Memory Lanes - Basic Brain and Memory Functions

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//Mind and Memory//

Our minds work in complex ways and science has revealed much about how our brains work and the possible factors that can influence activity. I wanted to talk about the mind and the process of forgetting things. Committing things to memory, both long and short term all follow certain processes. Forgetting things is not uncommon but it can happen for a number of different reasons. I am forgetful at times and understanding why this happens is an important step to improving memory in the first place.

//Front and Ready//


Learning and forgetting, these things go hand in hand. What comes in, mostly goes out over time. The brain is powerful and there are different parts that are responsible for certain brain activity including memory function. The prefrontal cortex (PFC) has been shown to be responsible for spatial working memory. This relates to short term memory that is made use of in a relatively small amount of time. It also stimulates the mind and organises information.

//Deep Memory//


With short term memory accounted for, there is of course long-term to think about too. Those memories that remain with us no matter how long time passes. The hippocampus structure is responsible for these deep embedded memories. We have two of these in our brains and are responsible for committing short-term information to long-term. I might compare it to deep freezing memory on servers, they efficiently consolidate our memories for access later but extra work is involved after the initial download of short-term memories.

//Lost in Transition//


Forgetting things is common and this is dependent on a number of factors and scientists have determined that the condition of these parts of the brain will significantly impact the ability to remember and of course, forget. This network of memories is very complex and forgetting things happens as part of this transmission. Perhaps we could compare this to packet loss, where interference and dropping during transmission occurs. In addition to this, certain mechanisms during consolidation of memory can cause unintended mixing of information leading to something that is similar to file corruption.

//Brain Train//


Keeping a healthy mind is important and keeping the brain healthy is important. Just as any other part of the body, keeping things healthy is a combination of lifestyle routines. One should maintain a regular exercise routine and take care of their diet. Sleep is another key part to brain health, without it, expect brain fog and eventual degradation of memory performance. Keeping active is important too. Training your brain isn’t just about taking on brain busting challenges either. Exercising is also key to releasing chemicals and keeping the brain sufficiently healthy. In the coming weeks I will be trying out a few brain exercises and diet changes to improve and explore cognitive improvement. Perhaps this will also assist with learning languages too.

Sources
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4683174/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5447931/
https://strammer.com/en/science-behind-forgetting/



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