Information Actually
Changing The Biochemistry

Of The Neuron!

      SHORT TERM MEMORY (STM) occurs within the brain too rapidly to account for distinct physical alterations in synaptic structure associated with LTM.   Hence it is believed that changes in the release and function of Neurotransmitters at particular synapses are the basis of STM.

      When a sensory receptor is activated, the signal is transmitted through the primary input sensory neuron and terminates on the surface of a secondary neuron that is to be stimulated;  forming what is called the Sensory Terminal.   There are two seperate presynaptic terminals, however.   The other presynaptic terminal lies on the surface of the sensory terminal and is called the Facilitator Terminal.

      When the sensory terminal is stimulated repeatedly, but without stimulating the facilitator terminal, the signal transmission is very large initially, but becomes less and less intense with repeated stimuli, until the transmission almost ceases.   This phenomenon is known as Habituation.    This is a type of memory that causes the Neural Network to lose its response to repeated events that are insignificant.