Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Related Concept Videos

Higher Mental Functions of Brain: Learning and Memory

Higher Mental Functions of Brain: Learning and Memory

Memory is one of the most vital higher mental functions of the brain. Memory is closely related to learning because it enables us to retain information and experiences from our past to use them in our present life. It also helps us to remember facts, events, and skills, such as riding a bike or swimming. There are two types of memory — declarative memory, which involves memorizing facts or events, and procedural memory, which enables us to remember how to do something like writing or...

Interference and Decay

Interference and Decay

Forgetting is a complex cognitive phenomenon influenced by several factors, among which interference and decay are particularly prominent. These processes explain why individuals often struggle to retrieve specific information from memory, leading to lapses in recall that can be observed in everyday situations.
Interference occurs when competing memories hinder the retrieval of particular information. It can be classified into two types: proactive and retroactive interference. Proactive...

Amnesia

Amnesia

Amnesia is a condition marked by long-term memory loss, which impairs the ability to recall past events or create new memories.
The severity and duration of memory loss vary depending on the type and underlying cause. Amnesia is classified into two main types: retrograde and anterograde.
Retrograde amnesia is marked by the loss of memories formed before the onset of the condition. Patients may recall distant past events but often forget those occurring shortly before the incident.
Anterograde...

Long-Term Memory

Long-Term Memory

Long-term memory is a relatively permanent type of memory, capable of storing vast amounts of information over extended periods. Its storage capacity is generally considered unlimited.
Long-term memory can be categorized into two primary types: explicit and implicit memory. Explicit memory, also known as declarative memory, involves the conscious recollection of information that we deliberately try to remember, recall, and articulate. This type of memory encompasses specific facts, events, and...

Forgetting

Forgetting

Forgetting is an intrinsic aspect of human memory, characterized by the gradual loss or inaccessibility of information over time. Hermann Ebbinghaus, a pioneering psychologist, extensively studied this phenomenon and formulated the forgetting curve. This curve illustrates that memory loss occurs rapidly immediately after learning and then decelerates over time. Several mechanisms contribute to forgetting, including encoding failure, storage decay, retrieval failure, and interference.
Encoding...

Understanding Memory

Understanding Memory

Memory is the retention of information or experiences over time, facilitated through three main processes: encoding, storage, and retrieval. Encoding is the process of inputting information into the memory system. For instance, when listening to a lecture, watching a play, reading a book, or having a conversation, the brain is actively encoding information. This initial stage involves transforming sensory input into a form that can be processed and stored by the brain. Various factors, such as...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by

Same author

Specific Bacterial Taxa and Their Metabolite, DHPS, May Be Linked to Gut Dyshomeostasis in Patients with Alzheimer's Disease, Parkinson's Disease, and Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis.

Nutrients·2025

See all related articles

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Oct 10, 2025

Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation tDCS for Memory Enhancement

Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation tDCS for Memory Enhancement

Published on: September 18, 2021

Memory Dysfunction.

Roberto Fernandez-Romero, D Malcolm Spica

Continuum (Minneapolis, Minn.)

|December 9, 2021

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Diagnosing memory dysfunction involves understanding memory processes and using clinical tools. This approach aids in identifying causes and tracking changes in memory disorders.

More Related Videos

The Double-H Maze: A Robust Behavioral Test for Learning and Memory in Rodents

The Double-H Maze: A Robust Behavioral Test for Learning and Memory in Rodents

Published on: July 8, 2015

Highlighting and Reducing the Impact of Negative Aging Stereotypes During Older Adults' Cognitive Testing

Highlighting and Reducing the Impact of Negative Aging Stereotypes During Older Adults' Cognitive Testing

Published on: January 24, 2020

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Oct 10, 2025

Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation tDCS for Memory Enhancement

Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation tDCS for Memory Enhancement

Published on: September 18, 2021

The Double-H Maze: A Robust Behavioral Test for Learning and Memory in Rodents

The Double-H Maze: A Robust Behavioral Test for Learning and Memory in Rodents

Published on: July 8, 2015

Highlighting and Reducing the Impact of Negative Aging Stereotypes During Older Adults' Cognitive Testing

Highlighting and Reducing the Impact of Negative Aging Stereotypes During Older Adults' Cognitive Testing

Published on: January 24, 2020

Area of Science:

Neuroscience
Cognitive Psychology
Neurology

Background:

Human memory is complex, involving anatomic, physiologic, and psychological aspects.
Accurate diagnosis and treatment of memory disorders are evolving with new methods.
Understanding memory function is crucial for neurological practice.

Purpose of the Study:

To provide a practical overview of diagnosing memory dysfunction.
To explore the anatomic, physiologic, and psychological facets of human memory.
To guide clinicians in assessing memory disorders.

Main Methods:

Clinical examination
Bedside cognitive testing
Standardized cognitive screening
Formal neuropsychological examination

Main Results:

Updated diagnostic methods improve the identification and treatment of memory disorders.
Integrating knowledge of memory aspects with clinical tools aids etiological identification.
Recent findings illuminate interactions between brain structures and memory subfunctions.

Conclusions:

Understanding memory profiles (registration, encoding, consolidation, storage, retrieval) aids in identifying pathology.
Assessment methods help pinpoint affected cerebral territories.
Memory evaluation must consider individual context, including comorbidities and aging.