NEUR3101 Lecture Notes - Lecture 24: Long-Term Potentiation, Long-Term Depression, Donald O. Hebb
Document Summary
Number of neurons in the adult brain does not increase significantly with age -> memory cannot be the result of new neuron production. Memories might be formed by strengthening the connections between existing neurons. That there is an "internal" representation of external stimuli, and the neurons associated with that object would light up. Consistent activation of the pathway from axon a to axon b will strengthen this pathway. Found long term potentiation (ltp) at glutamatergic synapses in the hippocampus. Ltp and ltd have been postulated to be substrates for various forms of learning and memory formation, but evidence for this idea is still inconclusive. Declarative memory - conscious memory of which you can give. Even events in life - like what you had for breakfast this morning - episodic event. Easy to form, but are also easy to lose. Nondeclarative memories (several categories) procedural memory, motor skills, to play the violin, ride a bicycle, tie our shoes.
