Memory begins as sensory information that enters our brains. It being sensory information, our memory is limited information that we can personally sense, and this includes: sound information that is translated by the inner ear, visual information that is translated by the rods and cones within our eye, information from touch that is translated by pressure receptors in our skin, and taste information that is translated by taste buds mainly on our tongue, and information from smell that is translated by smell receptors within our nose. Each of these senses have specific regions in the brain (e.g. the occipital lobe for visual sensory information) that assist in interpreting the corresponding information.
The next step in this process is the coding of this sensory information into short-term memory. Studies on amnesia patients as well as other studies on brain imaging provide evidence that storage and consolidation of declarative memories are performed by the hippocampus (Pastorino & Doyle-Portillo, 2012, p. 249). Furthermore, studies on taxi-drivers have shown that those who have more experience tend to have larger and more developed hippocampal regions, suggesting that the hippocampus plays an important role in the formation of new memories (Pastorino & Doyle-Portillo, 2012, p. 249).
Other areas that are involved with processing memory include regions of the frontal lobe. Language centers in the frontal lobe light up when actively processing verbal information (Pastorino & Doyle-Portillo, 2012, p. 249). Other areas of the cortex coordinate with the processing of information in converting that sensory information into memory.
Source:
Doyle-Portillo, S. & Pastorino, E. (2011). What is Psychology?: 3E. Belmont: Wadsworth.
Re:
This is a very well written summary and discussion on the biological foundation of memory taken from your text book. How could you integrate the memory problems that were Clive Wearing presented in the video into your discussion. Which areas of the brain were involved in his memory loss? Give examples and explanation of why these were probably the parts of the brain effected.