THE HUMAN
BRAIN
By Zahra and Miriam
INTRODUCTION
The human brain can remember things by using
its network of brain cells and connections. This
helps us learn from experiences, affects how we
act, and forms who we are. Understanding how
memory works can teach us a lot about how the
brain functions and might help treat brain
problems and make our thinking better.
OVERVIEW OF
MEMORY
Memory serves as the cognitive system that allows
individuals to retain and retrieve information over
time. It plays a crucial role in various aspects of daily
life, from recalling past events to learning new skills.
Memory can be broadly categorized into short-term
and long-term memory, each serving distinct functions
in information processing. Moreover, memory
encompasses diverse types such as episodic (personal
experiences), semantic (facts and knowledge), and
procedural (skills and habits).
MEMORY
FORMATION
The Hippocampus Role: The
Sensory Information Encoding: Turning Sensations into Brain Making Memories Stick: After hippocampus, a part of our brain, is
Memory formation begins when Patterns: During encoding, the encoding, our brain works to make like a memory manager. It helps
our senses gather information signals from our senses these patterns stick around. This organize and store memories,
from the world around us. This become patterns in our brain. process, called consolidation, especially those about facts and
events. Without the hippocampus, it's
information, like what we see, It's like the brain creates a strengthens the connections between
harder for us to form new memories
hear, or feel, gets turned into picture or a story out of what brain cells related to the memory. It's or remember things we've
signals that our brain can we've experienced. So, when like reinforcing the memory so it won't experienced. In the case of the movie
understand. For example, when we remember that movie, our fade away easily. For instance, after memory, the hippocampus helps tie
we watch a movie, our eyes take brain recalls the scenes and watching the movie, our brain together the different parts of the
in the scenes, and our brain sounds we saw and heard. consolidates the details so we can movie, like the plot and characters,
so we can recall them later.
processes them. remember them later.
ENCODING
MEMORIES
ENCODING IS THE PROCESS BY WHICH INFORMATION IS INITIALLY
RECORDED, INTERPRETED, AND STORED IN THE BRAIN. IT
INVOLVES TRANSFORMING SENSORY INPUT INTO A FORM THAT
CAN BE STORED IN MEMORY.
01 Semantic Encoding: Encoding the meaning of
information. Semantic encoding involves
processing the meaning of words and concepts.
02
Acoustic Encoding: Encoding sounds and auditory
information. It involves processing the sounds of words and
phrases.
03
Visual Encoding: Encoding visual information and imagery. It
involves processing visual images and scenes.
FACTORS AFFECTING
ENCODING
EMOTIONAL SIGNIFICANCE: EMOTIONALLY SIGNIFICANT EVENTS ARE OFTEN
ENCODED MORE DEEPLY AND REMEMBERED MORE VIVIDLY.
ATTENTION AND FOCUS: INFORMATION THAT RECEIVES MORE ATTENTION AND
FOCUS DURING ENCODING IS MORE LIKELY TO BE REMEMBERED.
REHEARSAL AND REPETITION: REPEATED EXPOSURE TO INFORMATION THROUGH
REHEARSAL HELPS STRENGTHEN ENCODING AND RETENTION PROCESSES.
STORAGE OF MEMORIES
LONG TERM
SENSORY MEMORY SHORT TERM MEMORY
MEMORY
Sensory memory is like a quick Short Term Memory (STM) is like Long-Term Memory (LTM) is like our brain's
snapshot of what we see and a temporary post-it note for our library of memories that stick around for a long
hear right after we see or hear brain. It holds information we're time.
It can hold a lot of stuff and last for minutes
it. It only lasts a tiny moment. It actively thinking about. or even a lifetime.
includes remembering what It can only hold a little bit and There are different kinds of LTM:
things look like (iconic memory) lasts about 20-30 seconds. Procedural memory is for skills and
procedures (like riding a bike).
and what we hear (echoic The hippocampus helps move Semantic memory is for facts and general
memory). stuff from STM to long-term knowledge (like knowing the capital of a
memory (LTM). country).
Episodic memory is for remembering
Repeating information (like a specific events and experiences (like a
phone number) helps us keep it birthday party).
in STM longer.
THANK YOU
BIBLIOGRAPHY
HTTPS://WWW.NATURE.COM/ARTICLES/NRN1201
HTTPS://PUBMED.NCBI.NLM.NIH.GOV/11718892/
HTTPS://PSYCNET.APA.ORG/RECORD/1998-04510-
002
