# RKS: MEMORY - A Vital Cog In Cognition Wheel

  

# RKS: MEMORY

A VITAL COG IN COGNITION WHEEL

RKS / 2025-2026 / Ser 8 / Blog 2

1st November 2025

MEMORY IS LIFE

AMNESIA IS LIVING DEAD

Dear Reader,

The statement "Memory is life" encapsulates the idea that the past experiences and memories are essential to who we are and how we live. They shape the understanding of the world, our sense of self, and even our actions. Without memory, ie. amnesia, one wouldn't have personal histories or the ability to learn and grow. 

LEARNING DOMAINS

There are essentially 3 learning domains as per Bloom’s taxonomy, which is a framework for classifying educational learning objectives developed by Benjamin Bloom and his colleagues in the 1950s.

1. Cognitive
2. Affective: focuses on the emotional and belief aspects of learning, including developing positive attitudes, interests, and appreciation for the subject matter.
3. Psychomotor: demonstrated by physical skills.

The three agents are theoretical constructs that Freud employed to describe the basic structure of mental life as it was encountered in psychoanalytic practice. 

COGNITION

Mental processes can be either:

1. Cognitive; or
2. Others like emotion, imagination and creativity.

Cognition is often considered a fundamental and crucial mental process. It encompasses the mental functions that allow one to acquire knowledge and understand the world around through thought, experience and senses.

COGNITIVE LEARNING STYLES

There are three main cognitive learning styles:

1. Visual: learning by seeing.
2. Auditory: learning by hearing.
3. Kinesthetic: tactile learning which is best through physical activity, movement and hands-on experiences.

COGNITIVE COMPONENTS

The cognitive processes which are essential for everyday functioning and underpin a wide range of activities include:

1. Attention: attention cognition is how the brain focusses on specific stimuli. 
2. Thinking: 60,000 thoughts come to brain each day. 
3. Perception & reasoning: problem-solving / decision-making skills.
4. Language: average brain can handle maximum of 4 languages.
5. Learning: acquiring knowledge.
6. Memory: acquisition, storage, manipulation & retrieval of information.

MEMORY

Memory is the faculty of the mind by which data or information is encoded, stored, and retrieved when needed. The main parts of the brain involved with memory are the amygdala, the hippocampus, the cerebellum and the prefrontal cortex. 

Fig: Parts of brain involved in memory function.

Memory is an essential component of cognition and has been variably classified.

MEMORY TYPES

1. SENSORY MEMORY
2. SHORT-TERM MEMORY
3. WORKING MEMORY
4. LONG-TERM MEMORY 

SENSORY MEMORY

1. ECHOIC MEMORY: Retained information that is gathered via auditory stimuli.
2. ICONIC MEMORY: Retained information that is gathered via auditory sight.
3. HAPTIC MEMORY: Retained information that is gathered through touch.

SHORT-TERM MEMORY

Short-term memory (STM) typically lasts for roughly 15 to 30 seconds. It can hold around 5 to 9 "chunks" of information, where a chunk can be a single piece of information or a group of related pieces. Information from STM can transfer into long-term memory (LTM) for permanent storage location in brain.

WORKING MEMORY

Working memory WM is the ability to temporarily store and manipulate information, such as perceptions, memories, goals, numbers, words and images in the brain's neural activity patterns. The capacity of working memory is typically estimated to be around three to five items or features, although it can vary among individuals.

WM dictates the ability to maintain and manipulate information over a period of seconds which is a key cognitive skill

LONG-TERM MEMORY

LTM capacity is believed to be virtually unlimited, meaning it can hold a vast amount of information for extended periods – days, months, years, or even a lifetime.

LTM is further categorized into different types:

1. Declarative memory (explicit / conscious) which is the memory of facts, data and events; and
2. Nondeclarative / Procedural memory (implicit / unconscious) is the memory of how to do things.

Declarative memory consolidation requires to ensure adequate non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep stages duration. However, for procedural (nondeclarative) memory consolidation, REM sleep adequacy is necessary.

Graph: Types of LTM.

Procedural memory is a type of implicit memory (unconscious LTM) which aids the performance of particular types of tasks without having conscious awareness of these previous experiences. Like for example whilst driving one does not need to concentrate and yet always subconsciously remembers the coordination required for accelerating, braking, changing gears, etc

DECLARATIVE LTM

1. Episodic: memories of specific events
2. Semantic: memories of facts and knowledge

NONDECLARATIVE LTM

1. Skill learning: memories of skills.
2. Priming: memories related to association of words and concepts previously exposed to.
3. Conditioning – Habituation & Sensitization (Non-Associative Memory): memories of habits.

Associative memory refers to the storage and retrieval of information resulting from an association (i.e., resulting from an association with other information).

SUMMING UP

STM primarily relies on the prefrontal cortex for encoding and maintenance, while the hippocampus plays a crucial role in consolidating STM into LTM. The prefrontal cortex, located at the front of the frontal lobe, temporarily stores short-term memories, and the hippocampus, part of the temporal lobe, helps transfer these memories to long-term storage in the cerebral cortex.

WM primarily relies on the prefrontal cortex, but also involves other brain regions like the parietal cortex and basal ganglia. The prefrontal cortex is considered a key area for maintaining information in mind during tasks like problem-solving and decision-making.

In the past, the term WM was used interchangeably with STM. It’s part of a group of skills called executive function. Thus, the prefrontal cortex is the most critical for memory related to cognition.

Tips to improve memory overall include:

• Eat Brain-Fueling Bites

        Some of the top brain-fueling foods include:

         Berries
         Avocado
         Pumpkin seeds
         Dark leafy greens
         Eggs
         Tomatoes
         Broccoli
         Walnuts
         Salmon

• Keep Brain Fit with Exercise

       Whether it’s a brisk 30-minute walk, dance class, bike ride, or a bit of yoga, move the body        to keep your brain in peak form. 

• Mental Exercises for Working Memory

        To maintain a sharp working memory, one needs to keep the mind on its toes. Doing                mental exercises is like giving the brain a fun challenge that will make the mind more                flexible. Some examples of WM exercises one can practice every day include:

         Puzzles and Games: Challenge oneself with puzzles like crosswords, Sudoku, or                        brain-training apps. Games that require strategy and memory, such as chess or card                 games, are also fantastic workouts for the brain.
         Multitasking Challenges: Try multitasking activities, like cooking while listening to a                    podcast or planning your day while on a walk. These exercises push your working                    memory to manage multiple tasks simultaneously.
         Social Interactions: Engaging in conversations and social activities is a two-for-one                    deal for your brain. It not only exercises the WM as one processes information and                    responds, but also taps into the brain-boosting effects of socializing. 
         Continuous Learning: Whether it’s picking up a new hobby, taking an online course,                 or reading a book on a new topic, continuous learning stimulates the brain and                        encourages the growth of new brain cell connections.

• Recharge the Brain with Quality Sleep

        During deep sleep, the brain consolidates memories, tidying up the information gathered            throughout the day so one can use it again. It’s like a nightly housekeeping routine for            your mind. So, make sure of getting at least 7 hours of Zzz’s every night.

DR R K SANGHAVI

Prophesied Enabler

Experience & Expertise: Clinician & Healthcare Industry Adviser

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