Theory Of Memory (Part 6)

3.4 Data integrity

3.4.1. Compression of information
Now that we have commented on the types of memory, as you get further into the layers of brain memory, the nature of the information changes into a multidimensional system, or similarly, the information being compressed.

This process takes time and the memory manager needs to use a lot of its power. Normally, it not only deals with information compression, but rather with its decompression, its analysis, and comparison with new information. Then it deals with its re-compression after having looked for more appropriate dimensional references for information saving and future localization.

When you think about something that you have not thought about for a while, you may feel like the information is appearing out of nowhere, as if you were putting two and two together for the first time.

When you retrieve or become conscious of information or a concept, it seems as if the brain were continuing to retrieve elements associated with the stated information or concept at the same time. At certain times you can even visualize information and concepts like an explosion of data that are more and more precise in relation to what you were speaking or thinking about. Obviously, this retrieval depends on the length of time that has gone by since the last time that you thought about the specific subject and your necessity to continue thinking about it.

New computers, with their best techniques, keep becoming more and more similar to the brain. With their current processing speed they can start to automatically compress information that is not habitually used; before, decompression of a source of compressed information, if needed, would have been too slow.

Below we will analyse an illustrative example of elderly people who, often say the following sentences :

• I don't remember what I said five minutes ago.
• I don't remember what I ate yesterday.
• Strange, but I always remember perfectly when twenty years ago.

A reasonable explanation could be the following :

• Over time it becomes more difficult to compress more information that has already been compressed previously. This larger compression is considered necessary to free space in the brain memory given that throughout a person's life, it is assumed that he/she has used all available memory.
• Also, the gradual loss of an organism's vital energy with age, or any other problem, makes the compression mechanism less powerful.
• Logically, there comes a time when a part of the stored information needs to be erased in order to save news or a recent act.
• When in this situation, if someone decides to save new information, compressed information from during a lifetime will never be erased, unless the new information is very important. Normally information contained in the first or second superficial memory layers will be erased first.
• Another related aspect that we have already commented on is that older people do not need as much sleep.

We are talking about normal problems that come with age, but obviously in some cases the symptoms are much more serious and produce memory loss that can lead to dementia or diseases such as Alzheimer.

Of course, like in all complex processes, having little memory or not exercising specific sources of compressed information properly is positively correlated to Alzheimer.

3.4.2. Degradation of information storage
Another already known method in our culture is the degradation of information when it is compressed.

When computers compress an image in Bmp format to Jpg format, either no information is lost or a certain degree of information is lost, but nonetheless the new file has been significantly reduced.

Sensory memory, in particular, requires the actions of degradation in order to reduce the enormous amount of information that is received, such as when we think about music and songs, films, videos, etc.

3.4.3 Reconstruction of information
Corresponding to the phenomenon of the information degradation, there is also reconstruction of compressed or degraded information storage when required by the memory manager.

As we know, this phenomenon may convince a person of the existence of an act or a specific aspect because his/her memory says it exists when it actually does not. It may seem as if this person were lying, but, in fact, he/she is confused even though he/she may not be aware of this confusion.

Theory Of Memory (Part 5)

3.3 Reliability of the memory information system

By speaking about intelligence we have already anticipated the conceptual relations between logic and math memory, intuition, and normal memory, and between language and linguistic memory, dealing with the different operational forms of intelligence as a relational capacity and of intelligence as a manager of memory information system, and ways of transmitting such information.

Math memory, which demands certainty in responses from the biological information system, should behave just like logical math intelligence in that it demands reliability. However, it would not be surprising if other types of memory, such as normal memory or the capacity related to language -that characteristically admit errors and approximation- were a consequence of the same genetic information that acts to create math memory, yet under the assumption contrary to that of external verification of the information.

That is, our brain constructs genetic codes from both parents and when operating certain processes like normal memory, it does not require the certainty of responses.

On the other hand, memory proposes additional problems given its own nature of storing information and the problems or characteristics of the information system manager.

It is also clear that very special memories exist with equally special managers, whose internal functioning is presently practically unknown in neuroscience. We are not referring to the parts of the brain that are activated or not in specific activities but rather the biological mechanisms that are developed from a functional point of view. We can cite linguistic, visual, and musical memory among others.

Although we have been using the term math memory, I think that the term secure mode memory in the transmission of information is more precise. Likewise, but without trying to create a closed typology, we could refer to probable mode when the required reliability is high but not at its maximum, and possible mode when this reliability is relatively low.

Theory Of Memory (Part 4)

3.2 Persistence of brain memory

3.2.1. Short-term memory
All the information that has been dealt with since the last time the system was cleaned or maintenance was performed will be found in this memory, that is, since the last time a person slept enough time to perform this task.

