Download Explain how biological factors may affect one cognitive process

Explain how biological factors may affect one cognitive process
I.
II.
III.
Introduction: This paper will explain how biological factors such as
brain damage in the hippocampus specifically affects the cognitive
process of memory focusing (specifically LTM) on the case studies of
Clive Wearing (Sacks, 1997) and HM (Scoville, 1957) While the
biological correlates of memory are not clearly established, there is
still a significant relationship between the brain structures
involvement with memory. Biological factors affect the cognitive
process to a large extent. The cases of Clive and HM show that if the
structures of the brain are not intact then the cognitive process of
memory will not function.
First Body Paragraph: Clive Wearing’s case study (Sacks, 1997)
demonstrates how biological factors could affect the cognitive process
of memory when Clive Wearing contacted Herpes Simplex
Encephalitis and thus resulted to both anterograde and retrograde
amnesia. Clive Wearing is unable to recall his past and recreate new
memories because of the brain damage in the hippocampus. However,
his emotional and procedural memory still continued to remain intact.
Clive Wearing can still play the piano and conduct music, skills which
he possessed before contacting his illness. These skills are part of his
implicit memory. This is evidence of a distributed memory system,
since implicit memory is linked or connected to a brain structure
other than the hippocampus. His emotional memory also remained
intact. This is clearly demonstrated by the affection he shows his wife.
Thus showing that his amygdala (which is associated with emotional
responses) was not damaged, as it remained intact. Although the
biological correlates are not clearly established in the sense that his
implicit memories cannot correspond and be identified with a specific
brain structure, Sacks (1997) case study of Clive Wearing clearly
demonstrates how a biological factor of brain damage, specifically in
the hippocampus affects the cognitive process of memory. Wearing’s
case study also shows the complexity of the brain as some aspects of
his memory remain intact. However, case studies such as Clive
Wearing’s are difficult to generalize because the condition of a person
is very rare and this cannot be replicated so easily, as other
experimental research studies are generated.
Second Body Paragraph: One of the most famous case studies is the
study of HM. He was first studied by Milner and Scoville (1957). Many
scientific studies were done on HM but his identity was kept
confidential (unlike Clive Wearing). HM’s head injury sustained when
he was nine and suffered from epileptic seizures. Since there was no
medical treatments to control the severe seizures, the doctors decided
to carried an operation. They removed tissue from the temporal love,
including the part of hippocampus. But HM was able to recall
information acquired in early life, but was unable to form new
memories. Just like Clive Wearing, he suffered anterograde amnesia.
But on the other hand he is able to have normal conversation with
people but cannot recognize the faces whom he is talking to. HM was
studied for 44 years before he was put into scanner and it became
clear which parts of the brain was damaged – specifically highlighting
hippocampus damage. With scanners, researchers have a much better
chance of testing which areas of the brain are related to certain areas
of memory and skill learning. The coming of the fMRI shows the clear
link between biological factors and cognitive process. As technology
develops, so will our knowledge of determining the extent to which
biological factors affect the cognitive process of memory.
IV.
Conclusion: Through the case studies of Clive Wearing (Sacks, 1997)
and HM (Scoville, 1957) the biological factors specifically brain
damage to the hippocampus affect memory. As technology advances
and more brain technologies and innovations are developed (fMRI,
MRI, PET), cognitive psychologists are able to learn more about the
brain structures involved in memory. Thus, the structure of the brain
could be closely related to the function of the brain and the
relationship of biological factors and how it affects the cognitive
process of memory. The cases of Clive and HM show that if the
structures of the brain are not intact then the cognitive process of
memory will not function fully. This indicates that the structure of the
brain is an indispensable part for humans thinking and behavior.