Contribution of Human Amnesia Case Studies to Understanding Brain Mechanisms of Memory

Neuroscience:
Critically discuss the contribution
of case studies of human amnesia
to our understanding of the brain
mechanisms of memory.

The contribution made by the case studies of human amnesia to understanding
the brain mechanisms of memory are significant. Memory comprises of four sub
components. The first component is a central executive system that works for attention
control (Payne, 2020). The second is a phonological loop which performs the work of
storage and manipulation of verbal materials. A visual spatial sketchpad is the third
component which finds its use in object and spatial information. The fourth component
is an episodic buffer which stress information. In other words, memory is the ability of an
individual to remember. The present essay critically evaluates the contribution of case
studies of human amnesia in developing understanding of brain mechanisms of
memory.
Memory is divided into long and short term which are further bifurcated into
explicit and implicit. The explicit memory comprises of episodic and semantic memory.
Implicit memory consists of procedural and non- associative learning (Jonin and et.al.,
2018). The procedural memory is further bifurcated into priming and associative
learning. Amnesia is regarded as partial or total loss of memory. This be the result of
shock, brain illness injury and psychological disturbance. Amnesia can be organization
and psychogenic. Organic amnesia is caused due to a shock or injury to brain.
Psychogenic amnesia, on the other hand, is caused due to psychological trauma. The
most common form of amnesia is post traumatic amnesia (PTA) which is caused by
sever head trauma and leads to an inability to keep a track of the ongoing activities
(MacPherson and Della Sala, 2019). Extreme trauma to head may lead to long term
amnesia which leads to inability to recall old memories and encode new ones. In case
of retrograde amnesia, consolidation of recent memories is disrupted due to damage to
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the hippocampus. More severe damage as is the case in anterograde amnesia may
lead to continued problems with consolidation.
There are various advantages of studying case studies. They consume less cost
and time and prove to be a boon when there is limited exposure data. For example,
case studies of Clive Wearing and H.M. have been a great source of information and
developed understanding about memory and ways in which brain works (Elward and
Vargha-Khadem, 2018). Rich quality of data has been provided by these case studies
which assisted in understanding memory processes of brain. The main advantage of
case studies is that these help the researchers in examining the cause and effect of
injuries of brain. These also help in knowing the effects that injury has on memory.
These features make the case studies occupy an important place in psychological
research.
Case studies of human amnesia contributed significantly to understanding of the
brain mechanisms of memory (Szabo and et.al., 2020). Henry Gustav Molaison (HM)
had severe epilepsy from 10 years. In the year 1953, he underwent bilateral removal of
medial temporal lobe. He suffered from severe anterograde amnesia and some
retrograde amnesia. However, the working memory and motor still learning was
preserved. This case study was widely studies as due to the removal of majority of
hippocampus, it function could be tested without the impact of other confounding
impairments. Despite several psychologists and neurologists studying H.M., there was
no difference observed and every day of testing was similar to the first (Blumenthal and
et.al., 2017). Along with various amnesic symptoms, it was found that H.M.’s existing
procedural memories were intact and even new procedural memories can be formed.
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