Lesson 3 Memory

Decline and the Healthy Ageing

Brain

From last Lesson........

Research suggests that the hippocampus is critical to the formation and consolidation of memories, playing part in deciding if information received a by the senses is worth remembering, then organising memories before directing them to other sections of the brain.

What role does the hippocampus play in memory?

Neurodegenerative disease – decline in structure and function of neurons E.g. Alzheimer's disease

Amnesia – Loss of memory, partial or complete, temporary or permanent. Can be caused by either of:

Brain trauma – damage inflicted through injury interferes with functioningE.g. Brain injury, stroke, drug abuse etc

Amnesia

Anterograge AmnesiaCan’t make new Long Term memories ofevents that occur after the injury – hippocampus damage commonCannot transfer information from STM to LTM

Retrograde AmnesiaCant remember old informationEvents before the injury lostUsually temporary and caused by a blow to the headMemory of events immediately preceding the injury are permanently lost (interruption or consolidation)

Anterograge Amnesia

Retrograde Amnesia

Older people Do take longer to learn new information

STM – Depends on the task, easy one part tasks are ok. Tasks that require divided attention are challenging for older people.

LTM - Episodic down, Procedural same, Semantic Same

Memory decline over the lifespan

Not necessarily inevitablenormal. Amount of decline depends on:

• How retention is measured - same

• Motivation to remember • Self confidence• Nervous system condition

Memory decline over the lifespan