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Call for questions: MEMORY (Patreon)

Published:
2024-08-24 16:02:01
Imported:
2026-06

Content

I next interview a professor and neuroscientist about memory. This doctor's lab focuses on how the brain learns and remembers information and how disorders (Alzheimer's, anxiety, depression, etc.) and lifestyle factors (sleep, diet, exercise, etc.) affect memory. I'm very excited for this one! What questions do you have?

Deadline: Tuesday, August 27 at noon PST

Comments

Tori Lefrançois

Why does it feel like memory fluctuates so much? Everyone makes it out to be a skill but it feels more like ressource! And i don’t even know when i spend it.

Chris Bulock

Why does marijuana make memory so shitty? Asking for a friend ;)

Cynthia

Love this topic! I would love to know more about how people create fake memories, even when confronted with the truth? How does someone convince themselves something that didn’t happen, happened?

Emma Henson

First timer here, why is my memory so bad and what can I do to make it better?

Sabrina Ferreira

First timer here! How do you make a memory become more long-term? For example, I can remember accurately all of my work for an exam, but only retain a small portion of that a few months or years later.

L. Wink

What are some memory strategies to help people with ADHD?

carl vossen

From my ADHD wife Jess: “Why can my brain not remember the important stuff, but it can remember Vine references from a million years ago?”

Emma Henson

Do those brain games actually help?

Rachel Guthrie

How does your brain suppress traumatic memories and how does it decide which ones to suppress?

JC

I have a really bad memory, and frequently forget things (probably because of anxiety, depression, etc). But sometimes things just stick, like certain habits or characteristics about people. How does that happen???

nadine

What’s the deal with (peri)menopause and memory? Why does one affect the other and when will it get better?

Field Trip Mail Club

I would love to hear them talk about how OCD affects memory!

taylor

why is it that I can’t remember what I walked into a room to do, but weeks later I remember a passage from a book I read and can relay that info to someone else without having to look at it again. What is going on here and why does my brain do this?!

Jennifer R.

I have chronic anxiety and depression and I’ve always felt that my memory just isn’t great. Are those related? Separately, why do some people naturally have poor or great memories?

Anna Dylan

What is happening when you walk into a room to get something but forget why you went in there, and then only remember what you needed once you’ve left again?

Lori G

My late father had dementia and now my mother has Alzheimer’s. Is there a bullseye on my back?

Mattea Orr

Perimenopause and memory! What's happening with the dip in memory when we hit this apparently bonus puberty that nobody warned us about? Is there anything we can do about it? Will our recall ever be recalled? (First time question asker :) )

Hannah nolen

Why can I remember the exact dialogue from a conversation I had three years ago but I can’t remember someone’s name that they told me 20 seconds ago

gilliansmith

Why do some people have better memory than others? Even if both parties had similar experiences at the time.

Lauren Hurlburt

Are all your memories still in your brain even if you stop being able to access them? I had a bad round of anesthesia and lost 95% of my memories. Are they still there?

Sydonie S.

Why/how do we distort memories?

Stephanie Broertjes

I'm an anxiety/depression gal (doing well now, thanks lexapro!). What's the interaction of overthinking and memory??

Fey Technologist

(long time listener, first time question asker) Is it true when you think about a memory it gets distorted? If so, why? Anything we can do to prevent it?

Sydonie S.

Why can I remember the lyrics to songs I barely like but can't remember what I ate for dinner last week?

Jennifer Szlasa

FTQA: why does my brother remember our entire childhood but I don't? (Name: Jenn)

Alli B

How does neurodivergence affect memory formation and storage? Can ADHD affect how you remember details from conversations? Is it why I have no recollection of where I put something away in a hurry?

Crystal Wilson

Seriously, where did the first 20 years of my live go? Is this a side effect of my possible autoimmune disease?

Cate Muenker

Are there actually foods/vitamins that help boost memory capacity?

cameliabee

How early can you see signs of dementia?

Oscar Courchaine

How close are researchers to understanding how memories are stored in the brain?

Yuri

Why do certain foods make my husband's auditory dyslexia, and my brain fog, and both of our memorys worse and why is it the YUMMIEST foods? 😭 (Yuri - like beauty without the b) Also, why does being in ketosis make my brain work better, clearer, better memory

Clay Troyer

FTQA: Why is it so difficult to remember someone’s name after you meet them???

Karloz Javier

How do our memories of specific events change over time?

Megan Ramirez

Is there a genetic and/or sex-based component to memory? All the women in my family, including myself, seem to have much greater difficulty recalling things than the men.

Dillon S.

Hi! Why is it that most people can’t remember things from really early ages of childhood but others can. I seem to be able to remember doing things from a very very young age but most people don’t remember anything before 5 years old.

Kurt Swanson

Why can't I remember where I parked my damn car at the grocery store?!

Red Rose Inn

Is there anything we can do to help our memory? My kids has depression/anxiety/adhd AND a short term memory disorder. My mom is an alcoholic who will have dementia if it hasn’t started already.

David the Altruistic Misanthrope

I recently read that the same memory is stored in multiple places in the brain. Can you explain that and why?

Karloz Javier

How accurate/inaccurate are our memories years after they take place?

Mariann

Why can't I remember things from when I was younger? And why is my memory such crap now when my memory was soooo good earlier? What can I do to make it better? I am only 51 years old.

Rupi

I’ve had an episode of psychosis and now I feel my memory has been affected. Why would psychosis affect memory? Thanks from Nico and Rupi

Brittany Kaufman

What’s the deal with memory and ADHD? I have ADHD and trying to remember my own life is often like trying to remember a dream.

Sydney Koenig

I read once that memories are primary to our sense of time, I would love to learn more about that. For example, many people have vivid childhood memories and remember that time well bc there were so many new things going on. On the other hand, many people feel like they have no memories of the Covid lockdown bc there were not “big” or “notable” memories during that time. It feels like we lost time

Will

Is it true that we only have a limited amount of “space” for memory?

cameliabee

What about memory and dreams? Does the ability to remember what you dreamed decrease with the onset of dementia?

Wendy Miller

Why does it seem that later in life short term memory goes, while long term memory stays? I can’t remember what I did mere moments ago but can remember events from high school with no effort.

mary de voe

what's happening in my brain when I can't remember stuff because I'm sick?

Tim Pfarr

Why did having kids ruin my memory and make me feel like I have brain damage? I don’t feel like I know things anymore and it’s horrible.

Jen A.

Why do people who lived through the same event remember different aspects?? I keep saying to my sisters and friends, about events of which I as there, I don't quite remember that thing. It is weird.

Bonnie

Some of my earliest childhood memories turn out to have a photograph that seems to have influenced or created the memory. How common is that? And while I had a few hundred photographs of my very young years that got trotted out while reminiscing with my parents and probably helped create these memories, my own kids now have tens of thousands of digital photos of their childhoods that we look at together. Will their exposure to orders of magnitude more digital recordings of their early/pre memory years lead to more or less created memories than I have?

Zoë Scholtes

FTQA: my dreams are so realistic that i have difficulty knowing which of my memories are real, or if they are just things i have dreamed. Is there any reason that this happens? And are there tricks to find out which memories are real?

Robin C Pike

First time question asker: why does chemo cause brain fog? Why does menopause seem to cause brain fog? I had cancer last year and I'm missing most of the year's memories.

Charlotte Parkinson

Repressed memories. Can they play tricks on you to a point you question if they are real or not?

Alli B

This! ⬆️ Also, how does trauma and PTSD affect memory in daily life?

Blair Nelson

Is there any good research about how diet affects memory? I’ve heard a vegetarian diet has been shown to reduce memory loss.

cash.ruska

Exactly what I came here to ask

Lee

I've come across a few studies that link long term (mental) illnesses (depression, anxiety, chronic stress) with problems in memory and concentration. Is this true and if so, is the process reversible?

mynameisaurien

Yeah! And also a loss of memory. I had a tough childhood and have only been able to access memories since my late 20s.

Iris Hutchings

Does even minor trauma in childhood affect the way you remember things through your life?

Connor they them

How much does interest play a factor in your ability to memorize things? Anecdotally I would say a lot. I love theater and fun facts and can easily memorize information related to those, but I often don't remember smaller things like people's names or where I put something.

kaden grace

is there a significant neurological difference between forming memories and accessing memories? also, is there a link between poor/inconsistent recall and aphantasia? i can't picture things in my brain and it almost feels like my "filing cabinet" of memories is invisible/i don't know how to get into it. even prompts don't always do the trick! really interested to learn more about memory generally!!

Matt Ceccato

How does memory fit into the brain's development? Do the rose-colored glasses come on before or after the prefrontal cortex is fully matured at 25?

Mark Hewlette

Someone once told me "if you forget where your keys are, you're normal. If you forget WHAT keys are, you're in trouble". Any truth to this? Also, exercise is a key ingredient to a healthy memory, right? How much is necessary?

Alli B

And how about alcohol? Is shitty memory from past heavy alcohol use permanent?

mynameisaurien

And which is are the best to improve memory?

Diana Staresinic-Deane

Why am I so much better at remembering some things than others? For example, I'm terrible at remembering faces, but if you start talking to me, I will probably remember your voice or a story you told me. But I'm great at visually recognizing the names of plants when I am out on a trail. Diana S-D

mynameisaurien

And how can we access them at a safer time in our lives?

Chuck Hoover

I’ve recently remembered some very old memories that I have not remembered in years. How long can you remember events like that? What happens when your memory gets triggered?

Justina Vasiliauskas

Do mushrooms such as lions mane help? If so is it enough to add mushrooms to coffee (I.e. mogu mushrooms) ?

Alli B

How does Alzheimer’s affect memories? Why is it affecting younger and younger people? Is it lifestyle related? Are there any new treatments that you’re hopeful about?

Tips on Tap / Manuge et Toi

What things, if any, are proven to help prevent onset of dementia? I hear tell that taking a sauna (ideally 4x per week) has been proven to help prevent dementia/Alzheimer’s. Is this true? (The benefits of sauna has been studied extensively in places like Finland, where sauna is an integral part of life. This is one of the things that are said to have been studied, in that respect. )

Alexis Culley

ADD gal here. Why do I forget what I’m saying mid sentence so often? I lose my train of thought mid sentence often and it’s quite embarrassing. I feel like I end up sounding ditzy or not engaged, which is not the case.

Linda S Hufford

do we hinder our ability to remember when we rely on less and help from our phone to recall things.

Jennifer Froh

Why do we remember things SO incorrectly sometimes? (Ex: witness statements)

Connor they them

Teleportation... Could we really reconstruct the memories? Are they physical entities? They seem very intangible to me so it's hard to imagine that they would have mass. Especially since as far as I know the brain does not get bigger as you make new memories. Or does it?

Miranda Garniss

FTQA how and why does ADHD affect memory? Sometimes my train of thought derails and there are no survivors

Brianna L

My identical twin and I share certain memories from our childhood - e.g. we're both convinced we preferred stirrup pants and the other only wore jeans (I *know* it was me, and she wore jeans all the time, but she's certain it was her). Have there been any studies on identical twins and memory formation? How can we have the same memory with a situation like that?

Jennifer Froh

Why do our brains sometimes remember trauma vividly and sometimes forget it competely?

Linda S Hufford

Do we hinder our ability to remember when we rely on lists and help from our phone to recall things. FTQA

Vanessa Adams

Is there any validity to the effect of mushrooms (lion’s mane, reishi, not the hallucinogenic versions) on memory?

Alli B

How are memories from childhood stored and accessed? Why are kids able to remember things from being very young a couple years later, but then those memories disappear as they get older?

Chrysalis Ashton

Deja vu- what is the connection between memory and that feeling that you’ve been somewhere/done something before but you don’t remember it? Is it a repressed memory?

Eric Gidseg

Why are names the first thing to become problematic?

Lothos

Why does our memory lie to us?

Vanessa Adams

Why is memory linked to emotions and sensory experiences (scents, music)?

Gaia Hutcheson

What makes smell so connected to memory?

Tips on Tap / Manuge et Toi

Why do we have trouble with recall? Like, when you know you know the thing, but can’t recall it when you want to. You have to wait for it to come back. What is the distinction between recall and memory? Is poor recall the same thing as poor memory function?

Dave Brewer

How does sleep (either too little or enough) affect memory?

Alli B

Drinking and blackouts for 500, please!

Patricia Evans

Why do I remember my failures and mistakes much more vividly than my successes and good outcomes?

Naomi Jane

Early on in the pandemic I began to realise my memory just wasn't working the same as it did before. Which is the most likely cause of this: 1. Lack of change in environment and sensory associations that help make & trigger memories 2. Big unexpected loss of my Dad, possibly coupled with pandemic trauma 3. Turning 30 The fact my memory has never been the same since sort of makes me discount number 1, but I'm curious!

Laura M

How does your brain determine which memories are going to be salient? If you meet your significant other, and at the time you don’t know the significance of meeting them or of the memories surrounding that event, it’s as if your brain stores seemingly average/insignificant memories for a while and then reclassifies the memory into the “biggest moment of your life” category, and in so doing you have a very clear memory of an event that previously had just been an average memory that had no reason to stand out.

mish the fish

i used to be able to recall whole conversations but have since lost that skill, what's up with that? what tips do you have to improve one's memory? currently, i write down things in a notebook i carry with me so i don't forget them

Vanessa Adams

Why can I remember the words to a song I haven’t heard for 20 years, but I can’t remember what I ate for dinner last Tuesday?

