Health The Power of Memory
HEALTH: THE POWER OF MEMORY
WHY WE REMEMBER • From an evolutionary point of view, it comes down to survival of the fittest. He who endures remembers where the food is and where the predators lurk.
OPENER • It is the mechanism for encoding, sorting, storing, and retrieving information. But memory also defines our essential selves.
THE BIOLOGY OF MEMORY • Our capacity to remember does not exist in a discrete niche of the brain but rather involves several areas working together to make sense of our experiences.
KNOW YOUR TERMS: A MEMORY GLOSSARY • There are several types of short-term and long-term memory that impact daily life.
UNDERSTANDING THE LIMBIC SYSTEM • Memories and emotions are linked through important brain structures.
THE TIME-BENDING MAGIC OF SMELL • Odor-evoked autobiographical memories derive their power from the way they are processed in the brain.
AN ELEPHANT NEVER FORGETS • Averaging about 10½ pounds, the pachyderm brain is the largest among all land animals, with a memory that rivals those of apes and dolphins.
THE ESSENTIAL ACT OF BEING HUMAN • The paradox of memory is that we can summon it, but it can control us. It is exquisite and it hurts.
OPENER • Many of us are anxious about losing our memories, but letting go of certain information allows us to store what is important.
FORGETTING CHILDHOOD • Our memories shape and define us. So why do our earliest experiences start to fade when we are just 3 years old?
LIVING WITH ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE • Eugenia Zukerman learned she had the disease in 2018. Here, she reflects on her diagnosis, support systems, and coping mechanisms.
AGING, MEMORY, AND MYTHS • Although the ability to recall memories may begin to decline in your 20s, your fact database peaks as late as 70. Aging may have some memory-boosting benefits.
MEMORABLE MOVIES • Amnesia has been a frequent Hollywood topic since the talkies. Do they get it right?
GETTING BETTER (YES, TRULY) WITH AGE • Science is revealing some heartening ways in which our minds sharpen over time.
UNEXPECTED THINGS THAT MESS WITH YOUR MEMORY • Certain lifestyle factors can inhibit memory over time—and some can even result in improvements. Diet, sleep, and medications are a few of the most common ones.
OPENER • When we’re buffeted by the Internet, stress, and insomnia, modern life can feel like an endless round of the Interruption Game. How is it affecting our recall abilities?
THE DIGITAL-ERA BRAIN • Critics complain that the Internet is eroding our memory. Supporters say it is opening pathways. Who is right?
BATTLE OF THE BIG BRAINS • In this excerpt, an American journalist with average recall decided to train for the USA Memory Championship. His first stop? A cutthroat match in Oxford, England, to observe the world’s top “mental athletes.”
WHY SLEEPING ON IT IS KEY FOR MEMORY • While you are getting your shut-eye, your brain is deciding which new information to keep and which to discard.
OUT OF MIND • What do we stand to lose—and gain—when we wipe out a memory?
OPENER • Mark Twain invented a game to improve his memory. AndyWarhol wore cologne. You can try everything from sleep to drawing to chewing gum.
BEST FOODS FOR YOUR BRAIN • Several foods have been shown to boost cognitive function and stave off mental decline as you age.
THIS IS YOUR BRAIN ON PLANTS • The research is clear: Eating habits can have a significant impact on mental function.
EXERCISE FOR BRAINPOWER • Getting the body going and reaping the rewards.
THINK LIKE A KID! • Take risks, listen to your teacher, and feel your brainpower bloom. Five simple tricks.
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