Memory Loss - Causes and Remedies 05

Memory Loss - Causes and Remedies

People are often found suffering from amnesia in old age. Many middle aged and young ones also complain of lack of sound memory. This also impedes their success in many respects. Be that the act of passing an examination with good scores, carrying out profitable business transactions etc., or, even the daily chores, all suffer due to lack of good memory. Forgetfulness or loss of memory is usually considered as a disease and people go in for medication and brain-tonics for improvement.

Before going in for any treatment or therapy one should try to investigate the cause of waning memory. Also, one should understand the basic mechanism of memory storage in the brain. If one learns the structure of the machinery of a car, the basics of its movements and controls before learning to drive it, the possibilities of mistakes and consequent hurdles are eliminated to a great extent well in advance.

Except in early childhood and during the last few days of life at a very old age, the natural capabilities of brain to memorize remain almost the same. It is the change in our concentration, tendencies and habits, which makes the difference. Variation in the manner of memorization due to transformations in our mental occupations and tastes also sometimes creates a false impression or an illusion of amnesia. If one knows the basic structure and functions of the brain associated with the process of memorization and adopts a systematic methodology suitable to the natural modes of memory storage and retrieval, one may not suffer from the ‘usual’ complaint of vague memory or loss of memory with growing age.

As the inner tendencies, psychology and mental development of one person may be different from the others, so will be his mental potentials — including memory. As per common observation, it is believed that memory is sharp in childhood and begins to reduce gradually with growing age after youth. But, the truth is quite different. In fact, in younger age, there is lesser pressure on mind; there are no responsibilities and problems to face in general; serious queries, spectrum of thoughts, types of mental tasks, interactions, emotions etc., are also limited. Thus, without making an extra effort, the free and fresh mind easily stores cognitive images of every event, thought or perception in the active layers of memory in this age. As the stored amount is less, so its retrieval or recollection also takes place at a rapid pace.

However, as one grows older, the domains of his cognition, perceptions, mental activities,

“Gravity explains the motions of the planets, but it cannot explain who sets the planets in motion.” - Sir Isaac Newton Akhand Jyoti November - December 2014 17

social and sentimental encounters, duties etc also expand significantly. His active memory is also required in the extra activities of planning, decision making and problem solving — associated with multiple facets of life. This increases pressure or load on the storage capacity of one’s memory. In such a situation, it is natural that, unless one takes extra precaution in classifying important matters and accordingly brushing up and re-linking the memory from time to time, one is bound to lack attention in some activities and thus tend to forget corresponding pieces of information. Over-occupation with routine matters of personal, professional and social life also accounts for lack of mental peace because of which sometimes even important tasks are performed without substantial care and efficiency. This also gives an impression of being a consequence of lack of memory and resulting loss of mental power and intelligence.

As stated earlier, inattentiveness, disinterest or indifference in an event or subject matter is found as a prominent cause of its blurred registration in memory. Such perceptions and associated information are soon washed out from the memory. On the contrary, the issues of our direct concern or interest and the perceptions and cognitions occurring in a state of mental alertness create intense impressions on memory. Such assimilations do not wane-out easily from the active layers of our memory. Recalling the associated events or pieces of knowledge is not difficult even after a long span of time.

It is a common observation that college students find it difficult to memorize the texts pertaining to their studies but, recalling complete story and narrating the details of every scene of a film or a video show is very easy for them. Filmy songs are remembered without much effort but not the poems and important points of an essay. A grandmother may forget the complete names and ages of her grandchildren but, not the dates of specific festivals, religious celebrations or the rituals performed after the death of their in-laws or husband. Youths staying away from parents often forget to write to them but, are found quite prompt in corresponding with their beloved friends. A working man may forget the date of any other event but not his salaryday. Similar incidents observed in day-to-day life illustrate that by and large, memory storage and retrieval depends upon one’s priorities and interests.

