Learning & Memory

A Mechanism for Multidisciplinary Dialogue: The Memory & . . . Series

by Hilton Kelly

Mescaline facilitates retention of passive avoidance in rats

by Jeffrey Kahn, M.D.

Jeffrey P Kahn, David A Gorelick, Wagner H Bridger
Physiological Psychology (later Psychobiology) 06/1974; 2(2):120-122.

Tested the hypothesis that hallucinogens produce memory disturbance. Of 81 male hooded rats, half were given 1 trial... more Tested the hypothesis that hallucinogens produce memory disturbance. Of 81 male hooded rats, half were given 1 trial of step-through passive avoidance, then immediately injected with saline or mescaline (160 mmol/kg intraperitoneally) and tested for retention 48 hrs later. Controls were given identical treatments, except that they did not receive footshock during the training trial. Groups receiving footshock showed learning and retention, with the mescaline group showing better retention than the saline group. The no-footshock groups showed no learning, with the mescaline group not differing from the saline. In a separate experiment, rats were given 1 trial of step-through passive avoidance, then injected with saline or mescaline 72 hrs later and tested for retention 48 hrs after injection. The mescaline and saline groups did not differ, indicating that mescaline did not have a 48-hr proactive effect on performance in this task. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)

Forgetting Curves Emerge from Dynamics of Integrated Memory (2011)

by Eva Čadež

Validación de un cuestionario de quejas cognitivas para adultos jóvenes: relación entre las quejas subjetivas de memoria, la sintomatología prefrontal y el estrés percibido

by José María Ruiz Sánchez de León

Lozoya-Delgado P, Ruiz-Sánchez de León JM, Pedrero-Pérez EJ. Validation of a cognitive complaints questionnaire for young adults: the relation between subjective memory complaints, prefrontal symptoms and perceived stress [In Spanish] Rev Neurol 2012; 54: 137-50.

Introducción. Las quejas subjetivas de memoria constituyen uno de los motivos de consulta más frecuentes a los... more Introducción. Las quejas subjetivas de memoria constituyen uno de los motivos de consulta más frecuentes a los servicios sanitarios, aunque apenas existen instrumentos validados en castellano para valorar su magnitud. Así como los cuestionarios de quejas de memoria habitualmente incluyen ítems referentes a aspectos atencionales y ejecutivos, se formulan hipótesis acerca de su relación con otros procesos dependientes de la integridad de la corteza prefrontal. Objetivo. Se trata de estudiar las propiedades psicométricas de un instrumento basado en el cuestionario de fallos de memoria de la vida cotidiana –Memory Failures Everyday (MFE)–, proporcionando una baremación sobre una amplia muestra de población española. Como objetivo secundario, se pretenden analizar las relaciones existentes entre la aparición de las quejas, la sintomatología de origen prefrontal y el estrés percibido. Sujetos y métodos. Se administran el MFE-30 (una modificación del MFE), el cuestionario disejecutivo y la escala de estrés percibido a una muestra de adultos jóvenes de población general no clínica (n = 900). Resultados. Los análisis muestran que el MFE-30 es un cuestionario unifactorial que valora un único constructo llamado ‘quejas cognitivas’. Además, se observa un intenso patrón de correlaciones entre dichas quejas, la sintomatología de origen prefrontal y el estrés percibido. Conclusiones. Los baremos aportados muestran que el MFE-30 es un instrumento útil en la práctica clínica. Los resultados encontrados están en consonancia con estudios anteriores, sugiriendo que existe una estrecha relación entre la aparición de quejas cognitivas, la presencia de sintomatología prefrontal y el estrés percibido.

Palabras clave. Atención. Corteza prefrontal. Cribado. DEX. Funciones ejecutivas. Lóbulos frontales. Memoria. Metamemoria. MFE. Neuropsicología. Quejas de memoria. Síndrome disejecutivo.

