Memory
The human brain is responsible for all behavior and we really do not understand how the brain works. However, behavioral and cognitive functions can be organized into five distinct domains to include: Attention and Concentration, Memory, Visuospatial Skill, Language and Executive Function.
The brain has the ability to encode and retain new information thereby permitting memory. Regardless of the type of stimuli the brain can process the information and remember it. It is thought the hippocampus, a structure that lies in the medial section of each temporal lobe (just under each temple) helps to encode information and transition new information into a long term or secondary storage area in the cortex.
Without the hippocampus, the brain cannot encode and rapid forgetting of new material occurs. The memory system of the brain has the ability to recall information after delay and to retrieve information from long ago such as childhood experiences. As we get older our ability to spontaneously recall information erodes somewhat. Cueing and prompting helps the older brain recall normally. Diseases such as Alzheimer’s damages the hippocampus and results in a progressive loss of memory ability. Chronic stress has also been found to negatively affect memory and potentially induce damage to the hippocampus.
Brain Games
The following games were designed to work on memory.
