Biological and Psychological Basis of Learning and Essay

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Biological and Psychological Basis of Learning and Memory:

The human brain is the core of each function of the body that controls operational learning and memory and the interdependence of each of the concepts. The way with which the brain functions is basically referred to as neural processes that are linked to learning and memory. The link between learning and memory is evident through the fact that learning takes place when memory is stirred while memory is stimulated after the learning process has occurred. Notably, every process that characterizes human activity originates from the brain because it's the center of each functioning part of the body. Actually, Wickens (2005) stated that learning cannot take place without memory though some memories can be inborn such as indispensable reflexes and intuitions (p.260). This implies that the learning process is intricately intertwined with memory through a procedure that is continually transformed and updated throughout life. The neuroanatomy of learning and memory has difficult explanations due to the complex nature and huge amount of cells and structures involved in them.

Neuroanatomy and Neural Processes of Learning:

Similar to memory, the learning process significantly relies on the electrical and chemical changes in the neuron synapse. However, learning does not only include changes in synaptic efficacy brought by the combination of various types of synchronized environmental stimulation (Okano, Hirano & Balaban, 2000). Through certain experiments like song learning in birds, brain systems contribute to significant ways in the learning process by producing unlearned biases. These unlearned biases from the brain systems can take place in sensory and motor characteristics of learned behaviors. Information is stored in the central nervous system through synaptic, cellular and molecular events or processes. Therefore, new learning involves new synapses and neurons as well as changes in synapses due to biochemical signals.

Notably, the learning process takes place though changes in synapses, neurons and molecular processes that are brought by biochemical signals.

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While structural changes at the synapse may contribute to long-term storage of information, new synapses are either formed or eliminated through training. The training may not only contribute to synaptic reorganization but also result in new learning because of changes to synapses and neurons through biochemical signals. Generally, the process of learning involves creation of new synapses, reorganization of synaptic input, changes in interneuron modulation, and changes in synaptic transmitters.

Neuroanatomy and Neural Processes of Memory:

As one of the most essential mental procedures, neuroscientists study memory through the use of extremely diverse strategies such as synaptic plasticity and regulatory mechanism (Okano, Hirano & Balaban, 2000). The first mechanism primarily focuses on the roles synaptic plasticity play in motor learning, particularly with regards to long-term depression in the cerebellum. In contrast, the regulatory mechanism uses a stylish chick-quail transplantation system on identified brain regions. The system is used to examine the process with which neural populations interact in development to create behaviorally significant neural circuits and to clarify neurobiological links of motor and perceptual pre-dispositions.

The acquisition of procedural memory and motor learning involves the cerebellum, which plays a crucial role in this process. Moreover, the storage and consolidation of both short-term and long-term memory involves the cerebral cortex, which is the hippocampus, memory storage and limbic system that plays a significant role in the process (Wickens, 2005). The process of converting information from working to long-term memory is stimulated and affected by amygdala. This is the same process that also helps in encoding emotional information into both short-term and long-term memories.

However, research has demonstrated that basal ganglia have a significant role in learning and memory since it helps in the attainment of habits on stimulus-response and problem solving. Basal ganglia are also crucial in procedures involving unconscious memory that involves implicit memory and motor skills. In systematic and cumulative research with rats and monkeys and….....

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