Memory

How does Memory work:
Memory is the process in which information is encoded, stored, and retrieved. these are the three steps in creating memory. First encoding is converting information from the outside world into mental representations. In order for the encoding process to be successful you must pay attention. The second process in memory is storing. The information that you have encoded can be stored in three different places the sensory, the working, and the long-term memory. Once the information is encoded and stored it must be retrieved in order to be used which brings us to the last step, retrieving. Retrieving is the reconstruction of the stored information by the firing of the same neurons used to encode it.

Memory related disorders/forgetting:

Memory loss can rage from sever to mild causes, but they all result from some kind of neurological damage to the structure of the brain. Memory loss can be progressive like some of the well known disorders like Alzheimer's and Huntington's disease or it can be instant such as if someone were to be in a car accident and take dramatic impact to the head. But most disorders are causes by ageing. one of the things mentioned in one of the videos that really made me think and got my attention was when it was mentioned that why don't we forget what we look like, that why when we look at the mirror we remember that it is ourselves. The answer to that is of course because of our memory. If we were to lose our memory every other minute than we would not recognize ourselves in that mirror.

Real world connections:
Memory loss is a part of our everyday life, from mild to very sever cases. One case that I can think about is our dreams. I can relate to this because it happens to me all the time! I have a really weird or sometimes scary dream and I try to remember it so I can tell it to my friends and family when I see them, but sure enough as the day goes on I start to forget it little by little until it completely vanishes  from my memory.

Sources:
http://www.human-memory.net/disorders.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Memory_disorder
https://www.ucsfhealth.org/conditions/memory_disorders/
https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/neurology_neurosurgery/centers_clinics/memory_disorders/conditions/index.html
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FvIlVy2J2bU&feature=youtu.be
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TMOtNCuwqfQ&feature=youtu.be