But if I said, 'Remember this number or I will kill you,' it might actually get stored right away in your long-term memory. Attention, whether prompted by fear or genuine interest, helps to filter what is saved to memory, and for this reason, it has become one of the new frontiers in memory research. As the population ages, understanding memory is vital for battling Alzheimer's disease and other age-related dementias. But it's not just the elderly who can benefit from memory research. Only by understanding how memory works can researchers open the door to new treatments for psychiatric illnesses and learning disabilities.
Memory is involved in every aspect of our lives.
Powerful imaging devices and new genetic information are revealing the secrets of the organ that makes humans unique. This is the third of several articles in Health about mysteries of the brain. Send in your comments and questions. The hippocampus and the medial temporal lobes are critical for a healthy memory. They are involved in the function of the declarative memory, one of two major types of remembering.