Aimee Ford

Why is it I cannot remember what I need to do, but I remember with perfect clarity what my husband needs to do?

Cheryl W

I forget what I'm talking about or what my original point was constantly. I often trail off and say "I can't remember where I was going with that. " Is this common? What can I do to remember my own thoughts?

Ken Edmundson

Interested in recent research regarding the impact of music on dementia patients (e.g. Alive Inside documentary). FTQA.

Dave Brewer

And does language acquisition have any impact on how far back we can start to remember things?

Dani Kirby

This this this. In interview kinds of scenarios I forget the question that was asked of me mid-answer and just really really hope I hit the right point at the end. Which normally ends in me saying “I’m so sorry I forgot the question. Did what I say answer what you were looking for?”

Katie Rutkowski

Are memories repressed during trauma stored in the same way/place as other long term memories? What are methods used to access these types of “lost” memories?

Jennifer Froh

Fact or flimflam: to help remember an item, imagine it ON FIRE or like exploding and then youll remember it later.

Emily Staw-fur

Are we ever going to be able to download memories?

Jack

First time question asker 😊 Do we ever run out of memory space? As I make new memories do old things automatically get pushed out? Or is loss of memory more related to time passed. Also is it true that the more you think about something the more distorted the truth becomes?

Shannon Bartels

Why is it that I can go years without being able to remember the name of someone I used to work with, and then suddenly it pops into my head at some random time when I wasn’t even thinking about them?

Vanessa Adams

Why do we have gaps in our memory? I can recall specific flashes of high school but I’m missing years, it seems. I see pictures that show I’m there and read essays I wrote, but I can’t recall any of it. Is it related to trauma or hormonal shifts or emotions or what? (Being a teenager is terribly traumatic, btw)

Jennifer Froh

Why are some memories SOOO relaistic and tactile? Like the carpet from my childhood bedroom or the ceiling of my familys mini van when I was 6. These textures mean Nothing at all so why are they given space in my brain?

Mie [me-ay]

wait this is so exciting!!! how do life events affect the development of memory as a brain function? (particularly in early development). my own long-term memory kicked in super early. i have memories that i’ve been able to confirm from as early as 1 and 2 years old. but now as an adult, 25 years later, my memory (short AND long term) is pure shite

JK Mosaic, LLC

This is timely for me. My mom has recently suffered a head injury and went from demonstrating some mild confusion to full-on dementia. During a conversation, she will be lucid one moment, but will suddenly not know where she is, where I am, who I am... Recently she was asking for my dad who has been out of our lives for decades, for good reason. She asked why I don't know where he is or how to reach him and I gave her a quick synopsis of the story. She was so upset, I regretted telling her. The next time I talked to her, she had forgotten and asked for him again. I have so many questions, I don't even know where to start. As I explore the topic of Alzheimers, I find that most people revert back to earlier times in their lives, often endangering themselves by repeatedly trying to "go home." They are looking for their childhood home. I've witnessed a similar phenomenon with other people as they near death, describing what they see in vivid detail, but it's from their youth. I wonder if anyone has studied this? A completely different question has to do with my own fleeting memory, as I have terrible information retention and it is embarrassing. I have wondered if hypnosis can help improve retention?

Irishdart

FTQA: Do techniques or strategies such as the Memory Palace actually work? I find that lately I'm unable to recall a simple fact or memory but if I have attached it to a place it's easier to recall. As I age, this seems to be less effective.

Jennifer Froh

Why can I remember thousands of song lyrics but can't remember facts for class?

Emily Staw-fur

How does our brain decide to keep something as a memory, and discard others? For example I still know every word to boom boom pow by the black eyed peas, but I took 3 calculus classes and I'd struggle with a simple derivative at this point.

Jennifer Froh

Peoples names. Why? How? They just dissapear.

Marc Rubin

What's the most efficient and effective way to learn something new and commit it to memory? I teach computer science at the undergraduate level and hope to maximize the likelihood that my students will actually learn (and remember) stuff. Also, please do an episode on veterinary gerontology with Dr Ashley Portmann of Home Together Vet!! https://www.instagram.com/p/B6QoLFllgiC/?igsh=MWg2cmg1dnpnZG9ibw==

Connor they them

My grandfather died from Alzheimer's last year. He fought the disease for over a decade before succumbing to it. Over that time I noticed some strange things. His memory loss was not a straight path. He wouldn't be able to remember something most of the time, but occasionally he would have a day where he did remember it. How could he have lost access to the memory and then suddenly get it back for a little bit? Also, I have heard from many people who's family members have suffered from the disease that right before they die they will have a clear and coherent day. This goes along with the previous question, but is that a real thing and if so how is it possible? And finally, what is the difference between short term and long term memories that allows the disease to attack the short term so fiercely.

Max G

Is it true that déjà vu is your brain accidentally “filing” a short-term memory as a long term memory?

Emily Staw-fur

Why can't we remember things from the moment we are born? (Not that I want to remember my grand entrance into this world)

Mie [me-ay]

(first time question asker!!! i have another question in the comments too somewhere where i forgot to add this) Have there been any advances in studying the development (and subsequent deterioration) of memory in alzheimer’s patients? i noticed when my grandmother’s dementia fully came to a head, it seemed like she was regressing, like her sense of reality was literally rewinding and going further back in time. i thought it was super interesting (and tragic as all hell) how each time she progressed, her memory went backwards by a handful of years.

Anastasia Press

How come scent is so closely tied to memory? Is there an evolutionary reason for that??

Emily Schrader

Has "screen time" or social media use made an impact on well we remember things?

Lilah Weller

What are some ways to improve your short-term memory? Does diet and/or exercise come into play?

Debra Burchiel

I have been told that every time we tell a story from a recalled memory , it changes. I have a hard time believing that since the memory seems so real, so complete and so unchanging.

Alan Gross

(FTQAsker) Is muscle memory a real thing, a real memory in the brain?

Michael Sherman

Why is it when I'm on my ADHD meds (ritalin) I can remember where I put things once it wears off but can't remember where I put things when I wasn't on it after I take it?

LightBrownPillow

Has there been any research into polyglots (people who learn many languages)? Do the areas of the brain which store one's native language significantly overlap with areas which store learned foreign languages? Are different language families (i.e. Asian languages vs African vs Indo-European) remembered with significantly different parts of the speech center of the brain? Is there any correlation between good navigational memory and the ability to learn new languages? Are tactile memories stored differently than visual memories?

Emily Schrader

Where do they exist? And is it possible that some of them aren't real?

Carl Ellis

If Alzheimer's and dementia run in your family, what is the appropriate age to start memory loss prevention? Watching them struggle is awful. I'm in my mid-50s and already notice a slowdown. If starting meds early, will they stop working in my later years?

Josh

Is Lion's Mane worthwhile?

Katy

I feel like I don't remember a lot about my childhood compared to other people, and I've heard that's common of folks with ADHD. What's a "normal" amount for someone to remember about their childhood, and what innate factors (things that AREN'T trauma) might impact someone's depth of their childhood memories?

Lily Bee

Why is it that some people remember faces better than names or vice versa?

Heidi heidistrohl@mail.com

FTQA I used to have great memory, but then “mom brain” hit. Is it just because moms are spread so thin trying to remember everything for the whole family or does something change in the brain when you become a parent?

Steffany Halfrey

What does the research currently say about whether memory diseases, like Alzheimer's, are more heavily influenced by genetic or environmental factors? Does there appear to be higher occurrence of memory diseases in certain groups or in certain locations?

Katy

I have never heard that theory before, and that's a FASCINATING question.

Gene Phillips

FTQA (sort of) How does aphantasia affect memory?

E Jordan

What effect does sounds have on memory? I've always found it easier to connect memories to music. Instead of a photo album I've got a record and CD collection. Am I weird?

Iso Partee

What happens when a detail gets “scared out of you”? Sometimes when I get put on the spot to remember someone’s name, it completely vanishes!!! But I know that I know it! Why does that happen !!?

Kpelliss

Is it true that when you walk thru a doorway your short term memory resets (as it were) .... this would explain why I can't remember why I just walked upstairs.... FTQA

Iso Partee

My mom is terrible at remembering faces, but I never forget a face when I see one. I am a very visual learner as well, is that connected to facial recognition?

Jamie Herbst

It feels like I almost instantly forget plot points and even endings of movies and books after finishing them. And yet I can remember obscure details about countless other things. This detracts from my ability to savor something months and years later. There is a hidden benefit- I can re-watch and re-read and feel like I'm doing it again for the first time! Is there a way I can improve my retention of these types of things?

Anna Fern

Do we have ideas about how ME/CFS or Post Viral induced brain fog works? I have always had a strong memory and an alert mind, until I got Long Covid. Now I struggle to remember basic things and process things as they happen. I feel like my brain has changed.

Katy

Oh man, if you like reading fiction, I highly recommend The Candy House by Jennifer Egan if you haven't read it already.

Hannah Kastoryano-Hudson

My sister seems to remember our entire childhood and I seem to only remember small snippets. Why???

Katy

Follow up question to this - is there a limit to how much this will work? Like if I used it for the same item repeatedly, or just used it too frequently for all sorts of things, would it stop working?

Amy E Kirby

FTQA- I know some people see visual memories, others hear memories, some have sound and visuals, others have nothing (or so they say). Are those different modes of memory different on a molecular level?

Terra Kolb

How much does cholesterol levels impact memory?

Iso Partee

I second this question!!!

Lisa Gorman

Why are song lyrics so easy to remember compared to if you were to learn the words without the song?

Adam

How common are repressed traumas?

Adam

How does frequent marijuana use affect short-term and long-term memory?

Björn Fredberg

Where are we on a cure for Alzheimer's? Please tell me less than 20 years. My mother-in-law died 2 years ago. She was 63 when she got the diagnosis, gradually just disappeared over the following 10 years. My wife has about 20 years until we know if she has inherited that trait...

Danielle Van Vooren

Why do I remember all the lyrics to songs I haven't heard in 20 years but can't remember most of what I learned in high school?

mateya

First-time question asker here! I have trouble visualizing detailed images in my mind's eye and my episodic memory also sucks. I saw some articles saying this might be connected. What does the latest science say?

Lisa Gorman

Why do childhood memories tend to stick around even as other memories fade with aging-related dementia?

Sam

Why do I remember everything, forever, if it’s put to a catchy jingle?

Olga Kolesnikova

Do we actually store all of our memories somewhere in our brains or are some memories permanently erased?

Hope

how do TBIs and concussions affect memory formation/retention? i’ve also read a lot about how music heals the brain and seems to help patients with dementia and alzheimer’s, why does it work though and is it influencing memory retention?

fleshverse

How come I can remember something that happened 5 years ago perfectly well but I can't remember what I did earlier this morning??? My brain needs to get it together!!!!

Grey

Is there any reason why people with adhd seem to have worse memory?

GreenBriar

First time QA: Are any of them real?

Cat Lady

Why can I remember what happens in my dream, but as soon as I start telling someone about it, the dream fades away from my memory? I can remember the dream all day as long as I don't verbalize it, but as soon as I do, POOF!

Liss Timm

Why do I not dream, but can recall conversations from years ago?

Liss Timm

How is it that I seem to remember names and faces better than others?

Shannon Debo

I'm so happy you're doing this topic! So I may have repressed memories of trauma from when I was a small child that has been effecting me my whole life. Don't worry, I'm working with a therapist and we've both come to the decision that it's not all the time a good thing to try to find out what those memories are just deal with the repercussions of them which is something we do know. Ok to the question. Honestly I just want to know more, how we repress, why we repress, how to stop wondering what we have repressed! Ok done!

Ja Jo: Art & Craft

Does journaling help with memory? How does having new experiences affect memory?

Donald J Orf

Does science know the mechanism behind the crystal clear Polaroid like memories of mostly unremarkable events that my brain has chosen to preserve ? They seem random, but even the very old ones are clear and undoubtedly a waste of precious brain power!

Stephanie

There are cases of dementia on both sides of my family. Is any of the advice about preventing or delaying dementia onset worthwhile? Is there actually anything we can do to stop or slow down this awful disease?

Thedorknextdoor

I’m particularly curious about how music and certain smells can trigger memories for people! Is one sense more effective at this than the other?

Brynn Balcom

I’ve read recently that Alzheimer’s is more common in women once they’ve reached menopause and doing hormone replacement therapy is possible preventative measure. Any truth to that?

Thedorknextdoor

I also heard somewhere that writing things down with pen and paper helps a person remember more than typing on a phone or computer…why is that?

Brynn Balcom

Are daily puzzles (like crosswords) actually helpful in preventing dementia?

Jacintha Jaa

Why are childhood memories fuzzy or hard to bring up clearly? Why do people remember events incorrectly? My father tells a story from his childhood that his sister remembered differently, why does this happen and is age of the time of the event a factor?

tofu_bahn_mi

why can i remember those two factor auth security codes for even one second??

Piper Warnick

What can help you remember things more accurately? Why do we remember certain things and not others, whether or not those memories are accurate?

Mckaylia Marshall

Is it true that the more we replay a memory in our mind, the less accurate it becomes?

