book1 unit2 after-class reading 1 : Memory and the Human Brain

Is it possible to know exactly how memory works in humans and other intelligent animals? Some people believe that it never will be. But some scientists, who are studying the function of the brain and its relationship to memory, do not share this view.

It is now well known that memory, like other brain functions, is located in specific parts of the brain in humans. These parts may be identified and their location in the brain may be established. They work together in both short-term and long-term memory. Although scientists have not yet fully studied the brain, much progress has been made. One day the mind will be described fully both in biological and mental terms.

Some people claim that they can recall things which happened many years ago. Have you ever had the same experience? The fact is, these long-term memories are very accurate in detail and can be compared to a movie in the brain. Once we start the movie going, we experience the entire memory. This movie in the mind (brain) is the reason why we have a sense of self. We know who we are and we know that we exist.

Try to think of something like a long poem, a joke, or a song you learned in early elementary school. If you remember it, you can often repeat the entire poem or song in quite accurate detail. You will often remember the reason why you were asked to learn this poem or song. It may have been for a show to which families were invited, or it may have been a pleasant holiday meeting where your parents asked you to tell them what you had learned.

However, sometimes you cannot even remember the details of things that are part of your short-term memory. This happens when you are required to remember many things, and especially if you do not feel well, or if you are not well rested.

All of us have "learned" facts which we thought would help us do well on an exam in school. But often, when we tried to recall the facts, we could not, or we could think of only a little of what we thought we had learned.

Have you ever experienced anything like this: you were to call a good friend, but you couldn't recall the telephone number? You were shopping in the grocery store for your mother, but you couldn't remember exactly what you were expected to get for her. Even when things have been learned well in our memory, we find that we cannot recall them when we need them. It may be that ten minutes later, or the next day, our memory will tell us what these things were, but it is true that the memory is not always perfect. Of course it is possible to train ourselves to remember things better. This usually involves repeating the facts to ourselves, or even writing them a few times until they are easily remembered.

Memory allows us to remember facts, see them in the light of new information, and make decisions that are important to us. It would be nice if it were always perfect, and it will be nice when we know even more about how memory works on a biological and mental basis.

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