Introduction. Although subjective memory complaints are one of the most common causes behind visits to health services, there are hardly any validated instruments in Spanish for evaluating their magnitude. Since memory complaint questionnaires usually include items referring to attentional and executive aspects, it has been hypothesised that they may well be related with other processes that depend on the integrity of the prefrontal cortex. Aim. The purpose of this study was to examine the psychometric properties of an instrument based on the Memory Failures in Everyday (MFE) questionnaire, thus providing a valuation over a broad sample of the Spanish population. A second aim of the study was to analyse the relations that exist between the appearance of the complaints, the symptoms of a prefrontal origin and perceived stress. Subjects and methods. The MFE-30 (a modified version of the MFE), the dysexecutive questionnaire and the perceived stress scale were administered to a sample of young adults from a non-clinical general population (n = 900). Results. The analyses show that the MFE-30 is a single-factor questionnaire that evaluates a single construct called ‘cognitive complaints’. Moreover, an intense pattern of correlations among these complaints, the symptoms of a prefrontal origin and perceived stress is observed. Conclusions. The resulting scores show that the MFE-30 is a useful instrument in clinical practice. Findings are in line with those from previous studies, thus suggesting that there is a close relation among the appearance of cognitive complaints, the presence of prefrontal symptoms and perceived stress.

Key words. Attention. DEX. Dysexecutive syndrome. Executive functions. Frontal cortex. Frontal lobes. Memory complaints. Memory. Metamemory. MFE. Neuropsychology. Screening.

Time determines the neural circuit underlying associative fear learning

by Nicolas Guyon

Spontaneous recovery and ABC renewal from retroactive cue interference

by Gonzalo Miguez

Miguez, G., Cham, H. X., & Miller, R. R. (2012). Spontaneous recovery and ABC renewal from retroactive cue interference. Learning & Behavior, 40, 42-53

Two conditioned suppression experiments with rats were conducted to determine whether the spontaneous recovery and... more Two conditioned suppression experiments with rats were conducted to determine whether the spontaneous recovery and renewal that are commonly observed in retroactive outcome interference (e.g., extinction) also occur in retroactive cue interference. Experiment 1 showed that a long delay between Phase 2 (the interfering phase) and testing produces a recovery from the cue interference (i.e., the delay enhanced responding to the target cue trained in Phase 1), which is analogous to the spontaneous recovery effect observed in extinction and other retroactive outcome interference procedures. Experiment 2 showed that, when target and interfering cues are trained in separate contexts and testing occurs in a different but familiar context, a recovery from the cue interference is also observed (i.e., the context shift enhanced responding to the target), which is analogous to ABC renewal from extinction. The results are discussed in terms of the possibility that similar associative mechanisms underlie cue and outcome interference.

Forget-me-not: Complex floral displays, inter-signal interactions, and pollinator cognition

by Anne Leonard

An invited contribution to a special issue on Complex Signaling

Flowers are multisensory displays used by plants to influence the behavior of pollinators. Although we know a great... more Flowers are multisensory displays used by plants to influence the behavior of pollinators. Although we know a great deal about how individual signal components are produced by plants and detected or learned by pollinators, very few experiments directly address the function of floral signal complexity, i.e. how the multicomponent nature of these signals benefits plant or pollinator. Yet, experimental psychology suggests that increasing complexity can enhance subjects’ ability to detect, learn and remember stimuli, and the plant’s reproductive success depends upon ensuring that pollinators learn their signals and so transport pollen to other similar (conspecific) flowers. Here we explore functional hypotheses for why plants invest in complex floral displays, focusing on hypotheses in which floral signals interact to promote pollinator learning and memory. Specifically, we discuss how an attention-altering or context-providing function of one signal may promote acquisition or recall of a second signal. Although we focus on communication between plants and pollinators, these process-based hypotheses should apply to any situation where a sender benefits from enhancing a receiver’s acquisition or recall of information.