Piper Warnick

I've heard that if you look at a memory over and over again it changes more, is that true?

BookBeets

This! Perimenopause and short term memory - brain fog is no joke. Once hormone levels stabilize does brain fog disappear?

Eric Burnette

How does memory physically, chemically work and can you explain it without comparing the brain to a computer or machine?

Meagan Walker

Is there a difference between distraction-induced forgetfulness and that caused by a disease or injury?

Meagan Walker

How common is amnesia in real life?

Meagan Walker

Are our memories actually “worse” because we can look everything up immediately now?

MadiCakes

What makes some peoples memories better than other? How early can Alzheimer’s set in? Can you tell you are gonna have Alzheimer’s before you start showing symptoms? Why does memory change so much over time? Last but not least, I live in a verbally/emotionally abusive relationship, why can I remember so little when we get in heated arguments? And why can I so easily forget the awful things he says the next day? Is it a coping mechanisms? A trauma response, etc? Is this more of a question for a psychologist?

Nina Giacobbe

I have several "memories" from my childhood that I've since realized are actually dreams I had as a little kid. What's up with that?

Chris Bumgardner

Does reading an excessive amount push old(er) info out of your brain? I read a LOT. And quickly forget characters/plots/facts that I read even just a month or two ago.

Amanda Regan

How do our senses interact with memory? Like, why do smells or sounds trigger memories sometimes?

Adam Foote

Why is it so easy for me to memorize/remember useless facts (BTW I crush Jeopardy when I watch with my parents) but important stuff like when events are supposed to start are impossible for me to remember?

DebDoesScience

I've been learning more about dementia since my dad was diagnosed with Parkinson's last month. Are dementia diagnoses grouped together because of symptoms, or are they similar looking in the brain?

DebDoesScience

When people lose memory, what dictates the order of what they forget, or hold onto?

DebDoesScience

Why can I remember song lyrics from 2002 hits, but don't always remember conversations I've had a few days ago? Are different sense memories different in the brain?

Clever hedgehog

First time question asker :)How do hormone levels affect memory? What is the neurological basis for pregnancy brain, i.e. forgetfulness is their act a decrease in memory post menopause

Sam Danielle

Would love to know more about ADHD and memory. I've got ADHD and have a terrible time at memorizing music and remembering past memories - is there something I could do to help make this easier for myself?

Lizzy Martinez

How do we avoid the creation of false memories? - Justin Ryan, PhD and Lizzy Martinez (friends interested on this topic hanging out right now!)

DebDoesScience

Can you explain the new research regarding causes of alzheimers? I heard a lot of therapies were based on old research (amyloid plaques and tangles as cause) that was assumed correct for years, but now there's new thinking?

Sam Danielle

How does recalling memories actually work? Like, how does our brain recall the sense we've experienced in the past?

Kimberleigh Wells Booty

I’ve heard there’s new studies showing inflammation plays a part in memory loss and other cognitive disorders, is that true? - ftqa

Kimberleigh Wells Booty

I’ve blocked out a lot of childhood memories due to trauma, how does my brain do that? And how does my brain “unlock” them? Currently working with a great therapist doing emdr and have brought up some repressed memories. -ftqa

Diane Norris

What is episodic memory and what is it's relationship to language development in children? (First time asker and a speech language pathologist)

Isabelle Leclerc

First time question asker. This is a very personal subject to me as my mom had Lewy body dementia. Can you please explain why this type of dementia affects people so differently than Alzheimer's? What are the mechanisms caused by Lewy bodies, such as those that engender such symptoms as hallucinations, tremors, loss of motor/bladder/bowel control, that are not present in Alzheimer's? Also, why is public awareness on Lewy body so lacking?

Erica Periandri

I also have ADHD and was wondering the same thing myself

Matt Thompson

Is there a difference in muscle memory and rote memory?

Kody Murdock

First Time Question(s): How are the sense and memory connected? Do people remember things differently depending on if they have a stronger sense than another?

shizzamX

I have severe depression and I have really poor memory from when I was untreated, why is that?

Erica Periandri

Can you briefly explain, compare and contrast different types of memory?

Erin

I feel like I’ve always had a terrible memory. Are there some people who just have worse memories than most people, even without factors like aging?

Erica Periandri

When discussing this, can you elaborate on the impact of emotions on memory formation and recall?

Erica Periandri

Photographic memory – what fraction of the population is estimated to truly have it? Does anyone have an understanding of how it works on a cell or molecular level (compared to standard memory)?

Rick Gillespie

Amnesia is a plot device often used in tv and movies. How accurate are the portrayals?

Rebecca Morrison

FTQA: do microglia cells have an impact on memory? If so, how do those work?

Ginny Bateman

I’m 70 and have been noticing that I can’t think of words for 5 years or so. I can usually replace with another suitable word, but not always. How do I know if it’s normal aging or something to be concerned about.

Alex Glow

Are there any scientifically-proven memory improving foods or supplements?

Erica Periandri

It would be interesting to study this with coordination of sociologists for that perspective. Has that been done?

Erica Periandri

Super interesting questions!! Would love to know more about language and memory

Erica Periandri

What's your favorite memory? :) (for the ologist and Alie!)

ZeD

My memory has not been the same since chemical chemo (tamoxifen). We discontinued when i completely lost a relative (she looks familiar...) but I still have working memory gaps--i reach for a word/fact/memory but it goes blank as I pull the trigger but I will remember it later sometimes. Is there any therapy or exercise or even medication to help?

Rose

What is your thoughts on “locked memories”? Should we even try to unlock them? Can we live life normally not knowing for sure if they’re there?

Gabbi

First time question asker! Is the mind so powerful that if I keep telling myself and others that I have a bad memory, my memory will be bad? I guess I’m asking if perspective and optimism can help improve the memory. Thanks!

Erin Burbidge

Same! Twice I've gone to the library and picked up an interesting looking book off the shelf, only to realize a couple of chapters in that I'd read it before. I recalled some points of the plot, but not a lot. And when my friends and I play boardgames, I only recall the names and rules for the ones we've played a lot. And yet, my friend recalls all the games, including which ones *I've* played with him, and whether I liked it or not. But my memory for processes, interesting facts and scientific information is extremely strong. Is that kind of variability common?

Essence Birdsall

Can problems with anesthesia during surgery affect memory? My mom went through some major complications during a surgery over a decade ago, and her memory has been affected ever since. She thinks it was from the anesthesia.

Megan Lynch

What is "natural" memory loss and what is pathological memory loss? That is, which kinds of memory loss should we be worried about. Sometimes not remembering where your keys are is "normal" and other times it's a sign, I hear...

Jamie Herbst

Yep! Games too! I always need rules re-explained to me.

Lydia Lambe

I recently heard that if you can’t smell peanut butter, it’s an earlier sign of Alzheimer’s. Is this true?

Lydia Lambe

Do crosswords, sodoku, and other mind games actually help your memory?

RoadLesTravelled

I’m told that every time a person interacts with a memory the memory “suffers” a mutation. A memory is never the same thing twice. But it doesn’t seem that way. Why? WHY?

Allie Brown

Why do some people have so many more memories from childhood than others?

Allie Brown

Why are bad memories so much more memorable than good ones?

Nicole D-G

Question dump as this is a subject that hits close to home: What signs should you keep an eye out for if dementia runs in your family? Are there things you can do now (in early 30s) to delay memory issues? Are the new tests for Alzheimer’s they’ve been talking about on the news legit? I’ve heard people say that technology has made our memories worse (not having to remember phone numbers or facts since you have a smartphone to look it up)— is this true? And if so, what impact might that have on the timing of dementia and other memory issues if we all have worse memories when we’re younger?

Ama

I have few memories of my childhood/teen/young adult years. Are there techniques to help recall memories you have lost?

Joe Porfido

I had a question but I can't remember it

Tara Villanova

FTQA :) I'm 53, not old! My maternal grandmother had alzheimer's. My paternal grandmother had dementia. My lack of memory is mortifying. I forget something someone told me, as soon as I turn away from them. Not exaggerating. It's humiliating at work because I make mistakes because of it all the time. I was asked to be president of an Art Ed. Association (I'm an art teacher), but I don't think I can do it because of my memory. I keep lists (sooo many lists!) and I keep notes and alarms in my phone for eeeverythinggg. Can I get an MRI out of fear? What if I'm ignoring the signs if I don't get tested? My doctors are always saying we all "have so much on our minds nowadays". When is it something to worry about and when is it "we just have a lot on our minds"?

Avren Keating

can aging's impact on memory start in your 30s? Not asking for a friend, mine is going pretty quickly

Maria Jouravleva

Have there been any studies that show the impact of certain mushrooms (e.g. chaga or lion's mane) on memory?

EvasiveDodge

Why can't I remember the first few years of life? Why is memory in a crisis situation so bad or simply not locked in? I heard that recall is actually just a reCREATION of that memory again...is there really a real memory? and how do seals remember the call of their moms? ...so many more to come....

Esohn

How come i can remember all 1000 Pokemon but not the current members of congress?

Helen Langille

I feel like before the pandemic I had a really fantastic memory, specifically for numbers - but it seemed like in a matter of days I just lost it all - is this a “normal” stress response?

Christina Johnson

Yes!! Love this!! How can I better remember life's most special moments?

Robert G Audet

Great topic Dad Ward. It is stunning to see the different ways this disease and others (vascular dementia, Alzheimers, Lewy body dementia) progress. Some people seem so much more kind than they were. My Mom is living with dementia in a memory care facility and has been more angry and swears like a sailor over the past 2 years. My sister and I think it's because she repressed a lot of emotions to fit into the lifestyle she and my Dad lived and now she's living without societal regulators. It's hard to watch and be the recipient of some of the anger, but we know it's the disease speaking and also know she loves us deeply. Question: Do we know why some people become more docile and kind while others go off the deep end with difficult emotions as their disease progresses? It's like they're saying Fuck this Society Bullshit! Frankly, I think she may be onto something! Thanks so much. My sister and I will be listening. Love what you do Ali and this dear neuroscientist!

Lane&Crystal

Do brain games really help improve memory?

Michelle G

I can relate on multiple points there! Also, my husband has hundreds of board games and I just want to play the same few games that I remember the rules to and enjoyed. If it takes more than 3 minutes to explain the rules to a game, I'm not going to remember. I can't remember how chess pieces are allowed to move even after being told several times.

Seán Thomas Kane

I find that I remember light more than anything else. Is there something to that where the brain can remember visual cues more than auditory cues serve cues from other senses?

Michelle G

I literally forget my own name sometimes when I'm put on the spot, and when I need to get someone's attention, their name is completely gone from my brain! What the heck, brain?! It happens with words too, like I'm in the middle of a sentence and forget a word when it feels like people are actually paying attention to me so the stakes are higher. 😆

gg

WaPo wrote about a series of articles on Memory, Inc. https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/assisted-living/ Little old ladies were walking out in the snows of Minnesota and freezing to death. The only recourse is they will cover the last month. In MN that's $6K of course in LA Metro it's $10K per month. I told him dementia Dad and he thought it meant he'd get his memory back - nope. I chose to pass on assisted living because he was uncomfortable in new settings. UCI has a gerontology wing that deals with memory of fit and active Leisure World dwellers.

Kae Gatensby

Why does walking in and out of a room make you remember stuff?

Michelle G

FTQA: why can't I remember exact conversations I've had with people but the other person remembers my words verbatim? I can usually remember some topics of conversation discussed and any emotions that might've gone along with it, but if I ever had to relay exact details for a police report or an autobiography, I'd be a terribly unreliable narrator! I'm 30-something, and my memory has always been like this, so sadly I can't blame getting older.

mariia k

THIS QUESTION HAS BEEN ON MY MIND FOR SO LONG so i know there’s photographic memory BUT are the different versions or like levels of it? like maybe some people can memorize everything, some maybe only pictures and so on

Rosalee de la Foret

I'm curious about how memory can be so varied for all of us. I have a great memory for facts and numbers but I don't remember events in my life (unless I take photos and then review the photos periodically). I recently heard that this has been termed a deficient biographical memory. I have friends who remind me of things that happened when we were together and they don't quite seem to believe I've entirely forgotten. How is it that our minds work so differently? Any thoughts on a deficient biographical memory in general?

Deli Dames

Thoughts on eternal sunshine of the spotless mind?

mariia k

why is memorizing song lyrics for example so much easier than memorizing math formulas or other similar so to say „more important information“?

mariia k

why do we remember nightmares better than good dreams

Leiza Hicks

How does childhood trauma affect the structure and function of the brain regions involved in memory, such as the hippocampus and amygdala, and what long-term impacts might this have on memory retention and recall in old age?

Leiza Hicks

Are there identifiable differences in the patterns of memory decline between individuals with a history of childhood trauma and those without, and how do these differences manifest in various types of memory (e.g., episodic, semantic, working memory)?

Danielle d'Eon

Why do some people have a better memory than others?

Josh Waldman

How come I can remember all the lyrics to a song I don’t even like that much but I can’t remember what I had for breakfast this morning?

Kathryn Daniels

Why are eyewitness accounts of events so notoriously unreliable?

Miranda Panda

Why can I remember things when other people say, "can you help me remember ___?" But I can't remember my own shit?

