By: Inas Essa

Memory, sharp memory has always been a wish for many of us while studying, working, and conducting tasks that require recalling information previously acquired to succeed and act properly in a present situation. However, in other hard times, we wish to forget and stay oblivious while unwelcome memories keep sneaking into our minds.

Generally, our memory does not work according to our wishes; the matter is much more complicated. Previous research has linked forgetfulness to intelligence as memory optimizes decision-making by only remembering important information, sending less important ones to the background to make room for only what matters. However, a new study published in the journal Nature Reviews Neuroscience suggests that forgetting could be a form of learning.

Creating and Forgetting Countless Memories

During the course of life, we create a huge number of memories, some of which we can remember, while others we forget. Yet, those we forget do not “decay” as some may assume, as forgetting in itself is not a bad thing. The authors of the new study suggest that changes in our ability to remember specific memories are linked to environmental feedback and predictability. That said, forgetting could be a reaction from the brain towards the environment to be able to interact dynamically and properly.

The new research highlights how forgetting could be a relief in such a dynamic world of today that is packed with numerous events, which means that such forgetfulness could lead to more flexible behavior. So, if memories were gained in different or irrelevant circumstances to the current environment, forgetting them could be a positive change that improves our wellbeing and decision-making. Moreover, that would benefit us by retaining only the important memories in the given situation.

Altered Memories Rather Than Lost

The recent study indicates that forgetting does not mean a memory lost; however, in some of the cases, it happens because of altered memory access. Dr. Tomás Ryan, Associate Professor at the School of Biochemistry and Immunology and the Trinity College Institute of Neuroscience at Trinity College Dublin, says: "Memories are stored in ensembles of neurons called 'engram cells' and successful recall of these memories involves the reactivation of these ensembles. The logical extension of this is that forgetting occurs when engram cells cannot be reactivated. The memories themselves are still there, but if the specific ensembles cannot be activated, they cannot be recalled. It is as if the memories are stored in a safe but you cannot remember the code to unlock it.” 

He adds that the new theory proposed in this study highlights that forgetting happens due to circuit remodeling that switches groups of cells from an accessible to inaccessible state. Since forgetting is impacted by environmental conditions, this means that it is actually a form of learning, which alters memory accessibility in line with the environment and how predictable it is.

References

utoronto.ca
nature.com
sciencedaily.com