Module 22

Case Study of Memory Impairment

Case of a man referred to as HMS (Milner, 2000; McKay, 2019):
- Experienced severe memory impairment after experimental surgery to reduce epileptic seizures.
- Surgery involved the removal of the hippocampus and losses in the temporal lobes.
- Resulted in the inability to retain memories beyond a few minutes, leading to profound disorientation.
- Before surgery at age 27, he had normal memory; afterward, he felt every moment was as if waking from a dream.

Severe difficulties faced by individuals without normal memory.
Routine memory failures (e.g., forgetting names, test information) illustrate the consequences of memory loss.
Forgetting plays a crucial role in retaining essential information by filtering out inconsequential details.
- Important for general impressions and memories, allowing for efficient utilization of memory capabilities.

Forgetting and Learning:
- Educational Benefit: Forgetting allows for the relearning of information, which can enhance future recall (Bjork, 2015; Boeser, 2017).
Historical Context on Forgetting:
- Hermann Ebbinghaus (circa 1885-1913):
  - Conducted early studies on forgetting using nonsense syllables.
  - Findings showed rapid loss of memory, particularly within the first hour after learning, with a gradual slowing in the rate of forgetting over time.
Key Insights from Ebbinghaus:
- Initial rapid decline followed by slower decline; relearning is faster than initial learning (Radvanski et al., 2015).

Failure to Encode:
- Attention deficit at the time of learning may lead to information not being stored effectively (Nickerson & Adams, 1979).
Memory Failure Processes:
- Decay: Loss of memory through non-use.
  - Memory traces fade over time, but evidence suggests decay may not fully explain forgetting (Rieker et al., 2020; Hart et al., 2013).
- Interference: Information stored in memory disrupts recall of other information.
  - Example: Trying to remember a classmate's name but recalling another's instead (Celizio et al., 2011).
- Cue-Dependent Forgetting: Insufficient retrieval cues hinder recall abilities (Weller et al., 2013).

Proactive Interference:
- Earlier information disrupts recall of latter information.
- Example: Difficulty recalling Spanish due to prior knowledge of French (Arberaar et al., 2017).
Retroactive Interference:
- Newer information disrupts recall of older information.
- Example: Recent exposure to Spanish affects French recall accuracy.

Alzheimer’s Disease:
- Significantly progressive memory impairment, sixth leading cause of death in the U.S., predominantly affects older African American and Hispanic populations (Alzheimer's Association, 2022).
- Early symptoms include forgetfulness; as it progresses, patients lose abilities for simple tasks and communication.
Types of Amnesia:
- Retrograde Amnesia: Memory loss for events before an incident; selective memory loss may occur where certain memories remain intact (Lee et al., 2019).
- Anterograde Amnesia: Inability to form new memories following an incident (Stolberger et al., 2019).

Effective Study Strategies:
- Use organizational cues to aid memory when reading or studying.
- Take effective notes by summarizing main points instead of transcribing everything (Feldman, 2017).
- Practice and Overlearning: Engaging with material several times beyond initial learning aids long-term recall (Shibata et al., 2017).
- Keyword Technique: Useful for foreign language vocabulary, associating words with similar sounding English words (Miyatsu & McDaniel, 2019).
- Self-testing: Regularly testing oneself on recently learned names can be beneficial (Schellenberger, 2019).
- Skepticism Toward Memory Drugs: Despite claims, there is little evidence supporting the efficacy of over-the-counter memory enhancers (Peton et al., 2018).

Forgetting is influenced primarily by processes of decay, interference, and lack of retrieval cues.
Key memory impairments include Alzheimer's disease and various forms of amnesia. Strategies like organization, practice, and skepticism toward memory enhancement drugs can be beneficial.