Miranda Panda

What's up with false memories? I have a really hard time telling apart false memories from reality, especially as it relates to things I may have actually done or may have just dreamed about.

Miranda Panda

If I already have shit memory at 30 am I just doomed?

Miranda Panda

Can you talk about the connection between childhood trauma and not remembering much from your childhood?

Miranda Panda

Why does teaching something to others help us remember it better ourselves?

Miranda Panda

What does it look like inside the brain of someone who wins memorization championships?

Surisitee

What are the known long term affects of daily weed use on memory? Ik it's bad but can you ask them to quantify it or make some sort of comparison so it actually sinks in for me?

Cynthia McQueen

Can breathing exercises reduce the plaque build-up in the brain that can contribute to Alzheimer’s and dementia? If so, how? And, should everyone meditate and practice yoga to save our brains?

Surisitee

What about dreams that seem to predict the future. I forget until the thing happens then I remember my dream about it

Miranda Panda

Why don't we remember life before the age of 3? (With exceptions of course)

Miranda Panda

How has COVID affected memories? Something I've really noticed and heard from friends is the struggle to remember certain words, even though they feel like their on the tip of your tongue.

Natalie Lanzatella

I've felt sad and in the dark all of my life because I don't understand why my working and long-term memory is woefully shit compared to the people around me. I've *always* wanted to know—how does bipolar disorder affect a person's memory? Quite seriously, my memory is so terrible that if it weren't for alarms, reminders, and to-do lists on my phone, I wouldn't be a functioning member of society.

Aaron Jozsef

How often do people remember things incorrectly? How are some memories from long ago vivid and 'memorable', while others just fade away?

Jeff Crocker

FTQA: While I have so so so many questions, mostly about caretaking a family member with Alzheimer's disease, but I see there are a lot of great questions being asked in this thread. I would love to know what is the ologist's preferred metaphor for how our neurological memory mechanisms work?

Meg

Meg McDaniel- Is there a connection between anxiety, adhd, depression, trauma, and/or Alzheimer’s? What are the adaptive characteristics of Alzheimer’s? (Thinking from a strengths-based approach). Are there cultural components (diet, lifestyle, genetics, etc) that are significant in this conversation?

Rachel Prestayko

How does grief impact memory? Has anything changed in the field since the book The Year of Magical Thinking came out?

Rachel Prestayko

Why can't I remember the pain of natural childbirth? Like at all.

Brenna Quirk

Why does walking into a new room completely wipe my memory? I know I went in there for a reason, but it always disappears when I get through the doorway.

Neal Anderson

FTQA: In the lifestyle domain, are there studies about how moderate alcohol use affects memory? As a nearly 60-year-old, I typically have a drink around the evening meal, and occasionally two. I'm not a binge or heavy drinker . I have noticed growing tension between those who want to believe that moderate alcohol use is OK, and some growing evidence that abstinence is better for all sorts of health outcomes, including memory.

Aileen Lands

I work in healthcare and hear people’s stories ALL the time. Why is it I can remember they have two dogs and a daughter in college but I can’t remember their name from one visit to the next?

Rachel Prestayko

Thoughts on Moonwalking with Einstein by Joshua Foer?

Sarah Meaden

Why is it if something is a routine action I have more trouble remembering? Like forgetting to turn off my curling iron or blow out a candle when I leave. Also is there research that can tell me if my teen really forgets all the stuff I ask them to do or if it's just an excuse?

Rachel Prestayko

How does collective memory for a society work and how can so many people sometimes remember something incorrectly?! The Mandela Effect is insane!!

Chelsea and her dog Charlie

FTQA: In elementary/middle school, the teachers would always give us peppermints before big standardized tests, saying that they would help us remember things. Is there any truth to this?

Ry_ofthetiger

New dad here, and I’ve noticed that my memory has significantly worsened since the kid arrived. What is the deal there?

Orla Scott

FTQA Is there any research about restoring memory in people suffering from dementia/Alzheimer’s or reversing memory loss once it has begun?

Chelsea and her dog Charlie

FTQA: What’s the “normal” amount of childhood memories to remember? It feels like I have gaps in my memory, but maybe that’s just normal to only remember bits and pieces from 30 years ago

Saira (‘Sarah’) Manns

Why don’t we remember things from infancy and early childhood? (I’ve heard some stories of people who claim to remember being born - is that possible, or flimflam?)

Chelsea and her dog Charlie

FTQA: How does neurodivergence relate to memory of loved ones? I’m thinking about how I sometimes have object impermanence with people, where if they aren’t near, I forget about them, but we pick things back up so easily when we’re together again

Saira (‘Sarah’) Manns

How do photographic memories work? Is there such a thing as videographic memory, or are they more like photos than videos (i.e. snapshots of information)? And is literally EVERYTHING a person sees remembered, for all time?

Saira (‘Sarah’) Manns

How much memory storage does the human brain have? What kinda TB capacity we talking?

Saira (‘Sarah’) Manns

Is object permanence a real thing? I mean that in the sense of why do I forget things exist unless I can see them?

Chelsea and her dog Charlie

FTQA: How do things like EMDR actually work in the brain? The idea is that we’re reprocessing the memory - what parts of the brain are involved? Why is there often a side effect of more vivid dreams?

Saira (‘Sarah’) Manns

Does regular journalling increase memory? I’ve kept every journal I’ve ever had (all 54!) starting from when I was 6 and sometimes I read random entries and have zero recollection of what I’m talking about 😅

Saira (‘Sarah’) Manns

Why can I remember all the landline numbers of my and my friends’ childhood homes, but not my current work mobile number (that I’ve had for 6 years)?

Chelsea and her dog Charlie

FTQA: Why are things so hard to remember when we try to reach for the memory, but will pop up out of the blue later, when we aren’t trying to remember anymore?

Greg Walloch

Is the past as good and or as bad as we remember it to be? Is there a bias in either direction?

winn

FTQA why is it so hard for me to remember my childhood? other people seem to remember all sorts of little details and I feel like I have about 2-3 memories per year of my childhood life

winn

FTQA why can’t i ever remember where i put my phone keys or wallet

winn

FTQA how does memory relate to specific neural pathways? is each memory its own unique pathway or set of neurons?

Timothy McGowan

Why does are memory decay over time? Why does anxiety and depression seem to affect memory negatively?

Greg Walloch

What are some of the benefits of forgetting?

Jennifer Wagner

I have anxiety disorder and a slow working memory. What are some methods I can add to add to my toolkit to help alleviate some of my symptoms?

Between Dumplings

Associations between hearing loss, stress, memory? Why can I remember my 3rd grade teacher’s name or the Spanish moss on the trees when I was 3 but not the name of the person I JUST met 5 minutes ago?

Between Dumplings

Why can’t I recall the other question I *just* thought to ask?

Between Dumplings

Why do I recall colors and feelings the quality of the light, the air?

Between Dumplings

Mom has #Alzheimer’s- she still remembers me but nothing 5 seconds ago. Why?

Between Dumplings

I have learned that many memories are repressed in traumatic situations.

Between Dumplings

What is the current thinking about EMDR (actually remembering and re-wiring as less traumatic)

Between Dumplings

I have heard of children, very young children- remembering things they would have had no other way of knowing- but from memory. Is this more Common than we think?

Between Dumplings

Why does alcohol cloud our memory but Alzheimer’s still attacks teetotalers?

Melanie Abbott

FTQA - hey! I feel like I remember absolutely f*ck all about my own life. My friends & family will often say “remember that we time we/you..” and it’s just a complete blank to me. WHY. Is it my adhd? Or is my brain just bad? How do I stop my brain deleting all my experiences?

Between Dumplings

How much of our current lifestyle is to blame for distraction/inability to remember? #37tabsandthatislow

Greg Lewis

Why do you enter a room or open a cabinet door, etc. and then not have a clue why you did that? Until 5 minutes later you remember and have to go back, hopefully completing the task.

Greg Lewis

Does learning a new language help stave off dementia?

Sarah McEachern

Why can’t I remember peoples names right after they tell me?

Alicia Clarkson

Why is my brain so good at remembering early 2000s song lyrics, but so bad at remembering important information from school? The only reason I learned anything about cell respiration in first year uni was because some angel of a high school science teacher made a video explaining the process of cell respiration set to the tune of “I’ve got a feeling” by the black eyed peas https://youtu.be/3aZrkdzrd04?si=nHaJThxC51wwMYP4

Sarah McEachern

Why do some people remember their childhoods and others can’t?

Sarah McEachern

When I was really anxious I feel like my memory was better than when I was depressed. Is there a connection?

Eliana Weiss

FTQA! Do we know what is the physical, literal way that the brain makes memories? What actually happens? Also, so interesting that disorders can affect memory! I am really interested to hear about that.

Hudson Ansley

What... I forgot what I was going to ask....

Marianne Thomas

Any idea why my memory's been so much worse since I got ME/CFS? And do we know if folks with long COVID are having similar issues?

Lee Wang

When I'm trying to remember something that's struggling to break through the surface, can I do anything that'll bring it up in, say, 15 seconds? That's how long I have to answer in my trivia league.

Lee Wang

Why is it that when there's a word I'm searching for and I think it starts with a specific letter, the word usually ends up starting with a different letter?

Dionne Needham

I listened to a podcast with a neurologist talking out the effects of perimenopause and menopause on women's memory. Freaked me, and my colleagues who independently listened to the same podcast, around the same time (it wasn't even a recent episode). So what can women (and men) do to keep their brains/memories healthy so that we forget less. Hormones can be a real bitch. Im startling to have words that I can't quite remember and then remember them hours later and it's definitely been something that's started to hit around the 40s.

Marianne Thomas

I've noticed that time seems different now. Or our perception of it. I'm a vet. Clients seem to very frequently misremember when they were last in. They can be out by several years. This was rare before the pavlova. They're even forgetting events that would have been really stressful at the time. I'm sure my brain's playing the same tricks too

Britt Kline

Is it normal to be losing vocab and everyday words in my 40s? Honestly, it's probably been happening for longer than that. Sometimes I draw a blank for a mere moment, but lately that moment is lasting longer and longer, and sometimes I'll wake up in the middle of the night a week later and remember the word or sentiment I was trying to express - sometimes nope. Fun times. Definitely have been under a lot of stress for some years now (BIG life changes since 2020, rapidly one after another)...I know stress can affect memory AND I have the ADHD...But...Sometimes I worry. And -- longterm stress + childhood trauma...Can these types of conditions create more likelihood for dementia? WDYT?

Britt Kline

This happens to me, too!

Erin White

My grandmother had dementia, and it was heartbreaking to watch her slip away a little at a time. Different things seemed to bring her back to us for a little bit, certain scents or pictures but mostly music. Why does that work? What about music works around memory loss?

Margaret Onuska

My paternal grandmother lived for over 5 years with dementia and it terrifies me that the same could happen to me. How can I tell if I'm having some normal loss of memory (can't find the correct word under pressure, forgetting people's names) and what can I do to avoid further memory problems.

Britt Kline

I wonder if anxiety causes us to fire on all cylinders ("survival mode"?) and we're more hyperalert/hypervigilent, whereas with depression, it may kind of be the opposite...The brain shutting down those survival-mode settings? I second this Q! Thanks for asking, Sarah! :)

Britt Kline

In terms of dementia, can you talk about the difference between memory and overall cognition changes?

Sonjabird

I have been on antidepressants and mood stabilizers for over 25 years, but also have had migraines (2-4/week) for 30 (I’m 47). My memory is absolute crap. I will see a movie and have absolutely no recollection of it 2 days later. I have read mixed information about whether these conditions or medications to treat them may be the cause. What has been your experience?

Hannah Gorrie

Why does our capacity for memory change during different stages of life - such as pregnancy and aging?

Deborah L Blanton

A discussion of the genetics of the different forms of dementia would be interesting.

Jacob Morvay

Hi! First time 😁 Do we understand the mechanics about how the brain stores information. As in, a hard drive uses bits that are either 1s or 0s. What about the brain?

Hannah Gorrie

Why/how do we create false memories - like of stories our parents told about us as kids that we were too young to actually remember, but we have a memory of it. or when someone being interrogated will create memories to reflect what is being suggested to them?

Aunt Tiffa

I always say I have a shifting 10 year block that I can remember about my life. I do not remember really anything from childhood/highschool, only very specific (and totally non-consequential) instances from those time periods. Why can I only remember the last few years of my life and constantly lose more and more of my memories of what made me, me? This doesn’t seem to happen to other people. I’m in my 40s now, but it’s been like this since my 20s. I feel like something is fundamentally wrong with my brain. People I’ve know for decades ask if I remember some specific thing, and it’s almost always no. It makes me really sad, and like I’m not the same person. The only thing that kind of helps is photos…

Ted Vician

Same question but for 80’s metal and hard rock.

Elizabeth

Why are smells such potent triggers of memories? Any ideas how psilocybin 🍄 allows (what feels like) a real-time re-experience of memories rather than a simple recall? And does the experience damage the integrity of those memories more than standard recall? Is THAT why it works so well for PTSD and such?

Stephanie Campbell

FTQA - Sometimes I’ll be minding my own and a totally random memory, word, or name will pop into my head out of the blue with absolutely no context to anything else going on in my head. What’s up with that shizz??

Rachel McGill

Can people develop photographic memories?

Amity Bliss

How do we develop better memory?

