Brain Bee Study Guide Notes: Chapter 4: Learning, Memory, and Language
Brain Bee Study Guide: Students can prepare for their local, regional, national, and international Brain Bee competitions by studying Brain Facts, a resource published by the Society for Neuroscience. In this study guide, we have compiled study resources/study guide notes for Brain Bee students: Chapter 4: Learning, Memory, and Language in Brain Bee
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Brain Bee Study Guide CHAPTER 4: Learning, Memory, and Language
- Learning & Memory (Slide 2)
- H.M. Study
- patient in case was Henry Molaison, who had epileptic seizures for many years
- treated by Hartford neurosurgeon, Dr. William Beecher Scoville, who removed various regions of temporal lobes —> seizures lessened but Molaison left with severe amnesia
- IMPACT: researches concluded that the hippocampus and parahippocampal region (which were among those removed) were critical in converting short-term memories into long-term ones
- Additional Points
- medial temporal region in close relation with areas of cerebral cortex which are responsible for thinking and language
- medial temporal region deals with formation & organization of memory but cortical areas deal with long-term STORAGE
![](https://moosmosis.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/1280px-memory_consolidation.svg_.png?w=1024)
- Facets Of Memory (Slide 3)
- Declarative Memory
- DEFINITION: the ability to learn and consciously remember everyday facts and events
- areas in cerebral cortex work with hippocampus to support declarative memory
- information from new experiences enters WORKING MEMORY, an impermanent form of declarative memory
- working memory depends on prefrontal cortex among others
- neurons in prefrontal cortex maintain relevant info during working memory and combine with sensory info
- prefrontal cortex highly activated when people maintain/manipulate memories
- interacts with posterior cortical areas to support executive functions such as selection, rehearsal, and monitoring of info being retrieved from long-term memory
- working memory depends on prefrontal cortex among others
- SEMANTIC MEMORY is a form of declarative knowledge that includes general facts and data
- scientists believe that different cortical networks specialized for processing different kinds of info (i.e. faces, actions, language, etc.)
- functional imaging shows zones in cortical expanse that selectively process different categories of info
- EPISODIC MEMORIES are memories of specific personal experiences that occurred at a particular place and time
- medial temporal lobe areas believed to serve role in initial processing and storage of these memories
- parts of parahippocampal region process the “who”, “what”, “when” info and hippocampus links these elements —> linked info integrated into cortical areas responsible for the info
![](https://moosmosis.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/memory.gif?w=1024)
- Nondeclarative Knowledge
- DEFINITION: knowledge of how to do something (a.k.a procedural memory)
- expressed in skilled behavior and learned habits, & requires processing by the basal ganglia and cerebellum
- cerebellum involved with motor tasks and amygdala associated with emotional aspects of memory
- expression of emotional memories also involves hypothalamus and sympathetic nervous system
![](https://moosmosis.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/tree-boy-watercolor-painting.jpg?w=615)
- Storing Memories (Slide 4)
- involves persistent change in synapses
- LTP is long-term potentiation, which is a long-lasting increase strength of synaptic response following stimulation
- occurs mainly in hippocampus and other areas involved with memory
- occurs because of changes in strength of synapses at contacts involving NMDA (N-methyl-d-aspartate) receptors
- read end of page 26 into page 27 for more info on process of changing synaptic strength
- in above process, molecular “cascade” leading to protein synthesis (which triggers synapse growth) is essential for LONG-TERM MEMORY
- NO SINGLE BRAIN CENTER STORES MEMORY, memory is likely stored in distributed collections of cortical processing systems (each part of brain probably contributes dif. to permanent memory storage)
![](https://moosmosis.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/memory-48118_960_720.png?w=960)
- Language
- APHASIAS
- DEFINITION: different kinds of language disorders
- NONFLUENT APHASIAS are caused by damage to left frontal lobe (i.e. Broca’s aphasia in which speech production abilities impaired)
- nonfluent aphasics still understand heard speech but structurally complex sentences may be poorly understood
- FLUENT APHASIA is caused by damage to left temporal lobe (i.e. Wernicke’s aphasia in which comprehension of heard speech is impaired)
- speech output is fluent but usually sounds like gibberish
- WORD DEAFNESS is caused by damage to superior temporal lobes in both hemispheres
- can’t understand auditory speech on any level
- functionally deaf for speech — can hear sound and identify emotional quality but can’t understand
- IMPACT OF STUDIES ON APHASIA: speech recognition involves both left and right temporal lobes although speech production is left-dominant
![](https://moosmosis.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/boy-dog-portrait-pet.jpg?w=785)
- Other Stuff
- mutations of FOXP2 impede learning to make mouth/jaw movements involved in speech, which are accompanied by difficulties in both spoken & written language
- functional imaging shows that systems involved in accessing meaning of words are partly located in middle/inferior portions of temporal lobe
- sensory-motor circuit for speech in left posterior temporal lobe, which is believed to help speech recognition and production systems communicate with each other
Brain Bee Study Guide: Chapter 4: Learning, Memory, and Language
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Categories: Biology
Excellent article. It reminds me of the aphasia my grandpa had after his stroke. The explanations are 👍.
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Thank you Sally! Very glad to help. Hope your grandpa’s doing well now. Best wishes.
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AWesome 😀
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Thank you Athena!
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You’re welcome! 😀
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Brainy article and study guide.
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Thank you K Stevenson!
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Fantastic article! Makes my brain 🧠 feel awesome 😎
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Thanks Ben! 🧠 Have brainy fun!
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Brainy article!! 😉
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Excellent essay on the brain bee!! And incredibly helpful!
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Thank you Benny! That’s very sweet of you. 😀 Glad to help!
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