The ability, process, or act of remembering or recalling; especially the ability to reproduce what has been learned or explained.
Ability to retain and recall into consciousness previously experienced ideas and sensations and learned information. The retention and recall are associated with specific chemical changes in the brain and can be affected by organic brain disorders and various psychological disorders. In general, memory is classified as recent or long-term.
The process by which information, knowledge, and past events are recovered, reproduced, or recalled. Memory is thought to involve the storage of information through associative mechanisms. One hypothesis holds that memories are retained by changes made in nerve tissue in the brain, where they form engrams (memory traces).
The capacity to remember. It is a complex process and probably occurs in many areas of the brain including the limbic system and the temporal lobes. There are three main steps: registration, storage, and recall.
The mental registration, retention, and recollection of past experiences, sensations, or thoughts. This group of functions relies on the coordinated activities of the association regions of the cerebral cortex, specific sensory areas of the brain, subcortical centers, the hypothalamus, the midbrain, and a wide array of neurochemicals and neurotransmitters. Injury or damage to any of these regions of the brain (e.g., as a result of intoxication, stroke, atrophy, or infection) impairs the ability to incorporate new memories or recall and use earlier ones.
The capacity for recollection. Generally, memory is thought to encompass three key phases: registration, retention, and recall. During registration, information is perceived, comprehended, and temporarily held in short-term memory. In retention, particularly significant information is moved into long-term memory for storage. Recall entails deliberately summoning information into the conscious mind. Several factors influence the effectiveness of memory, such as familiarity with the information and the level of attention devoted to it.
The precise location within the brain where the memory process occurs remains uncertain. Nevertheless, the temporal lobe and limbic system could play a role in this process. The methods by which memories are stored also remain a mystery.
The majority of disruptions in memory stem from breakdowns during the retention or recall phases. On occasion, issues arise during the registration stage. Individuals afflicted with temporal lobe epilepsy might experience unmanageable flashbacks of events from the distant past. The most prevalent memory challenge is the typical age-related decline in recall ability. More pronounced memory loss could potentially serve as an early indication of dementia.