What do you think memories are, really?

Question

I've done a little biology so I have my own view and thoughts on this. But since science can't answer this basic question, what do you all think?

For me, memories are science. When we see something an electrical impulse is generated in our eyes and takes a neural pathway in a brains where somewhere it is interpretted as an image. Now close your eyes and imagine that image. You can see it right, it's not as clear but you can see it. So what's happening? Somewhere in your brain an electrical signal is being generated which is similar to that from your eye? But how does it know how to generate that signal. Where is that information stored, and how? This question is really deep. Think of a cat, and you see a little image. But how did your brain know where to start? How did it know how to emulate that image, and not only that, make the cat orange or black, and you see more images. It's incredible and I have no clue what the hell is going on,,,,,

Answer 1

Every experience, every image, every thought, induce currents in the synapses (links) between the group of neurons involved.
Those currents in turn, induce some chemical changes which make the repetition of such stimulus easier, either if the stimulus is repeated or if it is evoked by ourselves when we recall it.
There is also a mechanism when we are sleeping that recalls, orders, cleans, and store more deeply and permanently in our brain such experiences.
We could say that our memories are physically stored in our neural network by the reinforcement of the links between groups of neurons. When a new signal stimulates such group of neurons they will reproduce the original signals and we will recall the original image or thought.
A similar behavior has been experimented in much simpler artificial electronic neural networks, and their ability to "learn" and remember has been observed, and already used for practical applications.
Of course this explanation is too superficial, but I hope it will help.

Answer 2

I like your explanation but remember memories are not only of things you see, its also of everything, from the moment you are born to the moment you die, you brain takes in every detail around you, all you feelings and actions of others. That is how we become who we are, a shame we dont always keep these memories.

Answer 3

A collection of stored events and emotions that become twisted over time

Answer 4

can you explain why someone with alzheimer's can remember something they did 50 years ago but not yesterday? they can remember down to the detail of a war, but not remember how to boil water or dress themselves.

Answer 5

brain is meat ! memories are metaphorical !!! now i never understand how can i store something which i cant touch see or feel into a meat ball !!!!!!

Answer 6

Woah.. thought I could answer this having studied biology myself but perhaps not! Dammit!