0Alejandra Vsquez Vlez October 30th, 2013 Psychology DP Commentary J. D. E.

Gabrielis text Cognitive Neuroscience of Human Memory explains and defines the role that has cognitive neuroscience on the psychology field especially on the human memory systems. Cognitive neuroscience has been the science that has been discovering through the years; reveal the functional neural architecture of normal human memory and illuminate why focal or degenerative injuries to specific memory systems lead to characteristic patterns of mnemonic failure.1 In other words, thanks to this subdivision of the sciences is that psychology nowadays counts with the proper investigations of the role that each part of the brain has whether it has to be with memory processes or not, and how lesions, infections, accidents, etc. affect those processes. On the other hand, it has helped the comprehension of the way the memory systems work in general (retaining, recording information, etc.) The text sums up the neutral networks of the long term memory system. Staring by the Declarative memory, it includes the acquisition, retention and/or retrieval of information that is intentionally recollected, such as the memory of important events or facts. The way neuroscience tests these kinds of memories are by explicit and inexplicit tests. Explicit tests are normally used for testing the events memory (episodic memory) and on the other hand, inexplicit tests are associated with the tests used for the facts memory (semantic memory). The author

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mentions some of the processes that lead to that memory but besides, he mentions the importance and role that some parts of the brain have in those processes that compose the Declarative Memory; such as the amygdala, that because of the nearness it has to the hippocampal, the damage it has also affects important aspects of the human memory. Besides, the texts mentions how patients with damage on this part of the brain tend to show selective deficits in the identification of fearful or angry facial expressions. It also mentions the brain regions that are responsible for the Declarative Memory, known as the Neocortical Systems that are viewed as critical for encoding (processing and analyzing) current experience.2 Skill learning on long-term memory some of the times is completely apart from the Declarative Memory, for example the preservation of all the skills indicates that they are no correlated. All the learning skills include: Sensorimotor skills, Perceptual skills and cognitive skills. The texts explains what Repetition Priming means: change in the processing of a stimulus, usually words or pictures, due to prior exposure to the same or a related stimulus.3 Lastly the author defines the concept of Conditioning on the memory context and the three types of conditioning there are; besides, it narrates how useful conditioning might be in terms of learning and memorizing processes. The last concept defined in the text is Perspective. It narrated how differently we see aspects on our daily life, and those perspectives we have are the ones that affect the long term memory from that specific event.

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Finally, is important to highlight the importance of neuroscience on the psychology field. Thanks to the studies and cases that have been appearing through the years is that researchers know the role of each part of the brain and the role it pays on the memory processes we have. On the other hand, the case studies that are helpful to this subject often have ethical implications (Working with animals brain, etc.), but, because of the mind blowing findings is that the cases are acceptable and important to the history of this field. Personally I think the article counts with all the facts that have to be with memory and how does the lack of a brain part interfere with those memory processes, it gives the reader study cases and examples with a memory deficit, amnesia; thanks to the examples the lecture is easier to get.