The degree of conservation or state of the information will depend on the mentioned time and, of course, on the physiological or genetic capacity of each individual.

This memory will be fed mainly on the data that has gone through the auxiliary working memory, both from medium and long-term memory, and the experience and reasoning during normal life through our perception.

Due to historical evolution, this memory is most efficient for approximately 16 hours, reserving 8 hours daily for its maintenance. Probably not all the time that we sleep is used to clean short-term memory; a significant amount of time is also dedicated to the transfer of information from medium-term to long-term memory (to state it simply), and other diverse maintenance functions.

There are short-term memory cleaning systems that are highly recommended and others that are strongly advised against. Just say the first will not be easy to obtain if there are elements in the short-term memory that generate tensions and demand the individual's attention. In regards to the latter, the effects of abusive ingestion of alcohol can be used as an example; this can in turn give us an idea of the effects of non-abusive but counterproductive ingestion, especially for the information contained in this memory.

3.2.2. Medium-term memory
Maintaining information as organised as possible is a way of optimising the information contained in short-term memory; this will probably make us take in a lot of information that we cannot organize immediately but that we can store to deal with and order afterwards. This eliminates duplicated information and permanently saves information, or similar concepts for reference, and, in this way, saves a large quantity of the memory's capacity or information archive.

In the future, it is very likely that computers will always be functioning, whether by running requested programs or by reorganizing themselves.

We can already cite programs that can be run automatically: defragmenting and maintenance of the hard drive, cleaning of the Windows system log, search for and downloading of news or any type of program, information compression, anti-virus, etc.

The expression of medium-term memory is useful but does not precisely reflect the nature of its content.

The information that is retained for a rather long time is found in this memory. But this period of time is larger because the information is more relational and contains less concrete information. That is, the information can be obtained not only directly, but rather by its relation to other information also saved in the memory.

In this respect, independently from whether certain information is saved in the memory in its original state, (like the birthday of someone you are close to) medium-term memory tends to be more fixed as the information is transformed into concepts and these are defined by the base of a system of multi-dimensional references.

Over time, concepts will only remain in the indicated form; precise information usually ceases being useful or, if relevant, becomes a part of instantaneous memory and the memorized relations tend to be incorporated into the cited multidimensional system. And if required, a new dimension will be added in the system.

All of these processes are not free from errors; the mechanisms that are good in the majority of cases can turn out to be totally inadequate for others.

One of the circumstances that concerns me the most occurs when an act or an idea is repeated many times during a certain period, and especially when it appears or is proposed as a hypothesis that develops in various ways. In accordance with normal mechanisms in the brain, this act or idea will be saved in layers that go deeper and deeper into our brain memory.

Afterwards, when our memory accesses this information, it will be likely to interpret this as its own already accepted information because it is found in a deep layer.

The error can be significant -a strange idea is supplanting our true knowledge or feelings!
It is called brainwashing and it is likely to occur, for example, when we read a book that repeats something thousands of times. Each time we read it, the brain has enough time to memorize the idea or transfer it to a deeper layer. Of course, this effect depends on the ideas and the individuals.

3.2.3. Long-term memory
This expression is more correct than the previous one in that it clearly implies long-term, but also needs some clarification as far as its nature.

If medium-term memory is configured like a multidimensional system, long-term memory is formed independently of the famous 'birthday' by an exclusively multidimensional system in which there are less dimensions than in medium-term memory, and these are the base of the essential character of a person, not of their knowledge. We are referring to what is commonly known as general personalized principles such as justice, equality, liberty, respect, education, benefit of the doubt, etc.

Knowledge or concepts are found ordered in the deepest medium-term memory layers, or otherwise stated, in the most superficial layers of long-term memory.

The necessity to re-adapt these principles to a greater or lesser extent is an interesting effect that occurs in personality growth and development. Obviously, the unconsciousness does not like the idea; changing these principles supposes, to some extent, the recognition of some errors in them; this is a large task because all of the remaining memory will be changed and will need to be readjusted. These will probably be periods in which the person will sleep more than he/she is used to.

In line with the question, this vision is coherent with the fact that people sleep less as they get older in normal conditions.

3.2.4. Vital memory
Here, we are not referring to a visual or emotional memory but rather a very special type of memory of visual-emotional nature that can be compared to extra-fast movies when a person thinks there is a certain probability that he/she will die in a matter of seconds. The content varies from person to person but usually tends to be a sequence of very symbolic emotive images in chronological order.

Another type of super special and super persistant memory could be the genetic memory which contains all of the genetic information transmitted to the descendents.

Theory Of Memory (Part 3)

3. Brain memory types

Below, various classifications or types of memory are presented according to the different criteria.

The aforementioned presentation does not have an exhaustive nor exclusive character. Some brain memory types do not appear and those mentioned may appear in various categories, for I have tried to keep the exposition as clear as possible.

