Magnetic storage of information in the human cerebral cortex: a hypothesis for memory

The diversity of memory phenomena argues against a single place or anatomical structure for memory in the nervous system. Moreover, molecular mechanisms of information storage and synaptic transmission seem insufficient to support contextual recall and other very complex human memory processes. Here, we propose a new physical model for memory based on the magnetic fields associated with neuronal activity and its possible interaction with the adjacent astroglial network. The hypothesis emphasizes the architectural organization of the human cerebral cortex because the close geometrical relationships between neuronal minicolums and astroglial network acquire transcendental importance.