Aids to memory
Apr 18, 2018 00:00 IST
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Forgetfulness is a terrible thing. In children, it leads to poor grades. In older people, it leads to mislaid keys and forgotten appointments.
Now, scientists have found the basis of memory, using fancy contrast scans. As new information was processed, they could observe new synapses being formed between the neurons. Repetition made these connections stronger.
These days, both adults and children watch a great deal of television. The objects on TV appear to move because of the unrealistically rapid pace at which they are projected. "Reading" these images overworks the synapses and depletes brain chemicals. As little as an hour of TV a day negatively impacts the processing and retention of information. In young children, it raises the chances of developing attention deficit disorder by 10 per cent.
These neurochemicals are reformed during sleep. Adults and children do not sleep the required 7 and 10 hours respectively at night. A gradual deficit builds up, making remembering difficult.
Just like the body needs physical exercise to stay fit, the brain needs intellectual stimulation. It also requires healthy food, such as fruits and vegetables. Smoking has a negative effect while alcohol, in quantities greater than 30ml a day for women and 60ml for men, can permanently shrink brain cells.
Stress depletes brain chemicals and prevents them from reforming. Music, yoga, prayer, meditation or even just taking 20 deep breathes at a time, three or four times a day, are effective for destressing.
Recall and retention become more efficient if things are written down and then repeated loudly. This is because the brain is then stimulated in all three directions - graphics, audio and visual. Also, break down complicated tasks into simple steps which can be focussed on one at a time. Written notes are a great aid to memory.
The writer is a paediatrician with a family practice at Vellore and author of Staying Healthy in Modern India. If you have any questions on health issues please write to yourhealthgm@yahoo.co.in
