2023-05-15 18:56:00
The Latin termto remember‘ (to remember) is made up of re– (‘again and –of the heart (heart), and means ‘to return to the heart’. An etymology that reveals what the Romans believed about memory: that the organ that housed this capacity was the heart.
In this sense, there are many myths that have been created throughout history to explain how the mind encode, store and retrieve the information it extracts from the environment. However, these beliefs have faded or been corroborated as the scientific community explored this terrain, which continues to present many unknowns.
Why the human brain is so special
Although much remains to be discovered, we now know not only that retention processes occur in the brainbut we also know other data that allow us to get the most out of this infinite drawer of data and experiences that we call memory.
1. all living things have memory
It is often said that memory can be of elephant -if it’s a lot- or pez -if it is little-. Within that range, which has no scientific basis, we find humans together with other living beings. Pavlov already demonstrated it with his famous experiment of the dog and learning by association, which led to the theory of classical conditioning.
But the Russian scientist was not the only one to corroborate the hypothesis that not only human beings have the gift of remembering: later it has been shown that even bacteria They have a chemical memory that they pass on to their descendants. And the amoebaswhich are single-celled organisms, are also capable of retaining information and learning by conditioned reflexes.
2. The nervous system is key to memory consolidation
Memory consolidation is what makes it possible to transform short-term memories into long-term memories.
In this process, the synthesis of proteins present in the interneurons of somatostatin. It acts as a neurotransmitter and thus contributes to memory formation.
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This finding, which we explain in more detail here, has recently been promoted by researchers from McGill University in Montreal and could serve as a guide for the creation of future drugs to combat diseases such as Alzheimer’sor disorders such as autism.
3. Playing sports can improve memory
A study titled Effect of acute physical exercise on motor sequence memory carried out by the University of Geneva shows that there is a relationship between the sport and the performance of the memory.
The explanation is in the behavior of some molecules, called endocannabinoids, which increase synaptic plasticity. To test the hypothesis, which corresponds to that old expression of “a healthy mind in a healthy body”, the researchers asked a group of 15 young men to perform a memory test after performing 3 physical efforts of different intensity: after 30 minutes of cycling moderate, after 15 minutes of cycling intense or after a rest period.
Sport and memory are associated
The results not only showed that physical exercise is directly related to better memory performance, but also that the higher the blood level of endocannabinoids after a intense physical exertionthe more the brain is activated.
4. Memory can create false memories
Does the phrase “mirror, mirror” appear in Snow White? Does the logo man Monopoly does he wear a monocle? If you would answer “yes” to these questions, you are being a victim of your own memory. But it doesn’t just happen to you: it’s about the mandela effect.
This phenomenon is how the erroneous beliefs shared by a group of people and, sometimes, by a large part of the population are popularly known. A example is the case that gives its name to this effect: when the South African politician Nelson Mandela died in 2013, a pseudoscientist strongly held the belief that he had already passed away in the 1980s. This theory was supported by many peoplewho even claimed that they had seen the announcement of his death on television.
the threads of memory
Something similar happened in Spain with the 23F, Antonio Tejero’s coup. Many claimed to have seen it live on television, and they can narrate it in detail. However, the event of that day it was only broadcast over the radio.
5. There is not only amnesia, but also hypermnesia
If amnesia refers to the total or partial loss of the ability to remember, hypermnesia is quite the opposite: the facility to capture and store a staggering amount of information or data, mostly autobiographical.
Contrary to popular belief, people who have this ability do not present better results in intelligence tests than those who have a “conventional” memory. In fact, hypermnesia can be counterproductive, since it does not allow you to prioritize and select important memories, and eliminate those that are irrelevant.
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