Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Storage01:23

Storage

109
A schema is a mental framework that helps individuals organize and interpret information. Schemata, formed from previous experiences, influence how we process new information: how we encode it, the inferences we make, and how we retrieve it. For instance, a schema for what a typical classroom looks like might include desks, a teacher's desk, a whiteboard, and students in such an environment. This expectation helps us quickly understand and navigate new classrooms without needing to analyze...
109
Understanding Memory01:19

Understanding Memory

565
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...
565
Eyewitness Memory01:22

Eyewitness Memory

139
Eyewitness memory refers to the recollection of events by someone who has directly witnessed them, often serving as critical evidence in legal settings. This type of memory is commonly used in criminal cases where a witness describes details like a suspect's appearance, clothing, or behavior during a crime. However, despite its perceived reliability, eyewitness memory is prone to significant errors.
One such error is memory distortion, which occurs because human memory does not function...
139
Long-Term Memory01:18

Long-Term Memory

223
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...
223
Encoding01:19

Encoding

213
Information enters the brain through encoding, which is the input of information into the memory system. Once sensory information is received from the environment, the brain labels or codes it. The information is then organized with similar information and connected to existing concepts. Encoding occurs through automatic processing and effortful processing.
Automatic processing involves the encoding of details like time, space, frequency, and the meaning of words, usually done without conscious...
213
Explicit Memories01:27

Explicit Memories

164
Explicit memories, also known as declarative memories, are consciously remembered, recalled, and reported. Studying for a chemistry exam involves material that will become part of explicit memory. There are two types of explicit memory: episodic and semantic.
Episodic memory contains information about personally experienced events and is reported as a story. An example of episodic memory is recalling a birthday celebration. This type of memory includes the what, where, and when of an event, as...
164

You might also read

Related Articles

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

Sort by
Same author

The underappreciated contribution of Oskar Fischer to the knowledge of Frontotemporal Lobar Degeneration.

Dementia & neuropsychologia·2025
Same author

The original sin of unawareness of Alzheimer's disease.

Arquivos de neuro-psiquiatria·2024
Same author

Physiopathological mechanisms underlying Alzheimer's disease: a narrative review.

Dementia & neuropsychologia·2024
Same author

Use of anti-amyloid therapies for Alzheimer's disease in Brazil: a position paper from the Scientific Department of Cognitive Neurology and Aging of the Brazilian Academy of Neurology.

Dementia & neuropsychologia·2024
Same author

Guidelines for the use and interpretation of Alzheimer's disease biomarkers in clinical practice in Brazil: recommendations from the Scientific Department of Cognitive Neurology and Aging of the Brazilian Academy of Neurology.

Dementia & neuropsychologia·2024
Same author

Expressive amusia and aphasia: the story of Maurice Ravel.

Dementia & neuropsychologia·2024
Same journal

Relationship between subjective well-being and cognitive performance in older adults.

Dementia & neuropsychologia·2026
Same journal

When exome analysis is the key for your patient with cognitive decline: a case report.

Dementia & neuropsychologia·2026
Same journal

Selective Kanji agraphia in crossed aphasia after right-hemisphere infarction: a case report.

Dementia & neuropsychologia·2026
Same journal

Global trends in Alzheimer's disease randomized controlled trials: a bibliometric analysis.

Dementia & neuropsychologia·2026
Same journal

Neuropsychiatric symptoms and social cognition in frontotemporal dementia and Alzheimer's disease.

Dementia & neuropsychologia·2026
Same journal

Mentes ativas (active minds): effects of a remote cognitive stimulation program.

Dementia & neuropsychologia·2026
See all related articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 29, 2025

Brain Imaging Investigation of the Memory-Enhancing Effect of Emotion
15:57

Brain Imaging Investigation of the Memory-Enhancing Effect of Emotion

Published on: May 4, 2011

16.7K

The memory engram: beginning the search.

Eliasz Engelhardt1,2, Gilberto Levy3

  • 1Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Instituto de Neurologia Deolindo Couto, Rio de Janeiro RJ, Brazil.

Dementia & Neuropsychologia
|May 24, 2023
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

This study traces the historical evolution of the memory trace concept, from ancient philosophy to modern neuroscience. It highlights key figures and their contributions to understanding the physical basis of memory, known as the engram.

Keywords:
EngramHistoryMemoryMemory Trace

More Related Videos

Examining Recall Memory in Infancy and Early Childhood Using the Elicited Imitation Paradigm
06:35

Examining Recall Memory in Infancy and Early Childhood Using the Elicited Imitation Paradigm

Published on: April 28, 2016

34.1K
The Deese-Roediger-McDermott DRM Task: A Simple Cognitive Paradigm to Investigate False Memories in the Laboratory
07:26

The Deese-Roediger-McDermott DRM Task: A Simple Cognitive Paradigm to Investigate False Memories in the Laboratory

Published on: January 31, 2017

38.2K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jul 29, 2025

Brain Imaging Investigation of the Memory-Enhancing Effect of Emotion
15:57

Brain Imaging Investigation of the Memory-Enhancing Effect of Emotion

Published on: May 4, 2011

16.7K
Examining Recall Memory in Infancy and Early Childhood Using the Elicited Imitation Paradigm
06:35

Examining Recall Memory in Infancy and Early Childhood Using the Elicited Imitation Paradigm

Published on: April 28, 2016

34.1K
The Deese-Roediger-McDermott DRM Task: A Simple Cognitive Paradigm to Investigate False Memories in the Laboratory
07:26

The Deese-Roediger-McDermott DRM Task: A Simple Cognitive Paradigm to Investigate False Memories in the Laboratory

Published on: January 31, 2017

38.2K

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • History of Science
  • Cognitive Psychology

Background:

  • The concept of the physical basis of memory, the 'memory trace' or 'engram', has a long and complex history.
  • Early philosophical ideas from Plato and Aristotle laid foundational, albeit distinct, concepts of memory's physical manifestation.
  • The term 'trace' was first used by Cicero in the context of memory, with later contributions from Descartes and Semon.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To analyze the conceptual milestones in memory research concerning the physical preservation of memory.
  • To trace the historical development of the 'memory trace' and 'engram' concepts through key historical figures and their ideas.
  • To contextualize the ongoing scientific inquiry into the biological underpinnings of memory.

Main Methods:

  • Historical analysis of philosophical and scientific texts.
  • Review of seminal works and conceptual contributions from antiquity to the early 20th century.
  • Examination of the etymological and conceptual evolution of terms like 'trace' and 'engram'.

Main Results:

  • Identified Plato's 'wax block' and Aristotle's 'imprint' as early conceptualizations of memory traces.
  • Highlighted Cicero's introduction of the term 'vestigium' (trace) and Descartes' linking of psychic and physical processes.
  • Emphasized Semon's crucial contribution with the concept of the 'engram' (Engramm).

Conclusions:

  • The search for the physical basis of memory, initiated over two millennia ago, remains a central and active area of research.
  • The historical trajectory reveals a progressive refinement of concepts, moving from philosophical metaphors to more specific scientific terminology.
  • The enduring focus on the engram is evidenced by the accelerating rate of contemporary research publications.