indirect pathways causing rigidity and difficulty moving.

Declarative (Explicit) Memory

Things you can tell others. Includes Episodic (events) and Semantic (facts) memories. Formation is highly dependent on the hippocampus.

Nondeclarative (Implicit) Memory

Things you can show by doing. Includes Procedural (skills/habits) which involves the striatum and cerebellum.

The "Low Road"

A fast instinctive pathway (Thalamus → Amygdala) for an instant subconscious "danger!" signal allowing reaction before conscious awareness.

The "High Road" (Fear Perception)

A slow accurate pathway (Thalamus → Sensory Cortex → Amygdala) where sensory information is fully processed for conscious identification of a threat.

Long-Term Potentiation (LTP)

Repeated stimulation of a synapse leads to a stronger response from the neuron. It lasts hours or longer and is linked to memory.

Long-Term Depression (LTD)

The opposite of LTP; a weakened connection if neurons don't fire together.

James-Lange Theory

Bodily responses occur first and cause emotional feelings.

Cannon-Bard Theory

Bodily responses and feelings occur simultaneously and independently.

Schachter-Singer (Two-Factor) Theory

Emotion is the result of bodily response + cognitive appraisal (we interpret the context to label the feeling).

Memory Consolidation

A process where the Medial Temporal Lobe (MTL) and the cortex resonate with each other to establish a permanent memory trace in the neocortex.

Dorsal System (Voluntary Attention)

Involves the frontal eye fields (FEF) and intraparietal sulcus (IPS/SPL) for top-down goal-directed attention.

Ventral System (Reflexive Attention)

2 Attentional systems: Involves the temporoparietal junction (TPJ) and ventral frontal cortex (VFC) for bottom-up stimulus-driven attention.

Climbing fibers

They signal errors.

Mossy fibers

They provide context.

Purkinje cells

The sole output of the cerebellar cortex.