Zed Shirogane

Can you explain the science behind people who have object permeance issues well into adulthood? I have ADHD and am constantly forgetting about objects, events, tasks, and even people.

Kristin 🦦

Can we talk about perimenopause and the inability to remember everything from where I placed my work ID to what event my kid is swimming at the meet today?! What is the role of hormones in the proper function of our memory? Is there a male equivalent?

Channon Koty

Are ADHD and Alzheimer's connected? How do hormone fluctuations impact memory? I actually find that I remeber things better at certain times of my cycle. Usually, during my period. Which is unfortunate, since I haven't had my period in 7 years due to having an IUD🤣 FTQA

Mamabee & DadAussie

Is there any link between attention span and memory? In the Reading episode we learned that our attention span has become shorter as technology has changed. Have we got any data on whether this shift in technology has also affected memory? If so, is there anything we can do to slow or stop it (both as an individual and as a society).

Channon Koty

Same here... I blame trauma and ADHD

Storm

Is memory inherited? My mum has a terrible one and coincidentally so do I !

Storm

How badly does smoking weed effect your memory in the long run?

Channon Koty

Good question! Is there an evolutionary purpose? I am convinced that women forgetting the pain of childbirth is evolutionary.

Pacheecha

I have a job where I am putting so much information in my brain, that there is no possible way that I can retain it. Is it causing more memory problems than I would normally have if I was not over consuming data or is it possibly actually helping me with neuroplasticity and memory? Also, why is it so easy for me to remember certain things like who directed a movie or who starred in it or how it was filmed or remembering words in a foreign language, but I seem to have no capacity for historical things like dates and geography? Is that related to my interest or are brains genetically geared for specific types of information?

Jianjia Gettinger

Why is the forgetting curve so steep? What are daily things we can do to fight against the forgetting curve and remember what matters to us? Can you talk about why the natural process of forgetting can be advantageous for humans?

Jess Donald

What’s the deal with working memory? Why doesn’t mine work… with my ADHD brain? I can remember a billion useless facts but can’t remember what I went into the kitchen for… 🙄

Jessica Chance

Do you have any advice for supporting our aging loved ones as their memories start to deteriorate?

Storm

How is memory information stored in the brain? Like how is it made and then read again to bring back a memory? Also how come we remember some things as images/videos and some as just like a feeling or words, how are these stored differently?

Casa Reed-Dean

FTQA: when does something go from short term memory into long term memory?

Average_pi

How close is science to a cure for Alzheimer's/dementia? Is a cure even possible?

June Bramley

Why do I forget what I wanted when I walk into a new room?

Caitlin Tyndale

I have the memory of a goldfish. I also suffered from depression from about 13-26. Is that related? I can’t remember most of my adolescence and even today my short term memory is awful. How can I train my brain to remember conversations, places, people, and most importantly, MY STUDIES?!

Jessie Meeks

FTQA: What is the physical process that the brain goes through to dump some memories or to send other memories to long term memory? How does the brain decide which is which? Are memories really, truly deleted, or can they resurface at some point based on the circumstances?

MossManium

FTQA: Have there been studies done that explain in particular about the long term effects of memory retention and prolonged use of ADHD medications?

Flozzatron

FTQA: are smart phones affecting our abilities to retain and memorise information? What causes people to remember things inaccurately? Can telling ourselves we have bad memory affect our memory, like a self fulfilling prophecy? Where are memories stored? And what exactly are they?

Sara Finnegan-Doyon

Is it common to lose the ability to remember proper nouns? Does that loss indicate future gaps in memory are going to follow?

Liv

i heard that adhd is poor long term memory… personally i feel like it’s all of my memory skills. what’s the truth with this?

Liv

also, does smoking weed before the age of 25 affect your memory? and/or how does smoking weed affect your memory in general and as you age? i felt like before i stopped that my memory had gotten so bad while i was a daily consumer

remi

i’m not sure i have a specific question but i wonder if there’s been any studies on memory in people with aphantasia? i have it and i have really limited memory about my childhood because i can’t look back and visualize it. i can remember certain facts but i can’t ever remember like how something looked or felt it’s just a fact to me because i know it happened

Kimberly

I work nightshift as a nurse. How does working nightshift affect memory? Also, if it does, are there ways to try and improve on it while still working nightshift?

B Miller

Working memory, can it be improved or is it you get what you get and you just have to make do?

B Miller

Why is word retrieval so hard as I get older?!

remi

do you have the ability to see the memories in your head? this same thing happens to me because i can’t see them in my head so i guess it kinda just slips out

Brittany Briceño

I’ve heard from multiple sources, including my undergrad psych professor who studied memory, that it is impossible for someone to remember things before the age of 3- how accurate is that? This has dumbfounded me because I absolutely have memories from around 2 years old that were not just things others told me about later in life, like walking down the hall to take my grandpa a bowl of grapes as he laid ill in bed. My grandpa died when I was 2.5 years old and I also distinctly remember his viewing.

Eil Be Gone

I've had memory problems all my life. I don't even remember the days my children were born. I always ask myself how I can't remember those days. Is there anyway to get those memories back? I'm 34 my youngest are 8 years old and I've had memory problems all my life.

Mara Schoner

Any thoughts about lions mane mushroom?

Will Pergl

My memory seems to be much weaker after COVID. Is this a thing? I have been teaching for my adu and since lockdown I am finding it much harder to learn my students names.

Heather Mardis

It's a survival skill, our brains are great at "setting aside" upsetting memories

Beck Walton

Is it possible to restore memories that were lost from extreme periods of anxiety, depression, or trauma? Both my girlfriend and I have lost large portions of our memories from high school due to this, lots of them pleasant and ones we’d like to have back!

Jenni Hoover

With Alzheimer's being considered Type 3 diabetes, what can we do preemptively in our younger years to minimize the potential of being affected via genetics?

Anjali Himali

Is there any end all be all way to improve memory? Do puzzles and memory exercises and vitamins actually work?

Sadie Vipond

Why is remembering a dream so hard?

Sadie Vipond

How do I stay in the moment and remember good times to look back on?

Reed Barry

What actually is "photographic memory" and how accurate can visual memories be?

Craig Steinberg

Long time listener, first time question asker: Why does smoking weed affect your short term memory but not long-term? How does memory potentiate from short to long-term memory? Why is memory so unreliable and is there anything we can do to make it more reliable (specifically in terms of accurately remembering things)?

Kelly Dooling

Why can we remember some dreams really well, but others only for a few minutes after we wake up?

Beth Hickey

Does our blood sugar level play a part in memory and memory loss? Will poor eating habits exacerbate an already declining mind?

Jenna Congdon

Why can I remember the most obscure, random, and often useless things, but absolutely not anything important?

Renee vanden Hoven

why does our sense of smell more often trigger memories than our other senses?

Keerat Singh

Is there anything that people can do preventatively to try to keep good memory in old age?

Aunt Tiffa

No, I’m very much in the aphantasia category. I can not picture things in my mind like a movie or photo. I can remember where on a page in a book I read something, but I don’t see the book in my head, it’s more like a feeling of a place than an image.. also have persistent long term depression, anxiety that is slowly getting better, and most likely undiagnosed ADHD. Fun times!

Saira (‘Sarah’) Manns

Asked on behalf of my cousin, Jek: When processing a trauma, how does the brain decide which bits to remember vividly and which bits to completely black out?

Saira (‘Sarah’) Manns

Also on her behalf: How do you forget something? Does the connection between the neurons that formed a memory physically disconnect?

Ettegoom

Why can't I remember names? Like I'm completely rubbish at it. I find ordinary nouns tricky and often forget them, but Proper Nouns literally fall out of my brain. Even when I use all the tricks, it's like I've got a mental block.

Paul Rosen

Why is "muscle memory" so good and is there a way to trick my brain into using that mechanism to remember other stuff? I remember the finger patterns of songs I learned 40 years ago.

Lisa Kahn

Why are certain senses better at remembering details than others? For example, I can't remember anyone's name unless I see it written down. (I also remember words visually? like when I'm trying to think of a word, I can see a fuzzy outline of its peaks and valleys and length before I fill in the details to get the whole thing).

Sara Crocker

I’m 74 now and biggest fear is getting dementia as I age. I forget things routinely now but attribute that to a busy life. How will I (or perhaps others around me) know when I might be in early stages of dementia? Certain kinds of memory losses? Other hints? Thanks. Really looking forward to this episode!

Paul Alcantra

What is the most effective way to permanently forget a memory?

Holly Cole

What impact does stress, both “good” stressors (like school starting for teachers) as well as negative stressors (like the death of a loved one ) have on memory? I’m getting ready to start the school year. I feel the need for my productivity to snap back to optimal performance, but also had a very hard summer for personal reasons. I just don’t feel like I’m hitting my stride as quickly as I know I need to.

Katie Biardi

FTQA: Why is my brain better at remembering random facts than things that are actually important to my life? Also, why does trying hard to remember something make it harder to actually remember it? Like when you're trying to remember the name of an actor but can't until hours later. Why does this happen??

ccspels

Hi! I’m wondering how ADHD affects long-term memory. It seems that the ADHD’ers in my life (and there are many) have forgotten some pretty major events from their past — events that I remember well. The events are both happy and not-so-happy ones, so it doesn’t seem to be a matter of blocking out the bad stuff.

Julie Williams

I know memory deteriorates with age, but when is it just age or something else and how can you tell?? FTQA

Katie Biardi

On a related note, how can people with family histories of dementia help delay the onset? My grandma recently passed from dementia in her late 80s, and even though I have quite a while before I'm there, I'd like to know if there are any tricks to keeping my mind sharp for as long as possible.

Joshua Tauzin

When I walk into a room and forget why I’m in there, the best way to remember my motivation is to walk back out of the room and back to where I came from. This seems to trigger remembrance more quickly than standing in the room, dumbfounded. WHY? (Tauzin rhymes with causin’ problems)

Alia Myers

Why are some memories stored and others arent?

Eric Masterton

My husband has cancer and my 90 year old mother lives with us. Needless to say, everything is f-ing hard every single day. I forget words, I get distracted, the dogs stare at me when I pour food in the bowl and forget to put it on the floor, I can’t remember five minutes ago and sometimes the words that come out of my mouth aren’t mine. Is this ptsd from the trauma? Can your brain be affected in this way from stress and anxiety? Thanks🙏🏼

Alia Myers

Why do we often remember things that are super insignificant (like song lyrics) but not things that are actually important?

Alia Myers

Why dont we have memories from our very early childhood (like before ~4 yrs old)?

Alia Myers

When does memory start deteriorating and why?

Alia Myers

When do we start forming memories?

Alia Myers

Are there any foods/vitamins/supplements/etc that help boost or diminish your memory?

Alia Myers

Why does our brain block traumatic memories? And how does that work? And when/why/how are they unlocked?

Alia Myers

How does photographic memory work ?

Alia Myers

How does human memory stack up to other mammals?

Alia Myers

Is there a sex difference in memories?

Alia Myers

Why do i never remember my dreams?

Alia Myers

Why do we sometimes have such a hard time recalling something we just thought of (like when you walk into a room and forget why youre there)?

Alia Myers

How do your feelings impact your memories?

Alia Myers

Ive heard that we essentially remember the last time that we recalled a memory rather than the original memory itself, and thats how memories are warped over time..... Is that true?

Alia Myers

I very rarely can picture things in my mind, how does that impact my memory compared to people who can very vividly picture things in their heads?

Alia Myers

Why is scent so strongly associated with memory?

Alia Myers

How does weed affect your memories?

Alia Myers

What are the earliest signs of memory loss? Do they differ from early signs of dimensia/alzheimers compared to standard memory loss with aging? What is the first part of your memory to fade with age?

Alia Myers

Ive heard people forget the pain of childbirth... How does that work? Is that the same process as blocking out traumatic memories?

Eating dog hair for a living

How do some ppl not remember things from their early years (like 1,2,3 yrs old) and some ppl do? I can remember select things from when I was that young. For instance when I was in a bike seat while my female DNA donor was the driver of the bike and I got my toe stuck in the spokes of the bicycle. Or when I was sick and my Dad brought me a toy home after work, the sights the smells. But is it trauma that makes a memory when you're that young? Because getting a toe stuck hurt but being sick and getting a toy wasn't traumatic. I can remember when I was 1 and being held by her but it was raining and I got wet and we lived in a basement apartment.

Katie Hammond

I'd love to hear anything they'd like to say about how emotions affect memory encoding and remembering. I definitely don't remember things as well when I'm in a depressive episode and I remember too many things when anxious. How much nervous system arousal is needed for a memory to make it into long term storage? Is it a sliding scale or is there a threshold? Is there a mechanism that stops us from remembering when a situation is too emotional (kind of like passingout from pain)? From my partner: are recovered memories a phenomenon? My partner has complex ptsd and will randomly remember childhood events that they haven't thought about since it happened.

Mallory Avery

My memory has always sucked, but maybe it's more accurate to say it's eclectic. Basically, it seems to me like I store information haphazardly within categories. So, when I'm trying to remember something (like a person's name) I end up pulling something random from the category that name is in (like generic-white-guy names). This obviously causes some problems, both in school/work and social life. Please tell me someone else experiences this and maybe why and if it can be fixed!

