Storing and Keeping Memories

Abstract

How memories are formed in the brain is an extremely complex process that is only partly understood. Memories are fundamental for learning and being able to interact with our environment. There is a sequence of events that are involved in forming memories. These events include the acquisition and storage of something one wishes to remember and after retaining this information, being able to retrieve it when there is a need to use it. There are two types of memories that the brain uses to store and retrieve a memory for brief or long durations. The first type is short-term memory. Short-term memory, as the name implies, is holding a small amount of information that is acquired (typical about 7 items or less), briefly storing it and then usually forgetting it after about 30 s. Short-term memory can be retained by repetition that is how one is able to retain a telephone number that is important to recall. Short-term memory information can be transferred to long-term memory within seconds, but the mechanisms involved in this transformation remain controversial.