Memory: Neurobiological mechanisms and assessment

• Published in: Industrial psychiatry journal Vol. 30; no. 3; pp. 311 - 314
• Main Authors: Mujawar, Swaleha, Patil, Jaideep, Chaudhari, Bhushan, Saldanha, Daniel
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: India Wolters Kluwer India Pvt. Ltd 01.10.2021; Medknow Publications and Media Pvt. Ltd; Medknow Publications & Media Pvt. Ltd; Wolters Kluwer - Medknow; Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications
• Subjects: amnesia; Animal memory; Contemporary Issue; declarative/explicit memory; encoding; long-term potentiation; memory; neural plasticity; Neurophysiology; procedural/implicit memories; recall; retrieval; storage; memory; procedural/implicit memories; neural plasticity; retrieval; recall; declarative/explicit memory; Amnesia; storage; encoding; long-term potentiation
• ISSN: 0972-6748; 0976-2795
• DOI: 10.4103/0972-6748.328839

Memory is the process of retaining of knowledge over a period for the function of affecting future actions. It can be divided into declarative and procedural types. The process of memory consolidation is done in the hippocampus. The long-term memories are spread among various areas of the cerebrum depending on the different perceptual properties. The process of long-term potentiation and molecular changes occurring during memory formation are discussed in detail below. The steps involved in memory formation include encoding, storage, and recall (retrieval) in that order. Amnesia is a phenomenon in which there is the problem in memory formation which can be due to trauma to the brain, certain diseases, or stressors. While the assessment of memory has greatly improved, we are only beginning to understand the underlying mechanisms.