Mallory Avery

Also, are memories stored as neurons? As connections between neurons? If you were to isolate a memory in physical space, what would it be? Do we know what it would be?

Fiona Dolphin

What’s up with scent and memory?? Why do scents conjure up memories SO clearly and vividly? There’s a particular flower that blooms in summertime in my neighborhood and every time I smell it I’m transported back in time to when I was four walking down the road with my mom in Ireland on a warm sunny day.

Zach Garry

FTQA: If this is within your remit, how and why does weed affect memory/recall? And is there anything one (me) could do to counteract that? (I smoke for medicinal and recreational reasons)

mariane gantino

I have ADHD. I forget things all the time, like appointments, where I put my keys, and to put on a new toilet paper roll. My fiance HATES it when I say, "I'm sorry, I forgot" and tells me that it's just an excuse. Is this considered a short-term memory issue? Or, is it, like my fiance suggested, the result something else?

Emily Oxford

FTQA!!! How does ADHD affect memory? I was diagnosed in my mid-30s and it seems like there’s a connection. I have very sparse memories from my whole life, huge gaps, and inability to recall stories from my life.

Annabelle

How much of our memory is false, how do false memories happen? It freaks me out

Scientifically Lily

Please don’t use my name if you use any of this lol I feel like I’m crazy for even putting this out in the public sorry if I am 😅 Can you explain the link(s) if any between memory and : Childhood trauma Dissociating - not being in the present ? How not to dissociate ? Can you regain the memories that happened while dissociating ? Since you are removing yourself in the present If there’s any correlation between being physically punished constantly as a child and having poor memory Having to work through painful memories to unlock the good/neutral ones? (what my therapist says even though it sucks) Undiagnosed severe ADHD not believing or questioning your own memories Our minds exaggerating or under exaggerating memories ? When my partner says I’m remembering things incorrectly Hallucinating ? Mood disorders ? Our bodies holding painful memories our minds cannot remember ? Anyway to get rid of the pain in our bodies having to do with memories ? Can medications harm our memory? If so is it permanently? Can experiencing intense harmful trauma when a child’s brain is developing permanently affect the memory ? What things (if any) cause permanent damage to memory part of brain? What’s reversible ? What’s heal able ? Any hope ?

Scientifically Lily

- are memory supplements bull? - Any foods or herbs that promote/heal memory ? - Any foods or herbs to avoid that cause poor memory ? - what’s up with photographic memory? And how does My friend that claims to have it win every bar trivia known to man - How can I win trivia night like her - best way to memorize for tests and exams - any memorization hacks we should know about - Or school didn’t teach us. - Memory and learning other languages ?

Joshua Tauzin

Are there studies about a relevant link between generational trauma and memory?

Joshua Tauzin

My mom died at the end of June. Why can’t I remember her laugh; a thing I heard thousands of times throughout my life? Any guesses?

Neries virens

I had a question but forgot…just kidding! Question: are memory lapses or memory issues an early warning sign for dementia?

Joshua Tauzin

Are there any memory strengthening tactics that have been studied and proven to be effective?

Evelyn Uyemura

My partner is 89 and can't seem to form new memories. Is this one stage of Alzheimer's, or could it be something different?

Erik K

When compared to a computer how many GB/TB of memory can we store? Is there an average per person and is there a limit to memory storage capacity?

Anika Herrod

How do memories become suppressed. Why do particularly traumatic ones sneak themselves in at the least convenient times???

Stephen Lickman

Years ago, I heard an episode of Radiolab regarding memory where it was proposed that if two people share a moment (such as a kiss), the person who doesn't think about that moment ever again has a more pure copy of that memory over the person who recalled it every day of their lives. I guess this isn't really a question since I don't doubt the veracity of Radiolab's sources, but the idea terrifies me. Are memories we don't think about often more "true" than those we retell/recall frequently?

She Purple

FTQA: Why do learning techniques like the testing effect and spaced repetition work? I’ve heard that it’s about making the memory pathway “stronger” but what does THAT mean? Like more neurons or a stronger electrical signal or ????

Alice Munn

First of all: pod-dad Alie ward, your enthusiasm for knowledge gives us lifeeee. Never stop making new episodes! Ologies make the world a better place. Please consider reading this review out for all to hear cause we just wanna spread the love y’all ❤️ Question: please explain the difference between how thoughts and memories are formed and stored in the brain? Is there an overlap? And does this have anything to do with false memories? / please explain the Mandela effect Could having memories of past lives have anything to do with collective consciousness?? (Is dark matter just ghosts?)

judith ritchie

FTQA: First....love you and the show. We listen on our 8 hour trips from Virginia to upstate NY. keep them coming! Question at 76 I have noticed a decline in my ability to retrieve information (while it used to take a couple seconds or minutes, sadly now it could take days and then it proves to be useless and off topic) So I am thinking that I would like to have a tee shirt that says...."I only answer multiple choice questions" could you possibly include that in your Merc?

Voxothoth

Should I put effort into building a mind palace? How and why do those work?

David Crouse

Great podcast Alie! My question is, often when I am thinking about something a totally unrelated memory will pop into my brain - I’m wondering if it could be because the errant memory was stored adjacent to the neurons that were firing for my original line of thought?

Paulina Krasińska-Sroka

Oh, I have many questions! :)) 1. Apart from dyscalculia, is it possible (and why) to be unable to remember e.i. numbers? I never could - no phone numbers, no dates for history classes or birthdays, even pieces of passwords I use that are numeric. Unless it's repeated very often and accompanied by hand movement (like pin for bank card or code to my building), it just doesn't stick and I don't know why. (PS. I have ADHD, if that matters.) More broadly: Is it possible to have a brain wired to remember everything BUT a certain class of figures? 2. How reliable are our own memories from the distant past like childhood? Can something like therapy (when you look through your childhood for roots of current behaviors/problems) cause effect similar to so called "recovered memories" - the fake ones created through hypnosis?

Christine, Banana Split Lady

My mom passed away a few years ago with primary progressive aphasia. She was only 62 years old. I'd love to hear anything the oligist can share about this disorder. I'm also curious if this is genetic. No one else in my family has had Alzheimer's symptoms so I'm trying to understand what that could mean for me in the future. It was truly a horrible thing to watch her have to go through.

Emrys

FTQA: when I can't remember something that I *know* I used to be able to, is the information still there, somewhere, but the connection to it is lost, or has it just gone completely? As a spoonie with brain fog, losing words is a real pain in the arse; when I tell someone that I've sprained my thingie, y'know, the wrists for your feet and they're like "oh, your ankle?", it absolutely feels like someone has just plugged a cable back in or something. And if that's true, could we refind connections to things more complicated or obscure than the word ankle if we work out how?

Adam Foote

Question from my wife, Anna: if someone has a stroke or traumatic brain injury (TBI), does the location of that injury significantly change what memories they may lose or no longer be able to form? And how does that differ for/from people who are born with a TBI, such as people with Cerebral Palsy?

Jess Slattery

I've heard that dwelling on memories & overthinking may increase the risk of developing dementia down the road. Is this total bull or might there be something there?

Theo Kline

(ftqa) Re. ADHD + aging. I have friends in their 70s who talk a lot about their memory struggles as they age. Short term memory, word recall, slower processing to access memory, etc--all things I already experience constantly as a person in my 30s with ADHD and autism. This seems ominous! Does it just get worse from here? Am I fucked??

Susan Singley

So many questions! Why is it hard to remove the emotional response to traumatic memories? Why do some aromas bring back such clear, and nostalgic, memories? (Cut grass, old books, coconut sun screen, ocean waves, that smell after rain?) Why do I remember all my old addresses but not what I wanted to get at the store today? Why do I have SUCH a bad memory for names and faces, but can pair titles with authors, voice actors with roles, and artists with their music AND Why do I call my kids' names and the dogs' before I actually holler the one I'm looking for? AND how and where are memories, and personalities!, stored and recalled within what is essentially a lump of fat and neurons perched on top of our spine? And, now my brain is thinking about my brain which is a little more than I can handle before coffee

Danielle Sucher

Why is it easier to retrieve a memory only after.I stop trying so hard? (I often tell people I can't recall a thing but will text them when it occurs to me later after I've given up, and this frequently just works - but why?)

Danielle Sucher

Why do we often forget things after walking through physical doorways? Why does walking back through the door sometimes bring the memory back?

Danielle Sucher

Why am I so bad at retrieving answers to questions even though I know so many things and if not asked, can produce tons of relevant information?

Danielle Sucher

How well do most people actually remember their childhood?

Donald Hodges

As the brain physically ages, shrinks and has gaps, do memory and cognitive deficits automatically follow?

Danielle Sucher

In Heinlein's books, he describes an alternative to anesthesia known as a "lethe field", which doesn't suppress the pain but instead prevents you from forming memories of the pain. Given that we do have some real-life medications which can interfere with memory formation (eg ambien, for some folks) - why don't we use this approach for pain management? Should we?

Matthew Walcher

Why are some people able to commit to memory easier than others?

Matthew Walcher

Why do you remember random details and not important things?

Matthew Walcher

Why do you not remember things after drinking too much alcohol?

Matthew Walcher

I saw a Facebook memory the other day of a status I wrote where I talked about a movie I watched being so impactful, yet before seeing the memory if you would have asked me if I knew that movie or have seen that movie I would have told you no. How have I forgotten writing that status and watching that movie, especially if I found it impactful at the time?

Matthew Walcher

I've always thought I had a good memory growing up because I was good at remembering names and faces as well as details about things others couldn't remember. However, as I age I realize my friends remember so many long-term memories that I have zero recollection of. Even photos of the events seem foreign to me and I don't remember anything. How is this possible? Is it possible to get these memories back?

Michael James

What are the long-term effects of marijuana usage on short and long-term memory. And are these effects permanent?

Matthew Walcher

How do we know which type of learning (ie. Visual (learn through seeing), Auditory (learn through hearing), Tactile (learn through touch) or Kinesthetic (learn through doing and moving)) we are best suited for?

Addie Cappello she her

Can you talk a bit about the science behind how and why memory is affected by concussions? What is actually happening when cognitive function and ability to retain or recall information changes? Why is long term memory usually less affected than short term memory in these situations? What are the best ways to strengthen your noggin “muscles”? And are there different ways to build strength for memory post concussion versus warding off dementia?

Addie Cappello she her

Any advice for forgetting memories you don’t want to think about anymore?

Addie Cappello she her

Maybe relating to neurodivergent noggins (and maybe neurotypical people do this too?) why do memories continually play in your brain over and over- for better or worse. What’s scientifically happening in there that your mind won’t “shut off” ?

Addie Cappello she her

Do you have any thoughts on learning and retaining new information while using the Pomodoro method for studying or doing work?

Addie Cappello she her

Does listening to classical music and/or eating excessive chocolate during a test actually help you recall information better? My HS English teacher swore by chocolate and fed us bags full during a state exam- no one got below a 90. Were we just hopped up on sugar? Coincidence? Or was there actually something chemical/scientific going on that helped us recall information and perform better?

Addie Cappello she her

Can you explain why test anxiety makes you forget anything you’ve learned while sitting for an exam? Any suggestions on ways to battle this?

Addie Cappello she her

You are not crazy. Never think that. I’m right there with you 🧡 thank you for asking the hard ones!!

Maria Whamond

Does lions mane positively affect memory?

Maria Whamond

Is it true that more novel experiences make the brain perceive time as slower?

Regular K

My father recently died at 71 after a 5 year struggle with Frontotemporal Dementia, and I am worried it might be genetic. I'm 44 y/o and sometimes have trouble spitting out coherent words in conversation and remembering details that someone said. When should I start worrying about dementia in my own brain?

Mandy Hobson

This might be too big of an answer but how does the menopause process (pre and post) affect memory?

Raphael Santore

Can we at the level of biology, improve the quantity of memory we are apable of ?

Gavin Roach

Why does menopause affect memory in some people and is that effect reversible/does stuff improve?

Raja

I want to hear about déjà vu theories. Just all the things. Oversimplifying and non-sciencing this explanation, but my favourite is that as an experience is being imprinted, it takes two routes to get imprinted and one route is slightly faster than the other, so when the second route is complete, because the experience was already imprinted a micro-second earlier, it feels like the same event happened already. I find the concept fascinating! (Raja rhymes with Papaya)

Shante

(FTQA) I feel like so many ads for phone games claim to "improve your memory!!" or "everyone over 65 should play this!!". Is there any evidence that word puzzles, sudoku, or crosswords help improve memory?

Gustav Golden

What causes us to forget dreams so quickly? Why can we remember them so vividly when we wake up but then 5 seconds later it's all gone?

Bennett Vanderbosch

What impacts what someone has a knack for remembering from person to person?

Bennett Vanderbosch

Is there any truth behind people who are just terrible at remembering names?

Agothicary Garden

I really wanted to ask a question, but I just can’t remember what it was…… buh-dum-tss 😂 love you Allie!

Dad jokes crack me up

False memories - how are they so immutable?? 2 people at the same event can definitely perceive things differently (speed of a car, making eye witness testimony so unreliable) but people actually remember things that did not happen… more than the Mandela effect (which I guess is a whole new spin on my question). I understand forgetting things but creating entirely new “memories” is puzzling. How does that happen?? Now, i guess part 2, about that Mandela effect…. (Personally I’m sure Mandela himself gets confused with Biko, but I too have memories of the famous B-Bears and how I’m SURE their name used to be spelled.. ).