Short memory or forgetfulness is not a disease or weakness of mind. It usually occurs due to haphazard, unplanned or over-occupied routine. Maintenance of a diary of important events and habit of noting down useful information provides good support to people suffering from amnesia. Adaptation of such habits along with the earlier discussed practical methods in daily life and improvement of mental concentration is indeed more effective than using any kind of medicine or brain tonic as a remedy against amnesia. [At times physical weakness (e.g. deficiency of certain vitamins or hormonal disorder) of the brain might also be the cause of this deficiency/disorder but such causes should be diagnosed and treated medically by an expert].

“Was the eye contrived without skill in Optics, and the ear without knowledge of sounds?...and these things being rightly dispatched, does it not appear from phenomena that there is a Being incorporeal, living, intelligent...?” - Sir Isaac Newton 18 Akhand Jyoti November - December 2014

Along with the blessing of memory, the Almighty has bestowed oblivion on the human mind as a boon because it helps waning out the untoward traces and stresses of unpleasant memories of tragedies, assaults or insults etc. The excitations of fury, wrath, agitation and revenge on the one hand, and the depressions caused by doldrums, guilt, severe loss etc, on the other, put the mind into an abnormal situation which needs to be depleted rapidly. If the memory of corresponding events or experiences remains steady, one would not be able to come out of the trauma and aggressions and suffer obnoxious consequences in the long run.

Moreover, if the memory of all day-to-day affairs and a large number of unimportant activities becomes permanent, there would not be any room left for storage of new knowledge and recollection of necessary information. If passengers of a train sit in it forever, how would others travel in it? Selective waning of memory thus proves to be essential in many respects. It is only a balanced act of assimilation and elimination of information in the active layers of memory that maintains a harmonious functioning of the mind.

Oblivion seems to work well as a natural process and does not bother people so much. Fine and rapid recollection of facts stored in the memory is what most people find difficult in general and they often look for some methods of improving and sharpening the memory.

Lack of systematic approach and interest is found as the major cause of the complaints of weak memory. If we are half asleep, bored or inattentive while listening to a lecture, we cannot remember any part of it. The interest and alertness of the audience is as important as the sound knowledge, eloquence and interesting style of the speaker in making impressions on the listener’s memory. Interestingly, the posture of body and stability of movements also make a difference in the effectiveness of memorization.

Relaxed position on an easy chair suits many people while contemplating on a philosophical topic or planning or imagining a plot for a creative activity. However, this posture is not useful for a student who has to prepare for the exams next day. Sitting straight in an alert state is most advisable for thorough studies. What one reads while roaming around will not absorb sufficient mental concentration and the texts so read would be difficult to be remembered.

“What do we really want from religion? Palliatives? Therapy? Comfort? Do we want reassuring fables or an understanding of our actual circumstances? Dismay that the Universe does not conform to our preferences seems childish. You might think that grown-ups would be ashamed to put such thoughts into print. The fashionable way of doing this is not to blame the Universe — which seems truly pointless — but rather to blame the means by which we know the Universe, namely science.” - Carl Sagan

“The ideas of the moral order and of God belong to the ineradicable substratum of the human soul.” - C.G. Jung Akhand Jyoti November - December 2014 19

While discussing memory and brain, it would be relevant here to note that the latter receives enormous information via the bio-electrical signals sent by the sense organs every millisecond or even a microsecond or so. Most of these signals are impulsive and vanish with an instant reflection. There is no place or need for storing all the information received by the brain almost continuously. Only a selected and useful portion of these is registered in the memory of this physically tiny but functionally vast system of the brain.

The information, which does not have any direct relation or effect on the mind, is not stored in the memory. Some of the bio-electrical signals work only to trigger specific activity in the brain and do not have any association with the memory. For instance, if a mosquito bites a leg then the brain machinery receives a message and accordingly directs the hand to hit the biter and to itch the spot where it had bitten. There remains no other use of the associated information. Such pieces of information are lost after the completion of the corresponding activity. These exist in the instant memory like a flash of fire in a matchstick. These are removed from the memory almost instantly.

