Uy, Bryan Gunther T.

11/18/2022
PSY3A

1.       What evidence indicates that the red nucleus is necessary for performance of a
conditioned response but not for learning.

- Basically, the red nucleus is responsible for the necessary response. As such, if a red
nucleus is inactivated during its training… this will make the animal have no conditional
responses during its phase of training. With that in mind, as soon as the red nucleus
was able to recover, the animal can provide conditional responses without any further
training. In such a way that learning occurs while the red nucleus Is basically
inactivated.

2.       Explain “flashbulb” memories. Do you have any experience related to this kind of
memory?

- Flashbulb memories occur simply because of the release of hormones during times of
heightened emotional state. More so, hormones make memories become more vivid
and enhancing to recall. This happened due to the emotionally exciting memories that
were able to stimulate the locus coeruleus, which enables to increase of norepinephrine
throughout the cortex and dopamine to the hippocampus. In other ways, emotional
excitement can also increase the epinephrine and cortisol, which could activate under
the circumstances of the amygdala and hippocampus. I have experienced these kinds
of related memories, such as if I were to associate during the death of my father which
leave me to be in personal shock and also vividly remember what happened on the day
of my father’s death.

3.       Why were our ancient ancestors able to evolve larger number of neurons than
other species?

- The simple explanation is that our ancestors managed to get enough nutrition to
provide a larger and more complex brain with all the fuel it needs such as cooking food
in order to make it easier to digest. Group hunting was more efficient on humans, which
have a better capacity for glucose transport. Also, as the environment became more
unpredictable, it further evolved to the point it helped our ancestors to survive in more
harsh conditions. As such why our ancient ancestors were able to evolve and have a
greater number of neurons than other species.