We all know that brain memory has diverse degrees of temporal retention of data. Over time, the information that our memory provides us with disappears. Other information is harder for us to find in our memory and it is not as exact as it was previously. Other information is not only inexact, but rather we can tell that, in reality, we are reconstructing the data from little information, etc.

We will examine each of these categories and their brain memory types in greater detail:

3.1 Conscious cognitive processes

3.1.1. Instantaneous memory
It is formed by all information that is accessible in real time, immediately. Although it may seem otherwise, this brain memory is very large; all the information that we constantly use in our daily life is found here. We will look at some of its main components:

• Normal information such as where things are located, pending tasks, routines, etc.
• The preconceptions that make up a part of our character or personality.
• Automatic response programs that are loaded in a short period of time when we wake up. Linguistic memory and other special brain memories also form a part of this instantaneous memory when they have been activated.
• Special automatic response programs like driving or those that correspond to dangerous situations that are loaded when considered useful.
• Working memory associated with the operation of logic or intelligence. This memory is very limited and its optimum operation implies the use of 3 or 4 variables simultaneously; when thinking about a concept and performing logical operations with more than 5 variables, it takes a long time to advance.
• The auxiliary working memory corresponds to all the variables that are available to be located in the operative working memory cited in the previous paragraph. All the information known about the subject we are working with pertains to this category.

This configuration's automatism allows for the simultaneous performance of various tasks; the human consciousness could be assimilated to the computer's interface and the unconsciousness with programs residing in the instantaneous memory. Therefore, the more the cerebral processes or the computer programs are automated, the freer the human consciousness, or the simpler and more intuitive the program's interface will be.

However, this simplicity is accompanied by a disadvantage that is good to keep in mind; computer's automatism sometimes does not let us know exactly what it has done or why. It is always necessary to have general knowledge of how computers work, and the only way to have this is with practice and time.

3.1.2. Specialized memory
In this category we can include the types of special brain memory for automatic loading in instantaneous memory that also form part of long-term memory; although they are not as compressed as this memory, and have their own multidimensional systems of reference.

The following are examples of special memories: linguistic memory, certain visual memory, the archive of the preconceptions, and pre-established quick response programs such as emotions.

I would say that emotions are not directly recalled, rather that they are directly felt. People can remember that they felt a certain emotion and reproduce it by recalling the original factors. Of course, it is quite possible that the same feelings will not be produced.

Theory Of Memory (Part 2)

2. How to improve brain memory

What is memory? Memory is a mechanism that records, stores, and classifies information, making its subsequent retrieval possible. Strictly speaking, we can identify it with the capacity to save but we already know that this saving is as important as the contents and structure of the information.

How to improve any intellectual capability is always a recurrent topic. In this case, the first thing to keep in mind is the number of factors that influence the normal functioning of brain memory. Throughout this book we will analyze the different types of memory according to the various perspectives and we will see how each of them has some characteristics that can help improve the performance of memory.

A second very important aspect is to understand that improving an intellectual or physical ability does not mean that a human can acquire the ability to fly or anything of the sort. It is to say, we must bear in mind that there are established aspects in the brain configuration due to genetics and the early development that act as limits to the intellectual power.

Instead of how to improve memory it would be better to say how to exercise this brain capacity in a way that its natural possibilities of learning are made the most of. From this point of view, the best advice is that an appropriate intellectual exercise will always be healthy. However, it should be remembered that even if we are not studying the lists of elements, or the Visigoth kings, or the rivers and their tributaries, normally memory is always working because the brain does not tend to cease too often.

For this reason, when I say exercises, I am referring to something other than a memorizing effort but to trying to forcibly remember everything all day. With the general educational system, I believe that the human memory is sufficiently exercised at least while attending school or university; furthermore, it seems that it is generating a certain accelerated evolution of the human brain capacity from one generation to another.

It should also be pointed out that a great part of brain memory is attained unconsciously and we do not have many ways of manipulating it except facilitating the conditions of its performance or, better said, trying not to interrupt its normal functioning.

It maintained that the entire third book of the Global Cognitive Theory deals with how to improve brain memory; nevertheless, I want to cite the following aspects here for their special significance:

• An interesting aspect is that memory functions much more efficiently when something is learned in a pleasant and relaxed environment. We all know that memory is selective and that we remember pleasant things much better and that we hardly remember the bad times; this effect is accentuated the older the memories are.
• A complementary yet opposite aspect is that, when we are nervous, memory works very poorly, confusing almost everything. It is important that certain topics are discussed with as much calmness as possible, because otherwise, objective information starts to become confused, and there is no human way to reason or understand the emotions.

It seems as if the large quantity of resources that the memory manager was consuming were not found free, that it would not function adequately.