Are there different types of memory?
There are three different ways in which memory can be stored. Sensory memory is very brief. It tells you what is happening around you and allows you to move around without bumping into things, Short-term memory lasts for about 30 seconds. It allows you to look up a number in a phone book and dial the number without forgetting it, but after a minute or so it will have vanished. Long-term memory is for things that you have carefully memorized and learned. It may last for years, and some memories can last throughout your life.
How do I remember things?
Memory is the ability to store things that you experience and learn, ready for future use. Some things are remembered easily, such as a dramatic event in our life. However, more ordinary things need to be rehearsed in the mind several times before they ‘stick’. This is why revision is necessary when studying for an examination.
Can the brain alter to help people to learn?
The structure of the brain can alter slightly as you learn new memories and activities. The number of connections between neurones can increase as you learn a repetitive task, making it easier for nerve impulses to travel through and retrieve a memory. This is why once you have learned a task like riding a bike or swimming, you never forget how to do it. You don’t have to think about it at all once you have learned the skills that are needed. Catching a ball is an example of this. Young children cannot coordinate their hands and eyes well enough to catch a ball at first, but after many fumbles they will learn to catch every time.
Are brain circuits already in place in a newborn baby?
Brain circuits are already in place to maintain the body of a newborn baby, but they continue to develop as the child grows. It is not possible for a very young child to learn language because the brain is not sufficiently well developed. All children, in any culture, start to learn a language in several distinct stages as they grow. By the age of two years most children have an extensive vocabulary of several hundred words, and by the age of four years they understand the simpler rules of grammar. For this reason, some scientists suggest that the brain is ‘pre-wired’ for learning language.
Where are memories stored in the brain?
Memories are not stored in any one area of the brain. Because the neurones in the brain are connected in a network, parts of memory can be stored in different places. It seems that for short-term memory, things you have seen are stored near the part of the brain that deals with vision, while sounds are stored near the part of the brain dealing with hearing, and so on. Longer-term memories are stored in a small circuit of several connected nerve cells.
Why does relaxing help you to remember?
When you struggle to remember something this often seems to make it even harder to recall. When you relax, your brain tends to explore alternative routes to find the lost piece of information without you being totally aware of it. It is rather like finding a different way around a maze. You will usually be thinking about something completely different, when the piece of information you were trying to recall suddenly comes to mind. Even though you were not consciously looking for it, your brain will have been continuing to seek out the information you wanted.
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