Where is Memory Stored? At what level?

[Jamin4422]

"In order to successfully live in society we have to learn and then recall that learning. This is known as memory. We all know that memory is stored within neurons in the brain, but we do not know exactly how or where they are stored. Because each neuron is made up of molecules, atoms and electrons, a critical question becomes at which of these levels the memory is stored."

Etsuro ITO | CRIS -Creative Reserch Institution- Hokkaido University

For years I have been trying to find where memory is stored. They do not know. People say when we die memory is destroyed. Yet there really is no evidence for that. IF memory is stored on the level of the atoms then maybe the memory is NOT destroyed. Even if you try to scatter all those atoms to the wind and the sea, God could bring all those atoms and all those memories back together again and we could stand before God to receive judgement for how we lived our life if we did good or evil.

NOTE: Sometimes people do get mad when I ask this sort of question. Perhaps they do not want any challenge to their belief that when they die the memory is destroyed. But what evidence do you have that the memory is destroyed and not stored in the atoms and still intact. Maybe all we got to do is plug them in and hook them up to something somewhere to retrieve the memory stored in those atoms.

Can you imagine in one of your infinite alternate universes. Hooking up your 4 million year old skull to the memory machine and getting those memories out of those atoms in that skull. Perhaps a memory of when they were out hunting one nice day. Sort of like watching a movie. Only this would be like a time machine and contain accurate information of what life was like 4 million years ago.

 

[sandwiches]

As far as I understand, memory isn't stored in individual atoms, molecules, or even cells. It's stored in states of multiple cells and crosslinked to multiple other states. Destroy part of the cells supporting a particular state and the memory could be gone, altered, partially forgotten, or a link lost.

 

[The Engineer]

"In order to successfully live in society we have to learn and then recall that learning. This is known as memory. We all know that memory is stored within neurons in the brain, but we do not know exactly how or where they are stored. Because each neuron is made up of molecules, atoms and electrons, a critical question becomes at which of these levels the memory is stored."

Wrong. We know very well where memory is stored, and even how it is stored. Memory is first generated in your hippocampus, in the form of certain patterns of neurons that are firing. Later, the hippocampus sends the memories to several locations in your frontal lobe. As far as I know, memories in your frontal lobe are saved by the synapses between certain neurons getting more responsive by moving closer to each other, so when you try to recall a certain event, they fire.

http://www.cris.hokudai.ac.jp/cris/en/research/ob/ob_innovative/ito.htmlEtsuro ITO | CRIS -Creative Reserch Institution- Hokkaido University

Your link deals with the exact chemical reactions, by the way. The question of which level (atomic, molecular etc.) your memories are stored at is answered pretty easily, and even by the very link you provide.

For years I have been trying to find where memory is stored. They do not know.

Neurologists know. I know. And I have already told you, if I recall correctly.

People say when we die memory is destroyed. Yet there really is no evidence for that.

Your neurons stop firing, which means that your short-term memory in your hippocampus stops working. Maybe some information from your frontal lobe would be salvageable for some time, provided that your brain is still intact, but we do not have the technology for this.

IF memory is stored on the level of the atoms then maybe the memory is NOT destroyed.

Memory doesn't work on the atomic level, though.

Even if you try to scatter all those atoms to the wind and the sea, God could bring all those atoms and all those memories back together again and we could stand before God to receive judgement for how we lived our life if we did good or evil.

If we assume that God exists, yes. I do not assume this, however.

NOTE: Sometimes people do get mad when I ask this sort of question. Perhaps they do not want any challenge to their belief that when they die the memory is destroyed. But what evidence do you have that the memory is destroyed and not stored in the atoms and still intact.

For once, memory is not stored in the atoms.

Maybe all we got to do is plug them in and hook them up to something somewhere to retrieve the memory stored in those atoms.

Answered this above.

Can you imagine in one of your infinite alternate universes. Hooking up your 4 million year old skull to the memory machine and getting those memories out of those atoms in that skull. Perhaps a memory of when they were out hunting one nice day. Sort of like watching a movie. Only this would be like a time machine and contain accurate information of what life was like 4 million years ago.

If your brain is still intact after 4 million years, good luck.

 

[Michael]

"In order to successfully live in society we have to learn and then recall that learning. This is known as memory. We all know that memory is stored within neurons in the brain, but we do not know exactly how or where they are stored. Because each neuron is made up of molecules, atoms and electrons, a critical question becomes at which of these levels the memory is stored."

Slime mold - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

When a slime mold mass or mound is physically separated, the cells find their way back to re-unite. Studies on Physarum have even shown an ability to learn and predict periodic unfavorable conditions in laboratory experiments (Saigusa et al. 2008).[9][10]

#71: Slime Molds Show Surprising Degree of Intelligence | Animal Intelligence | DISCOVER Magazine

It is not even clear that a "brain" is required for "memory", let alone a neuron. Slime molds show an ability to "predict" future cold cycles based on past events. That predictive ability implies/requires some type of rudimentary form of memory from a single celled organism.

The fact they reunite when separated also implies a type of primitive memory, again from something *without* a neuron as we understand it.

 

[sandwiches]

Slime mold - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

#71: Slime Molds Show Surprising Degree of Intelligence | Animal Intelligence | DISCOVER Magazine

It is not even clear that a "brain" is required for "memory", let alone a neuron. Slime molds show an ability to "predict" future cold cycles based on past events. That predictive ability implies/requires some type of rudimentary form of memory from a single celled organism.

The fact they reunite when separated also implies a type of primitive memory, again from something *without* a neuron as we understand it.

I stand corrected. Some unicellular organisms including some amoeba and molds do seem to exhibit the ability to tell time and to expect future events based on previous ones. I've yet to see anything about molecular or atomic memory, however.

 

[Jamin4422]

or a link lost.

That is what I am wondering if the connection to the memory is lost, but the memory is still there.

 

[Jamin4422]

It is not even clear that a "brain" is required for "memory", let alone a neuron.

There have been some stories about people who receive an organ transplant, like a heart transplant. Some people claim that there were memories that came with that organ. It maybe an urban myth though. Some of the stories you hear are pretty funny.

 

[Naraoia]

There have been some stories about people who receive an organ transplant, like a heart transplant. Some people claim that there were memories that came with that organ. It maybe an urban myth though. Some of the stories you hear are pretty funny.

That does sound like an urban myth.

 

[Naraoia]

Slime mold - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

#71: Slime Molds Show Surprising Degree of Intelligence | Animal Intelligence | DISCOVER Magazine

It is not even clear that a "brain" is required for "memory", let alone a neuron. Slime molds show an ability to "predict" future cold cycles based on past events. That predictive ability implies/requires some type of rudimentary form of memory from a single celled organism.

I would have said it's simply entrainment of an oscillating gene network like the ones that maintain circadian rhythms, but the way they can recall the pattern after they'd "forgotten" it sounds like something more complex.

Slime moulds are amazing.

The fact they reunite when separated also implies a type of primitive memory, again from something *without* a neuron as we understand it.

The reunion thing doesn't need to be any more than chemotaxis and molecular recognition. I wonder what happens if you mash up two slime moulds and let them do their thing in a common space - will they separate out into the original "individuals" or form a chimaera? IOW, is it just a general attraction to other slime mould bits or is some specific recognition going on?

... Hmm, well, IIRC dictyostelids can recognise relatives. Maybe plasmodial slime moulds also can.