Human Memory Research Mistake
The
human memory research mistake is that science has not yet focused on
explaining its massive capacity and precision. While memory must
reside in the nervous system, the mathematical underpinnings of
science prevent it from seeing the nerve cell as a pattern
recognition entity, which can remember and precisely recall patterns
on a galactic scale.
A
2004 Nobel Prize winning discovery pointed directly to neurons as the
vehicle of memory. The memory for thousands of smells for animals
resides in the combinatorial codes of their olfactory neurons. Leslie
Vosshall reports that, in her lab, ordinary volunteers, (not wine
tasters or perfumers), could clearly distinguish between different
combinations of 128 odor molecules, indicating an average human
ability to differentiate between 1 trillion smells. Combinatorial
codes can theoretically store a galactic memory and recall it with
infinite precision. This view has not been followed up by science in
its research.
Human
and animal memory involves the ability to remember and recognize
millions of images. In the muscle movements for habitual activities
from running to speaking, the system stores massive combinatorial
memories. Yet, the most important area for memory research has been
for simple remembered responses in fear conditioning. In these
experiments, mice and rats learn to avoid a mild electric shock to
their feet, while they move around a small chamber. Once learned,
animals do not forget. Placed back in the chamber a day, or even a
month later, they remember to avoid the shock. By focusing on this
simple "Dial 100" response, science fails to seek
explanations for trillions of other memory links.
- Science focuses on the
storage of strong traumatic memories, instead of faint episodic
memories.
- Long term potentiation
is merely a speed dial link in the system.
- PKMzeta also deals
with critical memories.
- Dial 100 ability
cannot explain the ability to store 10,000 images sequentially.
- Branch growth to
remember millions of images sounds more like cancer.
- Damage to
the hippocampus does not cause a loss of past memories.
- Combinatorial codes
can store astronomically large memories with microscopic precision.
Human
Memory Research Mistake -Speed Dial Links
Nature
created “speed dial links” between nerve cells to remember
notably dangerous situations. Neural plasticity grew new branches to
support such links. LTP established quick response systems. High
frequency stimulation of the dendrites of a neuron were known to
improve the sensitivity of the synaptic nerve junctions. Such
activity was seen to be "remembered" by the cell through
greater sensitivity at specific inputs. Harvard scientists listed 117
molecules involved at the synaptic junctions which could increase
such sensitivity. These chemicals assisted in linking neural paths to
create increased levels of activity between neurons in different
areas. Can a few speed dial links explain the phenomenal range and
depth of human memory?
Human
Memory Research Mistake -PKMzeta
Recently,
Dr. Sacktorat discovered a substance called PKMzeta, which was
present and activated in neighboring cells with speed-dial links. The
PKMzeta molecules formed into precise fingerlike connections among
brain cells that were strengthened. The molecules remained in place
to sustain the speed dial links, which enabled heightened responses
to danger. However, when a drug, which interferes with PKMzeta was
injected directly into the brain, the animals forgot their fear. The
animals even forgot a strong disgust they had developed for a taste
after the administration of the drug. It was hoped that by disabling
LTP, the drug could blunt painful memories and addictive urges. The
ability of LTP to handle urgent messages does not explain how the
system remembers last night's dinner menu.
Human
Memory Research Mistake -LTP Not The Answer
While
LTP can establish “speed dial links,” combinatorial memories are
required for the galaxy of events, remembered by the nervous system
daily. People are reported to be able to recognize every one of
10,000 images shown to them at 1 second intervals. Such memories
involve combinatorial arrangements of millions of pixels. Even habits
require memories. The intricate movements of centipedes and horses
need colossal memories. The graceful steps of a ballet dancer are
learned through tedious practice. They require millions of motor
memories repeating thousands of time a second. Such independent
combinatorial memories are stored at such speeds and deal with
memories of the whole nervous system for daily events. The “Dial
100” character of LTP cannot be the basis for such memories.
Human
Memory Research Mistake -Branching Unlikely
Memory
research follows many leads. One clue relates to the branched inputs
of nerve cells, called dendrites. Branch growth is assisted by a
protein called cypin. Some memory disabilities were related to
deficits in cypin. So, one possibility was that nerve cells grew new
branches to store memory. New branches could represent added memory.
But, when the size and scale of human memory is considered, the idea
of branches, however microscopic, growing to add memories sounds
perilously cancerous.
Human
Memory Research Mistake -The
Hippocampus
Damage
to the hippocampus, a component of a region of thebraincalled the
limbic system, is known to cause patients to forget ongoing events
within a few seconds. But, incidents from childhood and early adult
life were still remembered. Memory had faded from a couple of years
prior to the event that caused damage to the hippocampus. Older
memories were still retained by the patient even without the
hippocampus. Research has identified the role of the organ in storing long term contextual episodic memories all over the cortical regions.
Human
Memory Research Mistake -A Wrong Focus On Maths
The
brilliance of the mind can only be explained through the pattern
recognition process. But, since scientists favor maths, neurons, the
basic building blocks of human intelligence, are assumed to be
computers. Nerve cells are presumed to compute, not recognize. So,
memory research failed to note the significance of neurons in the
discovery of combinatorial codes. Combinatorial codes can store
astronomically large volumes of data and can explain the immense
wisdom of the mind. This website suggests that the mind functions by
remembering and recognizing patterns. Combinatorial codes store human
memory for both events and for habitual muscular responses.
This page was last updated on 31-Dec-2013
