How We Make Memories and Memories Make Us
How we make memories and memories make us.
This article is based on a recent book I read called ‘ The rag and bone shop’ by author Veronica O’ Keane.
As most people know I love helping the brain from dementia, epilepsy, scar tissue, ms and parkinsons.
I love books that help us learn but more than that are thought provoking.
These are some of the gems that stood out from this book.
- Remembering and imaging come from the same area of the brain. When we remember things they seem real or may only be the perception of what was real.
- Events and memories will only happen if we are aware and conscious at the time.
- Knowing that you have forgotten something IS a form of memory even if this makes you cross or unsatisfied. Eg Losing your glasses or keys.
- We have more certainty of place memories than we do time.
- Some people remember the year and some people relate to their age at an event in their lives but more than not they remember the event. Eg accident, marriage, surgery, birth of a child.
- The same circuits of the brain are employed when thinking about the past and the future.
- Memory is more than a record of the past – it is the template for the imagined future.
- The present is the true consciousness.
How to make memories in the present
- Be awake
- Be conscious
- Be aroused - This is done thru the Autonomic nervous system and the cortisol response (the cortisol needs to be not to high but not to low.)
Depression
Depression – scrambles your memory and your thinking. Question is does high stress do the same. I feel it does especially if you have the polymorphism of BDNF gene. Check your genetic profile. Our genetics tell us so much about how to bring the best out in our brain.
Cortisol
There is a triangle union between three parts of the body called the HPA axis. This stands for Hypothalamus, Pituitary, Adrenal Axis.
The hypothalamus makes a hormone called CRH. Stands for corticotropin-releasing hormone.
The CRH helps release cortisol from the adrenals.
Dopamine
To read more on dopamine you can read my article. Read here
Dopamine can be too high in psychosis and schizophrenia and too low in terms of bad memory, parkinsons and lewy body dementia.
Remember the brain is a muscle and we need to use it be it by:
- Music- play and listen and learn
- Exercise - moving our body, our hands, our feet
- Memory games and card games
- Learning new skill - courses, languages
- Speeches, public speaking
- Dance
- Gardening
- Writing and drawing
- Reading
- Ball games - even if simple catching, rolling, bouncing or kicking.
*note sometimes we need to force ourselves to do these skills above to keep it in our daily life.