Floral signal complexity as a possible adaptation to environmental variability: a test using nectar-foraging bumblebees, Bombus impatiens

by Anne Leonard

Rainee L. Kaczorowski, Anne S. Leonard, Anna Dornhaus and Daniel R. Papaj

Floral signals are typically emitted across multiple sensory modalities, although why they are multimodal is unclear.... more Floral signals are typically emitted across multiple sensory modalities, although why they are multimodal is unclear. One possible explanation is that multimodal signalling ensures that at least one signal component will be transmitted effectively under varying environmental conditions (the ‘efficacy backup’ hypothesis). For example, by transmitting both component A and B, a signaller can communicate under environmental conditions where transmission of component A is reduced; component B ‘backs up’ A. To test this hypothesis, we determined whether a floral scent could back up a floral colour signal when light levels were low. We trained nectar-foraging bumblebees to discriminate rewarding and unrewarding targets that differed in colour, scent, or both colour and scent, and then presented the targets at different levels of illumination. We measured bees’ accuracy at distinguishing the two targets and their rate of visits to the trained target. Performance on both measures declined under low light when targets were unscented. The presence of scent reduced the loss of accuracy under low light, supporting the efficacy backup hypothesis, but this effect depended upon the colour of the previously rewarded target. In contrast, the presence of scent did not affect the overall rate of correct visits under low light (correct visits/foraging time). A backup mechanism that maintains accuracy, but not rate of nectar collection, does
not necessarily benefit the pollinator. However, it most likely benefits the plant through reduced pollen wastage. In short, multimodal floral signals may benefit the plant by improving pollen transfer, while not benefiting the pollinator

Waite, S. (2007) 'Memories are made of this': some reflections on outdoor learning and recall. Education 3-13, 35 (4), pp. 333 - 347.

by Sue Waite

Potential benefits for learning that the outdoors may hold have been brought into increased focus in the UK by the... more Potential benefits for learning that the outdoors may hold have been brought into increased focus in the UK by the recent introduction of a manifesto for learning outside the classroom (DfES, Learning outside the classroom: manifesto; Nottingham, Department for Education and Skills, 200610. DfES . 2006 . Learning outside the classroom: manifesto , Nottingham : Department for Education and Skills .

This article draws on two recent studies of outdoor learning practices—a survey of 334 practitioners with children aged between 2 and 11, and a case study in a primary school in the West of England. The survey asked practitioners about their memories of outdoor experiences, and in the case study, the children talk of what they remember of their learning outdoors. With reference to relevant literature, the article reflects on how the quality of outdoor experience may sustain and support engagement and memory.

Waite, S. (2007) 'Memories are made of this': some reflections on outdoor learning and recall. Education 3-13, 35 (4), pp. 333 - 347.

by Sue Waite

Potential benefits for learning that the outdoors may hold have been brought into increased focus in the UK by the... more Potential benefits for learning that the outdoors may hold have been brought into increased focus in the UK by the recent introduction of a manifesto for learning outside the classroom (DfES, Learning outside the classroom: manifesto; Nottingham, Department for Education and Skills, 200610. DfES . 2006 . Learning outside the classroom: manifesto , Nottingham : Department for Education and Skills .

This article draws on two recent studies of outdoor learning practices—a survey of 334 practitioners with children aged between 2 and 11, and a case study in a primary school in the West of England. The survey asked practitioners about their memories of outdoor experiences, and in the case study, the children talk of what they remember of their learning outdoors. With reference to relevant literature, the article reflects on how the quality of outdoor experience may sustain and support engagement and memory.

Self-organization of multiple spatial and context memories in the hippocampus

by Federico Stella

Remembering in conversations: The social sharing and reshaping of memory (Annual Review of Psychology)

by Alin Coman

People constantly talk about past experiences. Burgeoning psychologi- cal research has examined the role of... more People constantly talk about past experiences. Burgeoning psychologi- cal research has examined the role of communication in remembering by placing rememberers in conversational settings. In reviewing this work, we first discuss the benefits of collaborative remembering (trans- active memory and collaborative facilitation) and its costs (collaborative inhibition, information sampling biases, and audience tuning). We next examine how conversational remembering affects subsequent memory. Here, we address influences on listeners’ memory through social conta- gion, resistance to such influences, and then retrieval/reexposure effects on either speaker or listener, with a focus on retrieval-induced forget- ting. Extending the perspective beyond single interactions, we consider work that has explored how the above effects can spread across networks of several individuals. We also explore how a speaker’s motive to form a shared reality with listeners can moderate conversational effects on memory. Finally, we discuss how these various conversational effects may promote the formation of collective memories.

