Basic Principles of Learning and Memory

Every day humans learn something new: the name of the artist behind a catchy tune, the route to the mall, or how to transfer from bed to wheelchair. Regardless of the topic or task at hand, learning depends on the formation of memories that in term depends on the malleability of the nervous system. The iterative process of memory formation can be organized based on the time course of storage or based on the type of information. Selected sensory experiences are temporarily withheld and manipulated in the working memory before being ‘consolidated’ into long-term memory. From here, it can be ‘recalled’ and changed before being ‘reconsolidated’. Based on the neural systems underpinning it, memory is typically viewed in a dichotomous manner distinguishing ‘explicit’ or ‘declarative’ memory from ‘implicit’ or ‘non-declarative’ memory. Returning to the examples above, it is easy to declare who composed a song, whereas the timing and intensity of muscle contractions necessary to transfer to the wheelchair is a procedure that cannot be readily declared. In this chapter, models of memory formation along with the organization of learning grounded in well-described clinical cases of amnesia are introduced. Motivated by the instrumental role of neuroplasticity in neurorehabilitation, the principal basis of memory and learning, namely network, and cellular neuroplasticity is discussed. Finally, hot topics in learning and memory research are introduced.