There is a good chance the topic of memory is more of a concern to those of us in the over-forty category than the younger set. Forgetting things is completely normal, according to neuroscientist and author Dr. Lisa Genova. Genova’s book, Remember: The Science of Memory and the Art of Forgetting, explains that forgetting where you put your phone, glasses or keys happens to everyone, no matter what their age. Our memories aren’t designed to remember every little detail. This is comforting for those of us at an age to start questioning ourselves.
Genova says one of the first components of remembering is paying attention. For example, if you drive past a familiar road mark, and then two minutes later can’t recall doing so, it’s probably because you weren’t paying attention.
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The second very common type of memory failure is referred to as “tip of the tongue.” This is when you can’t recall someone’s name. You might remember many details about that person, but not their name. This blocking of a name or a word is due to only partial or incomplete activation of a neuron in your brain.
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The “ugly sister” phenomenon is when the wrong name pops up initially. Or, when you’re trying to recall a specific word, but you can’t, as your brain keeps going down the same neuron path. Often the word or name will bubble up later, when you’re no longer trying to recall it.
Memory is made up of two systems — the unconscious and conscious. This is known as the dual system theory. Think of when you first learned to drive a car. In the beginning, you were in the conscious thought mode as you drove. But once you become proficient at it, the thoughts shift to unconsciousness. The unconscious system is fast, automatic, consists of everyday decisions and can be error prone. The conscious system is slow, effortful, reliable and involves complex decisions.
The memory process itself consists of encoding, storage, and recall or retrieval. The encoding can be visual, acoustic, schematic (what something means) or tactile (how it feels).
Essentially there are three types of memory: working, short-term and long-term. Short-term and working memory are closely connected. Short-term memory is short in duration — from 15 to 30 seconds. It also has limited storage capacity — around seven items. Once it reaches capacity, items are discarded or moved into long-term. Working and short-term memory allow you to store and use temporary information, while long-term is where lifelong memories are stored. It has always been interesting to me how some can recall tattoo numbers of registered animals from long ago. But I now can do the same with two popular polled Hereford bulls raised by Justamere Farms, Brigadier 930K and Mainline 680K. The fact that we talked about these bulls daily, and their popularity, helped to imprint them in my memory bank.
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Another example is years of significant weather events. Extreme conditions will become implanted in our minds. Or it could be markets. I have a distinct memory of invoicing yearlings off grass for close to $1,100. That was the first time they had ever broken the $1,000 mark. I suspect the sharing of the related stories again aided the storage.
Prospective memory is remembering what we’re intending to do soon. Our brains are terrible at remembering what to pick up at the store or to call somebody later.
Using a checklist is a sound practice. Genova refers to pilots not counting on their memory to remember to drop the landing gear but using a checklist.
Memory is very much influenced by context — anything that is linked to what we are trying to remember. It is a connected neural network of association. When we can’t recall why we walked into a room, if we go back to where we started, the cues will then be there to prompt us to look for our glasses to start reading.
Genova compares memory to a traffic map. Recall is easier from the heavier traffic areas. For example, people’s names are in the cul de sacs, but common words — particularly nouns — are at the busy intersections.
In 1885, Herman Ebbinghaus experimented with how long individuals could remember a list of nonsense syllables. From that, he developed the Ebbinghaus forgetting curve. As time passes, there is a rapid drop from 100 per cent to 58 per cent retention, and then forgetting becomes more gradual. The takeaway here is that if you need to remember something, revisiting it soon is important.
After the reassurance of typical memory loss, Genova goes on to say that signs of a more serious situation could include forgetting common words frequently. Another is not recalling or understanding how things work or not recognizing common items.
There is no real gimmick to minimizing normal memory slips. Learning new things can create connections and build up the reserves. Repeating things out loud is another strategy. Exercise can be helpful and good sleep locks in the information we learned that day. Proper nutrition and minimizing stress also play a role, as do being around new people and experiences. In the busy world we operate in, slowing down and focusing on the present moment will help on many levels.
Genova writes that “these garden variety memory failures are normal outcomes of our brain’s design.” I hope my kids are reading this. Now, where did I put my phone?