Personal Identity, Selective Memory Erasure and Utilitarianism in Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind

by Patrick Samuel

A look at personal identity, selective memory erasure and utilitarianism in Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind and asking "What makes us who we are?"

Accessibility and Motivated Memory

by Baruch Eitam

In this chapter we present a novel framework that integrates motivational relevance and accessibility and outline its... more In this chapter we present a novel framework that integrates motivational relevance and accessibility and outline its implications for the study of memory. We first review a recent analysis of motivation (Higgins, 2011) and a recent framework linking motivational relevance and accessibility (Eitam & Higgins, 2010). We then propose and demonstrate that activation and recall of information – whether implicit or explicit, and regardless of the content of that information (semantic, episodic, autobiographical, or procedural) – are affected by the motivational relevance of that information at the time of retrieval is attempted or measured.

Los pobladores del Chalía, su memoria y el registro arqueológico. Rutas indígenas y transmisión del conocimiento

by Mariana Sacchi

En coautoría: Analía Castro, Ma. Luz Funes
y Mariana Sacchi.
Capítulo 2 del libro: Aquí vivieron. Arqueología y ambiente en Patagonia.

En la arqueología de la región patagónica se han desarrollado distintas investigaciones
que focalizaron, entre... more En la arqueología de la región patagónica se han desarrollado distintas investigaciones
que focalizaron, entre otras cosas, en las estrategias de movilidad y los flujos de
información entre grupos cazadores recolectores. Estos temas fueron estudiados desde
diferentes líneas de evidencia - artefactos líticos (ver por ej. Gómez Otero y Stern 2005);
consumo de animales (ver por ejemplo Fernández 2006); análisis de restos óseos humanos
(ver por ejemplo Goñi y Barrientos 2004); análisis de restos vegetales (ver por ej.
Pérez de Micou et al. 1992); etc.
Nos proponemos en este capítulo presentar las fuentes orales como una posible
línea de evidencia para el análisis arqueológico. “…La información oral, al funcionar
como documento primario, se torna una de las fuentes más importantes, (...) también
puede sugerir nuevas líneas de investigación al arqueólogo…” (Orser 2000:39).
En este sentido, introduciremos aquí el uso de las fuentes orales como una herramienta
metodológica para abordar problemáticas arqueológicas. En particular, nos referiremos
al tema de las rutas indígenas, por un lado, y a la transmisión del conocimiento,
por el otro.
Somos conscientes de que la información que obtendremos tiene una escala de
tiempo acotada en comparación con los tiempos arqueológicos, no obstante la misma
será utilizada para dar cuenta de la dinámica de la población, su organización, costumbres,
alimentación, organización familiar (Funes 2006), en los aspectos que poseen escasa
o nula visibilidad material y que pueden, por lo tanto, perderse de vista desde un
enfoque únicamente arqueológico. De esta forma “las fuentes orales (...) contribuyen
a equilibrar la balanza entre el tiempo largo y corto, entre las estructuras y quienes les
dan vida...” (Vilanova en Barela et al. 2004).

Associative Memory Storage and Retrieval: Involvement of Theta Oscillations in Hippocampal Information Processing

by Federico Stella

Is This a Question? Not for Long. The Statement Bias

by Mario Pandelaere

published as
Pandelaere, M., & Dewitte, S. (2006). Is this a question? Not for long. The statement bias. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 42, 525-531.

Temporal delays in incorporation of events into dreams (1995)

by Tore Nielsen

The impact of overnight consolidation upon memory for emotional and neutral encoding contexts.

by Scott Cairney

Sleep-Dependent Consolidation of Statistical Learning

by Scott Cairney