Our brain is like a multi-sensor tape-recorder, which can record infinitely many audio, visual, mental and emotional perceptions and associated events in its memory. All the recorded information remains dumped there unless recalled later on. The memory cells are wonderful sensors, which are automatically activated at the time of memorizing and recalling. If the memory of an event or a memorized subject matter is not retrieved for a long time, it gradually weakens and gets faded. Rapid and complete recollection of its details usually becomes impossible except of the important aspects that had left deeper marks on the memory at the time of their assimilation.

The kind of impression an event or text creates in the memory largely depends on the state of mind at the time of its registration in the memory cells. The audio, visual, mental or emotional perceptions made in a calm, alert and focused state create more intense impressions as compared to those occurring haphazardly or in an agitated, depressed, or indifferent state of mind. Mental activation of some people is dull since birth. Unless they endeavor to excel their consciousness powers, their memory too remains blurred and short-lived. The other extreme of awakened state of mind and power of deep concentration manifests as exceptionally sharp memory.

At physiological level, one’s memory bears upon the strength of connections and order of smooth communication between the huge numbers of neurons constituting the functional units of his brain. (Rigidity of these accounts for fading memory in old age.) High co-operativity and activity of the interconnected neurons account for sharp memory while the impedance of inter-neuron transmissions weakens the active memory.

The yoga exercises of pr³ñay³m (deep breathing in a controlled fashion) help harmonize oxygen

20 “Science is the slow revelation of God’s blueprint.” - Hattie Gerst

Akhand Jyoti November - December 2014

supply to the brain; dhy³na-dh³rañ³ (meditation) help concentrate bioelectrical energy available to the brain and thereby generate a controlled excitation, which accelerates the inter-neuronal activities. Adept practice of these elementary s ³dhan³s of spiritual refinement on regular basis results in sharpening and empowering the memory along with intensifying mental concentration.

In view of the relationship of memory with the structure and functions of the brain, we should understand memory and oblivion respectively as awakening and waning of specific activities in the neuronal system. As our life style, habits and psychology have significant effects on the conditioning of these functional units of the brain, we may find a remedy for oblivion and key to improving our memory in the methods of refining our attitude and controlling our day-to-day activities. Apart from following the practical tips stated in the earlier articles of this series [1], adopting some spiritual disciplines and practicing simple s ³dhan³s of dhy³na-dh³rañ³ (calming contemplation and meditation) would offer great help in elevating our mental concentration and gradually lead to the realization of sharp memory and brilliance.

Most of the infinitely many potentials of human brain remain dormant unless one endeavors to activate associated processing in the neuronal network and creatively use the mental and physical power so generated. Modern research shows that at the most 7% of the true capabilities of the brain are used by humans - including the most distinguished intellectuals and talented personalities. High level spiritual s ³dhan³s focus on activating the unused 93% of the ‘latent’ power of the brain. Success in such endeavors can elevate one’s physical, mental, intellectual and spiritual potentials up to supernatural levels. Activation of exceptionally sharp and sound memory is a natural consequence of such effects.

Reference & Further Reading:

[1] Enrich Your Memory. Article published in “Akhand Jyoti – The Light Divine” Vol.11, Issues Sept.- Oct. and Nov.- Dec., 2013.

[2] Acharya Shriram Sharma: Buddhi

BaÃh³ne Ke Up³ya (20 th Print, 2012). Publ.Yug Nirman Yojna, Mathura, India. (English version: “ Practical Ways to Sharpen the Memory & Intellect” 1 st Ed. & Print, 2013; Publ. Shri Vedmata Gayatri Trust, Shantikunj, Haridwar).

A great swindle of our time is the assumption that science has made religion obsolete. All science has damaged is the story of Adam and Eve and the story of Jonah and the Whale. Everything else holds up pretty well, particularly lessons about fairness and gentleness. People who find those lessons irrelevant in the twentieth century are simply using science as an excuse for greed and harshness. Science has nothing to do with it, friends.

- Kurt Vonnegut

“Science and Truth are simple phenomenon of nature, but it is the known that is preventing us from mastering the unknown.” - Chandrakanth Natekar

Akhand Jyoti November - December 2014 21