為什么我們會記住一些事情，而忘卻另外一些事情？為什么記憶最終會一點一點褪色？讓我們一起從今天的視頻了解我們熟悉又陌生的記憶。
演講題目: How memories form and how we lose themThink back to a really vivid memory.Got it? Okay, now try to remember what you had for lunch three weeks ago.想起來了嗎？好的，現(xiàn)在想想你三周前午餐吃了什么。That second memory probably isn t as strong, but why not?這個回憶可能就不是那么栩栩如生了吧，為什么會這樣呢？Why do we remember some things, and not others?And why do memories eventually fade?Let s look at how memories form in the first place.When you experience something, like dialing a phone number, the experience is converted into a pulse of electrical energy that zips along a network of neurons.當(dāng)你經(jīng)歷事情的時候，比如撥電話號碼，這個體驗會被轉(zhuǎn)化成一種腦電波脈沖，這種脈沖快速地沿著神經(jīng)網(wǎng)絡(luò)前進(jìn)。Information first lands in short term memory, where it s available from anywhere from a few seconds to a couple of minutes.信息首先到達(dá)短期記憶處理中心，這是一個存儲幾秒鐘到幾分鐘記憶的區(qū)域。It s then transferred to long-term memory through areas such as the hippocampus, and finally to several storage regions across the brain.然后，信息通過海馬體等區(qū)域被轉(zhuǎn)成長期記憶，最終保存到大腦幾個記憶儲存區(qū)域。Neurons throughout the brain communicate at dedicated sites called synapses using specialized neurotransmitters.大腦里的神經(jīng)元在專門地點交流，這些地點利用的是特殊神經(jīng)傳遞的突觸。If two neurons communicate repeatedly, a remarkable thing happens: the efficiency of communication between them increases.如果兩個神經(jīng)元重復(fù)連接，就會發(fā)生一件重要的事：兩者間的交流變得更加有效率。This process, called long term potentiation, is considered to be a mechanism by which memories are stored long-term, but how do some memories get lost?這個過程被稱為長程增強效應(yīng)，它被認(rèn)為是記憶被長期儲存的機(jī)制，但是，有些記憶怎么會丟失呢？As we get older, synapses begin to falter and weaken, affecting how easily we can retrieve memories.隨著我們年齡增大，神經(jīng)元突觸開始衰退和變?nèi)?，影響了我們讀取記憶的難易程度。Scientists have several theories about what s behind this deterioration, from actual brain shrinkage, the hippocampus loses 5% of its neurons every decade for a total loss of 20% by the time you re 80 years old to the drop in the production of neurotransmitters, like acetylcholine, which is vital to learning and memory.科學(xué)家們有幾個原理解釋了這種退化背后的原因。從真正的大腦萎縮開始，海馬體每十年失去5%的神經(jīng)元，當(dāng)你80歲的時候，你一共失去20%的神經(jīng)元，這導(dǎo)致神經(jīng)傳遞產(chǎn)物的下降，比如對學(xué)習(xí)和記憶至關(guān)重要的乙酰膽堿。These changes seem to affect how people retrieve stored information.Age also affects our memory-making abilities.Memories are encoded most strongly when we re paying attention, when we re deeply engaged, and when information is meaningful to us.當(dāng)我們集中精力、完全投入的時候，當(dāng)信息對我們來說非常重要的時候，深刻記憶就會生成。Mental and physical health problems, which tend to increase as we age, interfere with our ability to pay attention, and thus act as memory thieves.當(dāng)年紀(jì)變大，精神和身體的健康問題就變得越來越多，干擾我們注意力的集中度，也因此成為我們記憶的小偷。Another leading cause of memory problems is chronic stress.When we re constantly overloaded with work and personal responsibilities, our bodies are on hyper-alert.當(dāng)我們長期面對超負(fù)荷的工作和個人壓力時，我們的身體就會報警。This response has evolved from the physiological mechanism designed to make sure we can survive in a crisis.這個反應(yīng)源于我們身體為保證能在危機(jī)中生存而設(shè)計的生理機(jī)制。Stress chemicals help mobilize energy and increase alertness.因為壓力而產(chǎn)生的化學(xué)物質(zhì)幫助身體調(diào)動能量和增加警戒。However, with chronic stress our bodies become flooded with these chemicals, resulting in a loss of brain cells and an inability to form new ones, which affects our ability to retain new information.但是，長期的壓力讓我們的身體里的這些化學(xué)物質(zhì)泛濫了，導(dǎo)致腦細(xì)胞流失和制造新腦細(xì)胞能力衰弱，從而影響了我們記住新信息的能力。Depression is another culprit.People who are depressed are 40% more likely to develop memory problems.Low levels of serotonin, a neurotransmitter connected to arousal, may make depressed individuals less attentive to new information.激起興奮神經(jīng)傳遞的低水平血清素，可能讓抑郁的人更不關(guān)注新信息。Dwelling on sad events in the past, another symptom of depression, makes it difficult to pay attention to the present, affecting the ability to store short-term memories.抑郁的另一個癥狀，是沉浸在過去悲傷的事件中出不來，這導(dǎo)致他們很難關(guān)注現(xiàn)在發(fā)生的事情，影響了存儲短期記憶的能力。Isolation, which is tied to depression, is another memory thief.與抑郁緊密聯(lián)系的“ 孤立 ”是另一個記憶小偷。A study by the Harvard School of Public Health found that older people with high levels of social integration had a slower rate of memory decline over a six-year period.哈佛大學(xué)公共健康學(xué)院的一項研究發(fā)現(xiàn)，在六年時間里，擁有更高社會融合能力的老人記憶衰退較慢。The exact reason remains unclear, but experts suspect that social interaction gives our brain a mental workout.雖然確切的原因還不清楚，但專家推測，社會交往使我們的大腦得到了鍛煉。Just like muscle strength, we have to use our brain or risk losing it.就像肌肉力量的訓(xùn)練一樣，我們必須使用我們的大腦，不然就有可能失去它。There are several steps you can take to aid your brain in preserving your memories.Make sure you keep physically active.Increased blood flow to the brain is helpful.Your brain needs all the right nutrients to keep functioning correctly.你的大腦需要所有的正確的營養(yǎng)物來保持功能正常。And finally, give your brain a workout.Exposing your brain to challenges, like learning a new language, is one of the best defenses for keeping your memories intact.讓你的大腦應(yīng)對新的挑戰(zhàn)，比如學(xué)習(xí)一門新語言，這是保持記憶力的最好方法之一。
本站僅提供存儲服務(wù)，所有內(nèi)容均由用戶發(fā)布，如發(fā)現(xiàn)有害或侵權(quán)內(nèi)容，請
點擊舉報。
