MEMORY & AMNESIA: HOW MEMORY WORKS, WHAT GOES WRONG, & HOW TO IMPROVE IT

Course overview

Memory & Amnesia: How Memory Works, What Goes Wrong, & How to Improve It begins by describing memory: what is it, where memories are stored, what types of memories are there, and the process of converting information to memory and retrieval of memories. Understanding these basics becomes important in order to grasp more completely how memories can be faulty, or in other cases, photographic. The publication somewhat diverts from its drier text to give real life examples of memory savants, defined as “people with a spectacular ability or brilliance” who simply cannot forget information once learned. People with savant syndrome who have been studied have increased the understanding of how memories are formed. Part two of the publication addresses amnesia or, simply put, excessive forgetting. There are two types of amnesia – psychogenic and organic – and they affect the brains differently and therefore the types and/or timing of the memories. Some types of amnesia may be permanent while others improve (such as after traumatic brain injury). Once again, the author uses stories about real people which help the reader the further understand how memory works and what may cause amnesia. Some amnesia is progressive and can range from the normal aging process to dementia. The publication identifies risk factors for different types of amnesia and describes the different types, such as mild cognitive impairment vs. Alzheimer’s dementia. Lastly, the author identifies methods of improving memory function and reducing risk factors.