3. Review of literature
3.1 The hippocampus and Cognition
Hippocampus belongs to the limbic system of the brain. In 1960, O'Keefe and Lynn Nadel continued to investigate the functions of hippocampus. The behavioural inhibition theory was defined and justified many questions regarding functions of hippocampus. Eventually their investigations have been published an influential book, “The Hippocampus as a Cognitive Map” (O'Keefe et al, 1978). The spatial coding such as spatial memory and navigation is the functions of hippocampus are universally accepted as with the memory theory (Nadel et al, 1975; Moser et al, 2008). Simultaneously full-fledged work was conducted to investigate the functions of the hippocampus related with anxiety. Connections between cerebral cortex and associated areas
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This electrophysiological study showed that the possible cause of neuronal deficit is by back-propagation of action potentials (bAPs) and Ca2+ transient currents altered after chronic alcohol exposure in vitro model. These electrophysiological changes affect metaplasticity and signal transduction in hippocampal neurons (Patrick et al, 2015). Immediate and early gene studies implicate the role of Hippocampus dependent and hippocampus independent amnesic features in alcohol induced memory impairment animal models. The repeated doses of ethanol (.5mg-2mg/kg/i.p) interacting with neurotransmitter system (GABA) of hippocampus and generated the behavioural deficits. They concluded that elucidation of neurotransmitter systems is most important in alcohol related cognitive disorders. (Ryabinin et al., 1998). Similar studies have focused the effects of psychotrophic drugs and drugs of abuse such as cocaine, opioids, nicotine and alcohol on hippocampal neurogenesis. They have shown the negative results of neural proliferation and cell survival. (He et al,
In Chapter 8 “Where the Wild Things Are,” the author Le Doux looked at the how our brain regions and systems functioned during the development of anxiety disorders. He introduced many researchers’ ideas and theories such as Pavlovian conditioning and instrumental conditioning; then, he listed the brain regions that were associated with anxiety and fear conditioning such as hippocampus, amygdala, sympathetic nervous system, and various brain cortexes. He also explained how our brain became conditioned for different anxiety disorders.
Some researchers hypothesize that the hippocampus is involved in some types of memory processes but not others. This particular study measured brain activity using fMRI during two types of memory tasks: remember (episodic memory) and know (familiarity). A memory was considered “episodic” if the person could recall the moment it was learned and “familiar” if they felt they recognized the word but could not retrieve the specidic moment it was learned. The a priori (pre-selected) region of interest( ROI) in the hippocampus
Due to the influx release of serotonin alcohol produces, the cerebral cortex is damaged and impairs one 's ability to learn, make informed decisions, and retain information. Glutamate is an additional neurotransmitter extremely susceptible to alcohol. Glutamate affects memory and is the reason why some individuals experience loss of remembrance when consuming large amounts of alcohol.
What is the hippocampus? The hippocampus is the formation of memories and a part of the cerebrum.Some people say if you damage the hippocampus you develop a disease called Antevograde amnesia which is the unibaily to form new memories.It also said there are regions that regulates the emotions.
As a college student, alcohol is a very real and prevalent temptation. It is a normal occurrence for a Friday night to be filled with friends, a bonfire, and alcohol out on the lake. Unfortunately, not many students know the effects of alcohol on their brain. I took a personal interest in this subject because alcoholism runs deep in my family. I want to know what effects my personal consumption of alcohol have on my brain and how they will affect my life if I continue to drink or choose to stop.
Hippocampus is a small, curved region, which exists in both hemispheres of the brain and plays a vital role in emotions, learning and acquisition of new information. It also contributes majorly to long term memory, which is permanent information stored in the brain. Although long term memory is the last information that can be forgotten, its impairment has become very common nowadays. The dysfunction is exemplified by many neurological disorders such as amnesia. There are two types of amnesia, anterograde and retrograde. Anterograde amnesia is inability in forming new information, while retrograde refers to the loss of the past memory. As suggested by Cipolotti and Bird (2006), hippocampus’s lesions are
Godsil BP, Kiss JP, Spedding M, Jay TM. The hippocampal-prefrontal pathway: the weak link in psychiatric disorders? Eur Neuropsychopharmacol.
the hippocampus: involved in imagining new experiences and possible future events as well as spatial context being the critical ingredient the hippocampus provides for imagining new experiences and possible future
It is generally accepted that alcohol affects the nerve cell by preventing the production and propagation of electric impulses along a network consisting of axons and synapses. The brain functions much as an electronic system in which one nerve cell, acting as a current generator, communicates information to many other cells, which in turn receive impulses from many other areas. Some impulses are enhanced, others are blunted. Memory and conditioning appear to play an important role in integrating the impulses which are finally expressed as behaviors. Studies in the United States and England have shown that when alcohol becomes dissolved in the membrane of the cells, it fluidizes or disorganizes the membrane, which in turn leads to changes in the physical and biochemical characteristics of the latter. Chronic exposure to alcohol alters the composition of the membrane and its rigidity, so that alcohol
Alcohol can cause alterations in the structure, and the consequences may be evident beyond adolescence. Even though alcohol appears to be a stimulant, really it is a central nervous system depressant, depressing the brains inhibition control center (“too smart to start”). Neuron connectivity is vital to every human. Connectivity can be slowed down by alcohol consumption, which leads the person to think, speak, and move slower (“too smart to start”). Long term effects include memory loss and continuity of poor judgement. The cerebral cortex works with the senses; when the senses are debilitated, information is forgotten and senses do not function properly. The hippocampus regulates a person’s memories. When consuming too much alcohol, or even just one or two drinks, the hippocampus will damage, and a person will struggle remembering minor and large details. Teenagers often gloat over not being able to remember the night before. Even though their night may have been an “awesome blackout” their hippocampus has already been permanently damaged. The person now, can not hold on to knowledge and learn the same as before. The cerebellum controls coordination, thoughts and awareness (“too smart to start”). On most occasions, people have problems with these skills when consuming alcohol. In grade school, D.A.R.E. representatives brought “drunk goggles” to school. Studies show that alcoholism in the cerebellum
Over a time span of drinking, significant changes are happening in the brain but cannot be seen. The hippocampus is one of the most vulnerable parts of the
Alcohol can take a huge toll on adolescent brains as well. In the article, “Teen Drinking May Cause Irreversible Brain Damage” the reader is told that Susan Tapert took a close look into the nerve tissue in teens’ brains. She found that kids who binge drink had “a number of little dings”(4) in their nerve tissue. This shows that there is poor connection with the brain cells. The hippocampus was affected and looked different as well. This affects memory,
Doctors and scientists dispute the exact role of the hippocampus, but agree that it has an essential role in the formation of new memories about personally experienced events. Some researchers prefer to consider the hippocampus as part of a larger medial temporal lobe memory system responsible for declarative memory. When a long-term, declarative memory is made, certain neuronal connections in the temporal lobe are strengthened, and others are weakened. These changes are fairly permanent, however some may take weeks or months before they are complete
involved in memory storage. The hippocampus is a place in the brain that is used to