Alzheimers Signs and Symptoms

Q and A Short Term Memory

Do you not hate it when you have to learn something quickly and just when you need to use it…it is gone from your memory? Some people are very good at utilizing their short term memories and some are not. But it is something that everyone does use every day and it is important to understand why you need to boost your short term memory skills whenever possible. You would be surprised at how much your life can improve if you improve this bank of memories. In this article we will cover how short term memories are made and exactly what it is. It may give you a better understanding of why you can remember some things and forget others.

How is short term memory formed?

Short term memory is not lasting. You have to understand that before you can understand the framework and the physiological processes that go into creating short term and long term memories. And short term memories are not processed in the same way that working memories are processed either. Your active memory (short term) works by you receiving information. It can be verbal or visual. You store that information for a very short time before it is pushed out by other memories as they come in. There is a lot of controversy about how memories are pushed out and how to increase your short term capacity. The current belief is that when you are given information you somehow know whether to store it in your active memory banks or your long term banks. Information that is repeated is put into long term memory. Information that is brief and passing is put into short term.

Are there certain illnesses or diseases that affect short term memory?

There are illnesses and diseases that do affect not only your short term memory but your long term memory as well. The frontal lobe of your brain is very important in the formation of memory. If any damage occurs there, the information you receive and process is not stored in the same way. The frontal lobe is responsible for your attention. Thus it follows: if you are unable to pay attention to what is being presented or given to you, you cannot store it in any memory bank. But there are other ways your memory can become impaired as well. Dementia is something that happens to everyone as they age. You are bound to forget things because you have had a lifetime of accumulative memories. As you get older and the dementia spreads, whether due to Alzheimer’s disease or from medications, you begin to stop forming active memories. It is why many elderly are able to remember something from their childhood but cannot remember something from five minutes prior.

How does short term memory become converted into long term memory?

Short term memory is the initial stage of converting something to long term memory. Without your active memory you would not be able to retain any information. You would see something and then instantly forget it. The process of converting from active (short term) to long term is through memorization or repetition. You train your brain over time to assimilate information and store it. You may not be able to instantly recite back someone’s new phone number but you probably could recite your parents’ phone number from childhood. The mind is still a huge mystery to scientists and researchers. No one really knows what it is capable of and why it acts the way it does. Some believe that it is our other senses that help short term memories make the transition to long term.

Can brain injuries affect short term memory?

Damage to the frontal lobe can definitely affect your short term memory. Your frontal lobe in your brain is responsible for your attention span. If you have damaged that area then your attention becomes fractured. And you need to be able to process information as you get it. If you cannot remain attentive to receive that information then you cannot store it, even temporarily, in your memory banks.

Thomas Bronson is a well equipped self-enhancement, professional coach. His self-help compilation Think & Grow Rich is a very helpful read. It will definitely increase your self-esteem and feel good about yourself. Check his profile and feel his vibe flow to you.