how is the memory stored in our brain
how is the memory stored in our brain
Storage is the more or less passive process of retaining information in the brain, whether in the sensory memory, the short-term memory or the more permanent long-term memory. Each of these different stages of human memory function as a sort of filter that helps to protect us from the flood of information that confront us on a daily basis, avoiding an overload of information and helping to keep us sane. The more the information is repeated or used, the more likely it is to be retained in long-term memory (which is why, for example, studying helps people to perform better on tests). This process of consolidation, the stabilizing of a memory trace after its initial acquisition, is treated in more detail in a separate section.
Since the early neurological work of Karl Lashley and Wilder Penfield in the 1950s and 1960s, it has become clear that long-term memories are not stored in just one part of the brain, but are widely distributed throughout the cortex. After consolidation, long-term memories are stored throughout the brain as groups of neurons that are primed to fire together in the same pattern that created the original experience, and each component of a memory is stored in the brain area that initiated it (e.g. groups of neurons in the visual cortex store a sight, neurons in the amygdala store the associated emotion, etc). Indeed, it seems that they may even be encoded redundantly, several times, in various parts of the cortex, so that, if one engram (or memory trace) is wiped out, there are duplicates, or alternative pathways, elsewhere, through which the memory may still be retrieved.
Therefore, contrary to the popular notion, memories are not stored in our brains like books on library shelves, but must be actively reconstructed from elements scattered throughout various areas of the brain by the encodingprocess. Memory storage is therefore an ongoing processof reclassification resulting from continuous changes in our neural pathways, and parallel processing of information in our brains.
The indications are that, in the absence of disorders due to trauma or neurological disease, the human brain has the capacity to store almost unlimited amounts of information indefinitely. Forgetting, therefore, is more likely to be result from incorrectly or incompletely encoded memories, and/or problems with the recall/retrieval process. It is a common experience that we may try to remember something one time and fail, but then remember that same item later. The information is therefore clearly still there in storage, but there may have been some kind of a mismatch between retrieval cues and the original encodingof the information. “Lost” memories recalled with the aid of psychotherapy or hypnosis are other examples supporting this idea, although it is difficult to be sure that such memories are real and not implanted by the treatment. Storing memories are just retaining information whether in short-term or long-term. Long term memories are not stored in one place but are spread throughout the cortex in terms of grouped neurons which are ready to fire together in same pattern which created the original experience. Different parts of brain store different memories.. neurons present in visual cortex region store the memory related to sight, amygdala stores emotional memories etc.
When you see an Apple your neurons in visual cortex region are arranged in certain way. That arrangement of neurons represents that Apple specifically! Now, whenever you try to recall that specific Apple neurons are reconstructed in same manner as it was when you saw it from elements across your brain by encoding process. Although it is impossible to reconstruct the original state but still the reconstructed state is good enough to recognize things.
Since the early neurological work of Karl Lashley and Wilder Penfield in the 1950s and 1960s, it has become clear that long-term memories are not stored in just one part of the brain, but are widely distributed throughout the cortex. After consolidation, long-term memories are stored throughout the brain as groups of neurons that are primed to fire together in the same pattern that created the original experience, and each component of a memory is stored in the brain area that initiated it (e.g. groups of neurons in the visual cortex store a sight, neurons in the amygdala store the associated emotion, etc). Indeed, it seems that they may even be encoded redundantly, several times, in various parts of the cortex, so that, if one engram (or memory trace) is wiped out, there are duplicates, or alternative pathways, elsewhere, through which the memory may still be retrieved.
Therefore, contrary to the popular notion, memories are not stored in our brains like books on library shelves, but must be actively reconstructed from elements scattered throughout various areas of the brain by the encodingprocess. Memory storage is therefore an ongoing processof reclassification resulting from continuous changes in our neural pathways, and parallel processing of information in our brains.
The indications are that, in the absence of disorders due to trauma or neurological disease, the human brain has the capacity to store almost unlimited amounts of information indefinitely. Forgetting, therefore, is more likely to be result from incorrectly or incompletely encoded memories, and/or problems with the recall/retrieval process. It is a common experience that we may try to remember something one time and fail, but then remember that same item later. The information is therefore clearly still there in storage, but there may have been some kind of a mismatch between retrieval cues and the original encodingof the information. “Lost” memories recalled with the aid of psychotherapy or hypnosis are other examples supporting this idea, although it is difficult to be sure that such memories are real and not implanted by the treatment.
Storing memories are just retaining information whether in short-term or long-term. Long term memories are not stored in one place but are spread throughout the cortex in terms of grouped neurons which are ready to fire together in same pattern which created the original experience. Different parts of brain store different memories.. neurons present in visual cortex region store the memory related to sight, amygdala stores emotional memories etc.
When you see an Apple your neurons in visual cortex region are arranged in certain way. That arrangement of neurons represents that Apple specifically! Now, whenever you try to recall that specific Apple neurons are reconstructed in same manner as it was when you saw it from elements across your brain by encoding process. Although it is impossible to reconstruct the original state but still the reconstructed state is good enough to recognize things.
