Living without Memory

Living without Memory

by Minh Anh Nguyen

Memory is a biological experience involving the activation of several brain systems.  Our memories are not situated in only one brain structure or in a single place inside the brain.  Some memories are shaped by language, others by imagery. The term memory covers a diverse set of cognitive capacities by which we retain information and reconstruct past experiences, usually for present purposes. Memory is one of the most important ways by which our histories animate our current actions and experiences. For example, for any memory to be created, it is necessary that neurons form new connections via synaptic linkages with other neurons. The information incorporated in the neurons will represent the elements of an experience or idea. In order for information to be remembered, it must be encoded and processed by the neurons.  The ability of humans to call up a specific episode of our lives is both familiar and puzzling, and is a key aspect of personal identity.

Poor memories are often the product of ineffective initial training, which usually occurs because little attention is paid during the training, and no personal or emotional bonds are established.  Many people have trouble with memory; this does not mean they have Alzheimer's or didn’t pay attention during the training. There are many different causes of memory loss.  The video, “Living Without Memory” on Hockenbury’s website, shows a study of memory loss that was caused by brain infection.  The patient has suffered a viral infection that caused his brain to become inflamed, a condition called encephalitis.  It produced almost immediate memory loss.  As a result, the patient could not remember or recognize any memories of his childhood life.  The video also shares some of the simple solutions, such as a special pager, that patient used to help him to remember daily activities or tasks.  For those suffering from significant memory loss, this simple device provides an active prompt for taking medications, keeping scheduled appointments, and preparing meals.  For example, the pager reminds patient of what clothes to wear, what bills to pay, and what library items to return.  It also helps the patient also successfully navigates transactions at the local library.

The mind-brain relationship seeks to investigate how our brains define who we are, i.e, subjective experience arises. The mind and the brain are a two-way street. The brain is calling up memories, doing calculations in mathematics tests and so on, but the mind also provides feedback, at least in the case of letting us think about consciousness.  The experience of consciousness and mind is so different from the functions of the brain that so far no scientific theory is capable of accounting for the missing subjectivity within the brain. The Mind's features cannot be directly related to the brain's features.  The Mind uses the functions of the brain to express itself.  The minds features are conceptual while the brains features are physical. That explains the correlations between our mind and the brain.