How your memory works

Sherlock Holmes believed that the brain stores memories like an attic, with a limited capacity.

Dr. Watson informed Holmes that Earth orbits the sun, to which Holmes answered, “Now that I know it, I shall do my best to forget it.”

Holmes believed that storing trivia and random data in the attic would make it difficult to distinguish finer variations between dangerous poisons.

Was Holmes right?

Is our memory limited like computer storage?

Do we have limitless memory?

What would life be like if we had perfect memory and never forgot anything?

In the animated film Inside Out, memories are represented as luminous spheres in the brain, similar to library books.

However, reality is more complicated.

No single brain region functions as a memory bank.

Individual memories are dispersed throughout the brain.

Multiple brain cells in several locations collaborate to form a single memory.

For instance, remembering grandma's apple pie involves several brain cells, such as those that recall its appearance, smell, and taste.

In actuality, memories are not physical objects found in any brain cell.

An action, not an item.

Consider baseball supporters performing “the wave”: the magic occurs when all fans perform their part in a certain order.

Similarly, memories are formed when several neurons fire in a precise pattern.

One neuron group can encode various memories due to the distinct firing patterns of the same cells.

This enhances brain memory storage.

The hippocampus, a clump of seahorse-shaped cells in the brain, was termed by 18th-century scientists.

Without your seahorse, you may forget.

Our understanding of memory is largely attributed to a renowned patient, H.M., identified only by his initials.

H.M. experienced severe amnesia after a 1953 epilepsy surgery that destroyed most of his hippocampus. He was unable to form new memories, but could recall information from before the surgery.

The study revealed that the hippocampus plays a role in memory formation but does not store them.

Experiences become memories how?

The brain of a mouse in a maze can be mapped to reveal which cells are active during the experience [mouse in maze].

In later stages, mouse brain cells fire in repetitive patterns, reliving the experience repeatedly to strengthen connections between cells.

Consolidation is the process by which animals, including humans, store new memories for long-term storage.

The mouse brain may retain maze memories through a smell, similar to how smelling cinnamon may bring back memories of grandma days or weeks later.

However, the brain's memory-creation process is not perfect.

Mental replays of imagined experiences can be as vivid as genuine ones.

Imagining a crime scene through description activates similar brain networks as if in person.

As you relive the experience, it becomes more real in your imagination.

A detective who asks leading inquiries may unintentionally plant a false memory in a witness.

Although we recall plenty, we forget even more.

Not only do we forget accidentally, but our brains also intentionally forget.

At least three ways to forget exist.

One type of memory loss is called “passive oblivescence” (a term you may forget).

Over time, brain cell connections may deteriorate, or memories may remain but triggers (sights, sounds, odors) may be lost.

When neurons are used in many memories, the original memory is disrupted, notwithstanding the possibility that memories can remain forever.

We all experience slow forgetting over time.

Another sort of forgetfulness, focused forgetting, occurs during sleep.

This involves removing unnecessary information from our daily learning and erasing obsolete memories.

For instance, if you previously believed Earth was flat and supported by three elephants, but now realize it is round, your brain must eliminate one of the contradicting notions, preferably the elephant one.

During sleep, we prune cell connections and delete unnecessary memory circuits.

The third sort of forgetting is motivated, when we wish we could do something differently.

A person purposefully suppresses negative recollections.

Forgetting on intentionally improves emotional regulation and helps us focus on the present rather than unwanted recollections from the past.

Motives may include maintaining self-image, confidence, optimism, and maintaining relationships with hurtful people.

Although the mechanism of motivated forgetting is unknown, portion of the brain appears to prevent retrieval of painful memories.

Although still in our brain, we gradually lose track of it.

Our brains have numerous ways to forget, as it is a crucial function.

Forgetting helps us overcome painful life situations.

PTSD may result from excessive memory recall.

Forgetting helps us eliminate garbage.

Imagine all the sensory input your brain processes daily!

Neglecting to eliminate garbage at night could lead to overflowing neural networks with worthless information, as predicted by Sherlock Holmes.

We cannot update our mental models of the world with better facts and replace outdated beliefs.

A few individuals in scientific literature have been known to never forget anything.

Hyperthymesia, a rare medical condition, refers to unforgetfulness.

American woman in her fifties, Jill Price, is the most renowned case.

From age 14, Jill has a practically pristine memory of her life.

On any given date, she recalls her outfit, lunch, historical events, and personal happenings.

She vividly recalls memories, enhancing them with smells and emotions, whether from yesterday or decades ago.

Jill has experienced being dogged by sad memories and regrets due to her ability to recall every decision and its outcome, which may seem beneficial in school.

You may wish to forget a particularly embarrassing high school memory that always seems to occur at the wrong time.

Can undesirable memories be erased?

In an episode of House, MD, Dr. House used electroconvulsive treatment to treat a patient with terrible memories. This involves regulated electric shocks to the brain.

Patients who undergo ECT may experience memory loss, although not necessarily the desired ones.

Using a hammer is still the most effective way to erase memories in people.

Our ability to forget, like our ability to recall, is a sophisticated and well-controlled mechanism.

Without the ability to remember and learn from significant events, humanity would likely not have survived.

It appears that forgetting is essential to unraveling the mystery of life.

Be intrigued!

It is unlikely that you can gain flawless recall and never forget anything.

Not without a major brain injury.

Is remembering the most effective learning method?

Memorizing can aid in introducing new ideas.

To fully comprehend, one must consider the relationships between concepts, seek fresh interpretations, and handle new information.

With Brilliant, you may build the abilities needed to learn anything and strengthen your brain.