Nana From Canada

I was told menopause could cause women to 'lose words'. As a writer, this is problematic. Is there a way to reverse this?

Susan Lovelock

I see that a lot of other Ologites have the same question as I do regarding menopause and "losing words". I've read about it, and talked to other women about this little-discussed aspect of "the change". My job in the nonprofit marketing & graphics field is all about communicating, and the inability to access words for something that I am talking or writing about is both annoying and slightly terrifying. I know exactly what I want to say, and I can picture/understand the object or concept as well as ever, but the word won't come to me...for instance, I was recently talking to a coworker and I could not for the life of me find the word "mediation"...my brain was thinking of a bunch of similar words (medication...meditation...) and simultaneously trying to identify a synonym. Meanwhile I end up saying "oh, for gods sake...I KNOW what I mean...why can't I think of that word!" On top of that, I have depression, anxiety and ADD which have always caused difficulties with cognition, and I can't help thinking of my grandmother, who died of Alzheimer's... It's a lot! Also...there are a LOT of aspects about menopause/perimenopause beyond the well-known hot flashes which are strange, and to most women, unexpected...A subject for a future episode, perhaps?

Voxothoth

From what I recall, it's a tool to better stay mentally organized. You imagine a physical space, like a house (or palace, it's your imagination!) and you place things you need to remember in relevant locations. Simple example is putting the items you need from a store into your mental refrigerator, so you can just close your eyes, see what you need, and get them irl

Elie Zwiebel

Names: Why are they so hard? Faces: Not so much.

Rene Grotegerd

FTQA! (<- If memory serves🙈) I've seen a lot of people asking why they remember so little of what other folks (family, friends) ask them about. I feel the same way, though I want to narrow it down: could it be that those folks' brains keep memories in a pattern way different from mine, and I remember other events more precisely than they do? Is it possible that each of us can be a certain type of rememberer? (or are remembering according to a preferred set of memory types.... emotional, procedural etc.). Would love to be able to understand and explain to others that part of me better in order to feel less capable cognitively. Thanks for giving us ologies!

Jen Hope

First time question asker- Do scientists understand by what mechanism traumatic memories are repressed then come out later?

Dylan Manthei

Is there some finite amount of memory storage in our brains? If you have a lot of hobbies, skills, and experiences, does your brain have to start purging old stuff to fit new stuff?

Malia McInerney

What kind of findings are happening with long covid and memory loss (Long covid seems to have significant impacts on cognition for some, and memory loss in particular)?

Ryan Marlow

What are the effects that negative emotions such as shame and guilt have on working memory and long term memory? What are the mechanisms of how those effects take place? [also submitted as an audio question!]

Anne

How does temporary brain fog work? (Especially in cases of menstrual cycles or Lyme disease.) How can your brain seem to forget so much only to later regain that information? How does brain fog differ from permanent memory loss?

Lauren Galerio

Second this question when it comes to concussions. Is it the same? During those moments of brain fog it feels like you can't recall anything and then a few moments later it's all back!

Lauren Galerio

How do concussions affect memory? Some people seem to forget what happened during the accident and some have trouble with remembering things during the healing process. This sometimes gets better and goes away with time. How does that happen?

Tyler nelson

How do you practice taking fragmented memories (in situations like D.I.D. or childhood trauma) and connect them

uzay

i swear i had a question but i forgot…

Sam S Fader

How come I have trouble with any type of vivid memory recall (i.e. remembering how I felt during a situation, or what things looked like, etc.) but my partner can remember the way someone's face looked when she was a 6 year old?

Stacie Cobra

First time question asker. Why do we tend to forget things when put on the spot? For instance, if someone asks me my favorite movie, all of a sudden, I can't think of a single movie that's ever been made. How much does pressure affect memory?

Nayomi Santos

So many questions already so I’m not sure if this has been asked already but why are some people better at memory recall than others? I am 24 years old and my partner is the same age but our ability to recall events is vastly different! I can’t remember accurately things that happened less than a year ago while he can. Thanks!

Rachel M

Can medication affect memory? My mom is on prescription pain killers after a botched surgery and she swears that her memory is worse because of it. Is there any validity to this? Could the fact that she’s not sleeping well because of the pain affect her memory?

Rachel M

How can you tell the difference between memory lapses due to age and early dementia? Asking for my mother since my stepfather’s mother and brother both have advanced dementia and she’s wants to know what signs to look out for.

Julia Abbott

Is there a trick to help remember what I just came in this room for?

Julia Abbott

Also: does memorization help memory? Example memorizing a poem or song

Camila Gamino

How does trauma impact memory or memory loss?

Eric R. Eaton

I forgot my question....Seriously, how do you know when you are having normal age-related recall issues (for words, names, places, events, for example), or having a more serious issue? Are "supplements" helpful, or just hype? Suggestions for improving recall?

GhoulNextDoor

Does dreaming aid memory in any way like in processing experiences? For that matter does sleep in general have ties to memory?

GhoulNextDoor

Are any nootropics actually proven to help memory and mental clarity? I’ve been seeing them in supplements recently and in various mushroom coffees I believe being sourced from Lions Maine mushroom. Could they have benefits later in life with consistent use?

GhoulNextDoor

How can I dedicate people and experiences better to memory? Do reminders like mementos and souvenirs help? I’m afraid of memories of loved ones and special times fading with age.

Chyann Colles

Holy cow this is going to be a two-parter episode with all these questions! My question: I commit new “interesting” information (my ologies info of the week) to memory like the world’s most absorbent sponge. But other info.. not so much. Can I trick my brain into absorbing and remembering other information, like it does with the “interesting” information? EX: could never remember how to do algebra, but can give you 101 fun facts about almost any animal you could ask about. (Name pronunciation Shy-Ann Call-Us)

Mouse Paxton

For people who are plural/have DID, how do headmates form and access their own memories that other headmates can't access or don't recall as clearly? If 3/4 of my grandparents had dementia how screwed am I? Why am I really good at remembering certain things (ie. plant facts) that don't seem important but am terrible at remembering things that are important like people's names and faces? Why can you fail to recall something in the moment but then remember it later? Why can't we always access memories/information at will if it is theoretically just there in the brain? Why do we forget things? What is happening in the brain?

Jackie G

A tour guide shared this tip with me. Introduce yourself first, then you can actually listen when other people say their names instead of mentally rehearsing your own introduction. It's amazing and has worked wonders for me. Is there any way to incorporate this basic idea into a group setting? Like I'm at a meeting with 25 people and we go around in order introducing ourselves.

Carleen DH

First time question asker here: 1. Why am I great at remembering small details for my job and school, but rubbish at remembering processes, names, or even the plot of the book I just read? 2. What part does working memory play in attention span? Do they have a positive correlation? 3. Annnd are there ways to improve recall (remembering words you want to use, names, facts you've definitely read), or am I doomed to struggle to recall the words that are on the tip of my tongue forever?

Zuleika Pevec

Trauma seems to be indelibly marked with the tiniest details, while joyful memories seem to be more diffuse and general…why can I relive the trauma with so little effort but the good stuff takes effort?

Zuleika Pevec

Is it true that the reason my short term memory is so crap is because I smoked a lot of pot as a teenager (I mean I did, and it is!)

Zuleika Pevec

I used to have a near perfect memory for names…once I learned yours I would never forget…now, I have reintroduced myself to people enough times that they just think I’m an asshole. What changed and how can I retrain myself?

Kristin 🦦

Oh man, my husband works nightshift and there’s a noticeable difference in memory retention on days he tries to do a daylight schedule.

Kimberly

lol. I’ve only worked nights and I feel like I’m great 😅 though I do know the body slows down at night regardless

Deviancy

Is it normal to have very good or very bad autobiographical memory? I can barely remember my childhood, even up to college is fuzzy. Some people say they can remember events from being a baby or a toddler and I find this idea unbelievable. Is that real or are they just repeating a story to themselves until they believe it to be true?

Callie Fong

Tips for remembering people's names?

Caro Young

Why do smells have such a strong association with memory? I emigrated to Australia in my 20s and whenever I come back home, I am floored by the amount of childhood memories that get triggered by certain smells

Caro Young

Is it just me or do we have in general a lot less memories of the pandemic. I’m not sure if it was the anxiety or the fact that every day was the same but I remember so little of over 2 years of my life

Caro Young

Are we actually on the right track with ever finding an effective treatment for Alzheimers? It seems to me that every new drug fails in clinical trials and some people think we need to go back to tawing board about what the actual mechanisms for Alzheimers disease is

Caro Young

How can I protect my brain and my memory as I get older? Why is there such a rise in age related dementia?

Earl of Greymalkin

1) How does memory work on a cell biology level? And what does that mean for how memories might get corrupted over time? 2) How do emotional responses impact memory formation? 3) Is it true that every time you remember a thing you corrupt the information a little bit more? 4) How does deja vu work? Is it pulling from a real memory? Has anyone been able to experimentally create deja vu? 5) It seems like I am extra bad at remembering things compared to other people, like my filing system isn't always organized well. Its like I index memories based on certain characteristics but then when trying to remember them often use the wrong search terms to find it again. (Then I have to ask the same person probably the same question again, embarrassing!) Is this real? Do different people index information differently? How much variation is there in the human population about memory? Is it possible to work on getting better at remembering information or is this just my life? 6) How much is memory a use-it-or-lose-it deal? What dictates what information is stored short term versus long term? 7) How much does sleep/dreaming and getting good sleep interface with memory formation? Are dreams dependent on certain types of memory? 8) How accurate are people with photographic memory actually? Do they store information more efficiently in order to keep it all? 9) How do anesthesia drugs work to block memory formation? 10) What do we know about how other animals, or plants, fungi etc remember things?

AussieColin

I have a weird memory and I'd like to know if it's something that other people have. I seem to have always lived in a sort of perpetual "now". If I am asked what I've done yesterday, I recall it as a series of snapshots and reconstruct what went between by working back and forward. Going back more than a day or two is pretty hopeless - I just have flashes that don't really connect or nothing at all. My childhood and early life are just anecdotes & scenes. I must point out that although I'm in my mid 60s, I'm reasonably sure it's not dementia. I've always been like this, even in my 20s, although it has got slightly worse with time. I teach mathematics, doing programming on the side and have no trouble remembering numbers and such. Although I do find it massively hard to remember the students' names. I used to joke that if people looked up "Absent-minded Professor" they'd find a picture of me. My defense in coping with this has always been to be very organised. I note-take on everything and organise files and notes so they can easily be found. I keep every email I've sent or received for the last 10-15 years. It still causes me problems though, as I constantly forget things that someone has said to me in a previous conversation. Am I the only one like this?

Kerstin Cornell

First time question asker: Why can’t we remember being babies? (Asked by Anika, age 9. Submitted by Anika’s mom, age 43.) (Yes we listen to (most) Ologies not Smologies. We have some agreements about not repeating certain content to avoid trouble at school. She’s a cool kid who wants ALL the information.)

Dr. Lisa B

First time question asker. I am in the throes of perimenopause and my hormones are being jerks. One of the worst parts is the brain fog. I will start talking to my students and forget what I was saying half way through. Why does this happen?

Kerstin Cornell

I’m a former high level gymnast and am often told that the reason I can still do skills I haven’t practiced for 20 years is because of “muscle memory.” Is that a real thing? If so, how does it work?

SilksMonkey

First time question asker. How does menopause affect memory? I am post-menopause and wondering if it gets better?

Ashley Marrs

Can you explain how problems with attention can affect (or appear to affect) memory?

Kerstin Cornell

Why does hearing music from my past or associated with another person cause me to feel the feelings from that time or think of the people who I listened to the music with?

rita mnxo4

1stTQA! :) I know that sleep and memory function are related. I generally get 5-6 hours of sleep per night. Not because I have to get up, that's just how I'm wired and have been for decades, regardless of my bedtime. I freely admit to having a crappy memory, of both events and conversations. How can I improve on both those fronts? Do my life-long sleep habits mean I'm destined for dementia?

Nora Shine

I'm a first time question asker and my teens and I long time fans: Does anyone yet understand how EMDR disrupts traumatic memory? Also, with what we know now, would you recommend Lions Mane supplements to improve memory in the near and distant future? Also, my 15 year old Freddie is interested in how memories are connected to langaue. What is it like for deaf people? Or blind people? Or those who are deaf and blind? Also, for people who have moved to a different country at some point in their life, do their memories that were formed in their prior language come back to them in that prior language more easily or do they translate those memories into their current language? How does that affect what they remember?

Daniel Opdahl

What goes on with memory and deja vu? Is Deja Vu a misremembered memory? A memory of a dream? Our brain thinking it's remembering something, but actually isn't?

Nora Shine

So true! We call it the blurry time. We wonder too!

Aeriel Belk

Lately I feel like I forget words (ordinary words) all the time when trying to speak, and its very frustrating. Is this normal?

Christine Hurley

What's with smell and memory? Does memory work like on Inside Out, ones we don't tap into often turn gray and faded, and the connection to the memory is lost? Do memories get written over like when you delete something on a computer? Are memories and intrusive thoughts linked? Does mom brain ever get better? :')

Kiah

Is it true every time we remember something the information get's degraded or a little less true? Does this make memory different than recall since you can remember facts such as exact numbers?

The Farming Linguist

How come awkward memories will pop up at random, but fun memories rarely do so? I never sit around and then suddenly think “wow, remember that awesome roller coaster ride I took at six flags?” But my brain will just randomly nudge me and be like “remember that one time you akwardly suggested your teachers boyfriend must have good fingering skills because he’s a violinist - to the face of your teacher!”

Lisa Gollner

I once heard in a documentary that memories can easily be fabricated, for example by telling someone often enough something happened. Is memory connected with imagination? And if so, what possible purpose could that have?

Kelsey Larson

Names- why are some people good at remembering them and some people can’t to save their life? And is there a way the name-forgetters (like me) can get better at it?

Deborah Gray

Do animals have memory? What is the difference between human and animal memory? Which animals have the best memory?

Jess H

Is there any truth to the idea that certain scents can boost your memory, even if it's only temporary? I remember hearing ages ago (just don't ask me where, lol) that rosemary has traditionally been used for this purpose. If it is true, are there other scents that work for this purpose?

rowantree

FTQA: Can you explain the relationship between memory and emotional importance? I find when things have a large emotional impact, good or bad, or I care enough, I can remember better. Curious to know why that is. Thanks!!

Ellen Bailey

I have read that mémoires cannot be "real" (which begs the question, what is a real memory) before the age of 5 or 6. I have memories from the age of 2 or 3 including emotional reactions. They could not be reconstructed from stories because no-one else in my family was present when they happened, and we moved across the country before I turned four. Certainly I have reconstructed them myself!

Pavka34

I’d heard that your brain actually rebuilds a memory every time you recall it and you don’t have a “database in your head”. As a result your memory and facts can actually diverge the more you recall a memory. Is this true? Are there no mind palaces?

Pavka34

Do trees have memory?

Itsok

A lot of the people I know with really good memories are also very good natural storytellers, is this because of great recall, lots of brain practice, or is it hereditary? (A lot of great storytellers seem to come from families of great storytellers, seems to me anyway).

Itsok

Such a great question! Me too please!

Itsok

😭😭😭 I feel this!!

Itsok

Yes! Like there was a lapse in time, I remember 2019 and then 2022, not much between.

Itsok

Also why do some people have no memory or very spotty memory of their childhood and youth (me), and other people have memories of being a toddler to adulthood and clear memories of all the people they went to school with etc (my husband)? It’s frustrating!

Michele Victoria Helen Kraft

Whoa boy!! I don't know where to begin! I will do my best to keep it tight. I am just past middle-aged.. so the tail end of "the change" . I am a small biz owner and artist. I have my irons in a few ovens. I have SO much to remember. I think my memory bank is full at this age and there just isn't room in there anymore. And I started to take pot gummies to help calm down at night. Am I getting dumber? Also, a HUGE thank you for sharing my work a few times. It meant the world to me.

R P Bergmann

Do crosswords and puzzles really improve your memory? How is memory measured or rated? How do memory palaces work and can anyone "build" one? If a person is really good at memorizing digits of pi, are they any better at remembering where their keys are relative to the general population?

GhoulNextDoor

I have heard if you learn a new language and but then don’t use it and “forget” it that if you have to use it again or try to re-learn it that the words come back easier. What does that say about memory? Are forgotten things just hiding in there waiting to get polished up?

GhoulNextDoor

Does learning and using multiple languages help in memory health? In a similar vein to “brain games” and other tools meant to sharpen memory.

Chris Whitman

In “ Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind” the characters try to remove memories after a painful breakup. For those of us who have such painful memories, is there a brain hack to forget them?

Steven Hansen

0_o is memory health a thing? I have never even thought about that.

Steven Hansen

Why do I remember pointless things so easily but cannot remember things I need to such as people's names?

Alison Gussack

Is it true that phone numbers are 7 digits because that’s as many as most of us can remember at a time?

Alison Gussack

Is there any evidence that certain activities help us retain memory more than others? Like puzzles, crosswords, reading, podcasts, etc? Or is it just the luck of the gene draw?

Alison Gussack

How are you going to fit this all in one episode??

Alison Gussack

Yes! They do! But possibly similar to humans, individuals remember different things and have better or worse memories than others

GhoulNextDoor

I meant “memory health” as in the health of memory itself, but that’s an interesting point too. From my point of view, not having studied memory in any way, I would consider it a part of overall health. Especially due to dementia and Alzheimer’s being diseases that impact memory. But I’d be curious to hear more about that too!

Alison Gussack

I heard that giving alprazolam to members of the military who have very recently gone through trauma helps prevent PTSD. Is this something that is actually done as a standard procedure? Does it really work? I see dogs and cats who (apparently) have ptsd from prior events and it makes them very difficult to work with/on. Alprazolam has been suggested for the same reason at the time of or shortly after our visits.

Kent Durvin

I have difficulty remembering names. Many people at my makerspace (a bunch of geeky people) say they have the same trouble. Is there a link of personality to kinds of memory facility?

Beatrice Lesser

This is an example of how I call up info that I keep forgetting, such as the name of the plants I planted on my front steps. The plants are begonias. I said to myself, "B is the second letter of the alphabet, so remember that is the name of the plants!" When I start walking up my front steps, I say that to myself, and I remember begonias! I stopped forgetting it. Second example: my friend has 2 sons and I can never recall which is the older one and which the younger. I said to myself, they are in reverse alphabetical order: Joe is older and Adam is younger. Why is it easier for me to recall things when I make up a narrative like this, rather than being unable to come up with the unembellished info?

Beatrice Lesser

Is it true that we only have limited capacity in our brains and that's why we start forgetting?

PopsicleEmperor

Is there any research on improving memory recall after traumatic events and what was effective in brining the memories forward again? Curious if there's things outside of therapy and EMDR that helps aid this recall.

Madison Woofter

What is plaque and how does it form? Is it common to have some amount of plaque in the brain?

Nick Allston

FTQA: What is the chemistry behind emotional memories? More specifically, have any triggers for stress or happy hormones been observed at a neuronal level during the recall of an emotional memory?

EmmaB

How common are false memories? I know how easily memory can be altered but is there an average percentage? How can you even measure things like that?!

EmmaB

When is the average earliest memory? And what counts? I have a memory of a whole event around age 3 but have memories of more vague things (a certain room or moment) from much younger

Nathan Marion

I’m an occupational therapist and many of my clients who experience chronic pain and post-trauma mental health challenges appear to have difficulty with remembering information. What do we know about how chronic pain or mental trauma affects cognition? Is it a similar mechanism to a brain injury?

Tania Magic Fingers

Why does the brain throw out random memories? How can the brain bring up, what appear to be inconsequential memories, forgotten for decades, such as sitting waiting at the train station when 12 years old, yet seems to have forgotten important events which would be good to remember?

Theladyisageek

First time question-asker! Why do hormonal processes like pregnancy and perimenopause cause brain fog and memory issues? (I'm worried the answer is going to be "we don't know because funding for research for female health is wildly inadequate")

Kimberly

Why are some people naturally better are remembering details? I mean people just going about their lives, not people making a conscious effort to memorize details. Like some people remember the outfit they wore on some not so special day 60 years ago when a minor silly thing happened at the grocery store and others struggle to remember the details of a surprise party someone threw for them last year. They remember there was a party, not sure of the year, where was it again? Did Uncle Ron come?

tiny nature

What lifestyle choices can I make that will help me to improve my memory?

Mimz

Why do hormones affect memory? Perimenopause, menopause, wait, what was I asking?

Kimberly

FTQA: I can sing or hum along with a song I haven't heard in years, or only once before, but don't ask me who the band is or you'll get a blank stare. And people with dementia can still have a good memory for music. How is musical memory stored and retrieved differently from other memories?

Jazmin Patino

First Time Question Asker… does one’s genetics have anything to do with memory “strength”? My boyfriend is incredibly inquisitive and has an almost superhuman level of intuition and “street smarts” but has absolute goldfish brain to the point that I feel like I’m the memory bank of our relationship. My father on the other hand is a voracious reader and can remember his third cousin’s second child’s birthday. His mother, my grandmother, was the same. Is there some sort of cap on how good your memory is based on your genes?

Amelia Frank

Does everyone get forgetful as they get older (I'm talking like geriatric older, octogenarian/nonagenarian older, not like thirties) or is all memory loss as we get older considered "dementia"? If they are not the same, how do you tell the difference? Also, in either case, WHY do we have memory loss as we age? Is it always plaques? Is it neurotransmitters? Is it just, like, you have too many memories and you can't clear out the cobwebs?

Amelia Frank

Is there anything to the strategy of playing crossword puzzles/Sudoku/etc to help prevent memory loss? Is that a real thing or a marketing strategy to get you to buy stuff? And if it works, when should one start doing that?

TwoStonesWithOneČech

Asking last minute! - Is there a genetic component to memory? - Do we have a functioning model for a mechanism for memory in the brain? - Michael Levin has expressed and studied the idea that cells themselves can have memory in the form of bioelectrical signals and storage. Is it possible that the brain has the same or similar mechanisms? - Does neuroplasticity effect memory? How? - What parts of the brain are most active in recall? - Is there a notable difference in activity in these areas when trying to recall very recent vs. very distant events? - What’s happening when we recall things incorrectly? Is the brain just overriding gaps in whatever a memory is for some continuity reason? If so, do we know why it does this? Can it “tell” that parts of memories are missing? - Related to the above, does the brain have “error correcting algorithms” for fragmented memories? - Why do people typically not have more than a handful of memories from before the ages of about 5 to 7? - How in the world does Alzheimer’s effect memory so drastically? Do we have a better idea of the mechanism here? - When people say that memories get stronger with repeated recall, what’s actually happening there? Do more synapses in the related areas form? Does the myelin sheath get thicker to allow for better signal transport?

Elsa T

FTQA - (1) i can easily remember all the unimportant fun facts (where they live, they have a dog, or some small unexciting detail) of new people but linking faces and names is a true struggle - is this a thing?? I sometimes have to pretend idk the details to not appear a creep, esp after just not recognising them. (2, unrelated) at what point of forgetfulness should people start being concerned that it might be early onset neurodegeneration? Does illness typically present gradually or more abrupt changes from normal function?

-e-

what has been learned in the Lab about concepts of Sensitivity? (i.e. those who have gift/curse of absorbing more sensory input than most, and must manage an ever expanding database of memories, unable to ever fully purge, or experience blank bliss.)

LittleMissParticular

Not tooting my own horn here, but I have an astonishingly good memory. It's like an iron trap. I'm typically under large amounts of stress, could it be that I remember things the way I do because of the "trauma "I'm going through? Like my awareness is hyper – keen because of my height and emotional state?

Kitshea

What does the research say about ADHD or being neurodivergent and its impact on memory retention compared to those that are neurotypical?

Catherine Wassmansdorf

Ologies and Dad Ward Fan, merch-wearer and first-time-question-asked. Long-winded question: A family member was recently diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. She seems unaware of her mental and physical decline, and/or she’s in sturdy denial. Examples: How’s your eyesight? “Just fine.” Nope :( How’s your driving? “Great” Nope :( Are you Cooking? “All the time.” Nope :( Are you showering? “Of course.” Nope :( How’s your memory? “Fine for a person my age.” Nope :( She recently went out by herself and had a bad fall. Just a few hours later she insisted she was fine and had no injuries. Nope :( What gives? Anosognosia or a typical part of that dementia life? Short follow-up question: Any tips for supportive but exasperated family caregivers??

Anna

FTQA What information about memory or your research do you want to share that we haven’t asked you about yet?

Keely Chavez

Why was I one of the smartest cookies I knew (haha) and quick! until the dreaded perimenopause? ARGH

Trista Algar

what is deja vu - are we just remembering something we forgot had actually happened? is it a silly little brain misfire? are we seeing into a past life?

Mini Minnie

Been through this recently with my father in law. That’s unfortunately how they are. 🙁 It’s really hard and I wish you strength and patience as you go through this.

Mini Minnie

Writing down even the simplest of details about an event and then reading them back later seems to bring a flood of detailed memories back about the event. Could be a month or many years after the event, as long as I wrote something down, I can pull it back up later. Is it the act of writing it down, or is it that I/we just need a couple clues to get at the rest of a memory?

Mini Minnie

That sounds horrifying. Did that in Diamond Age too, didn’t they? (Neal Stephenson)

Amanda

Why do some people have such a good memory for faces?

Neries virens

Why does it seem smell and memory are so closely linked?? I’m thinking tequila…

Colin Rowbottom

Does the amount of memory in your brain mimic that of hard drives? Such as you can only hold so much information before it’s full. If so and you want to forget information how does that work? For Alzheimer’s, how does your brain pick what information to forget first? Is it a targeted area?

John Wallace

Memory and smells, slants of sunlight, sounds, and synesthesia and that flood of memories that makes my grandfather’s pipe smoke impossibly light up my nose. Memory and desire. Proust, T.S. Eliot’s the Wasteland, and other fun stuff.

Tarah Dactyl

I think this has to do with memory... Might be too late. What the heck is déjà vu? Why do I feel like I get it more than other people? Is something wrong with me/is it a sign of poor brain health or something? I have also recently heard of jamais vu and I am interested in knowing all the different vu's. Thanks.