Is it true that memories are stored in places other than the brain?

Question

If it is true...
1.) where are they stored and
2.) what evidence do we have to support this?

Since I don't know about this, I actually don't know what other information might be helpful to understand this. Anything that you might add to the discussion would be helpful. Thank you.

Lucky_Chuck... That's fascinating. Thank you. If your theory ever proved fact, and DNA holds the memories of a previous life, perhaps one day science could tap into that, as well.

To "The psychologist" -- I see what you are saying about the different parts of the brain. If a part is removed and the others can be retrained, do you believe it is also possible to recall memories from out of a different section (or file cabinet) of the brain than the one they were originally stored in? Or, rather, would that sequence in the memory system fail if that piece were damaged? Not the ability to relearn and form new memories, but the ability to recall previous memories?

Perceptionzzz... I like this point of view. The brain storing short term memory and the soul storing long term memories. If this is the case, would it be the sould that is activated to recall memories from outside the brain such as...

...Clover suggests happens with Post Tramatic Stress survivors?

These are four very unique and helpful responses. Thank you. I have decided to extend the expiration date to give time for further answers and discussion.

Answer 1

Cool question, h_s_mom!

Well, classically, it is the temporal (sideways) lobe of your cerebrum where the memories of the life incidents and occurrences are stored. The frontal lobe, then, translates the perceptions and memories into plans of muscle movement.

But, if we take the word "memory" literally, a range of answers are possible. Here are a few points-

1) Memory cells
When our body comes into contact with a foreign invader or pathogen (antigen), the antibodies in the the lymphocytes in our circulatory system (blood and lymph) get activated and show an immune response to the antigen.

But, some of the activated lymphocytes do not produce antibodies or kill the infected cells. Instead, they develop into long lived "memory cells". On a subsequent encounter with the same antigen, the body shows a heightened immune response courtesy of the memory cells stored in the body's circulatory system.

This is called "secondary immune response".

Evidence- A person who survives a disease like chicken pox or measles becomes immune to subsequent attacks of the same disease.

2) Genes

In a way, every fibre of our body has a memory of its own. The reason why every cell "knows" what it is supposed to do is because of the mechanism of regulated control on gene expression.

But, I think this would be stretching the definition of memory a bit too much. We ought to talk about "gained" memory, right?

Let's see-

3) Spinal cord

I am venturing in the dark by saying that spinal card (or any ganglion/ aggregation of nervous tissue) is capable of storing memories for quick future use.

My reason for saying this is the principle of Reflex Actions i.e. rapid and automatic responses. You know that some physically-active people like athletes or professionals have heightened reflexes. A certain stimulus can have an obviously automatic response from an athlete while it may need effort in an average human being like you and me.

Better co-ordination is a result of increased and improved reflexes.

The movement is done so often that its memory is stored in the reflex arc itself and the body may or may not need to consult the brain before carrying out the movement on external stimulus. For example, your brain doesn't need to process and consult the memory stored in it to make a decision that it should pull out the burning hand from a hot frying pan on a stove!

I hope it made sense.

Answer 2

Memories are stored in the brain, but different kinds of memories are stored at different parts.

The evidence? I don't have any links present, but on the net, you can read (perhaps even see videoclips) of open brain sugery, where they have to cut out parts that are infected with cancer. They then go around with an electrode (electrically stimulate) parts of the cerebral cortex to find out where this and that is located.
While they are stimulating the cortex, memories appear to the patient, memories they might not even have thought about for many, many years. Since the brain is communicating electronically via neurons, activatnig one neuron is automatically activating a network of associated and connected neurons around the brain. So one specific network of hundred to thousansd of neurons forms one memory, and another network forms another memory

But memories that are procedural (like how to ride a bike) is stored also in the cerebellum (the little brain in the back), where fnietuning of movement is processed.
If you leisure the cerebellum in a cat, all movements become clumsy, and also, they forget how to do movements or sequences previously learned. This has also been found in humans

So the answer is both easy and complicated. We know that memories are stored in the brain, but just for one simple memory there might be a network of neurons all over the brain that are responsible for forming it
We also know that different kind of memories are stored mostly in different parts of the brain
Also, it is (until now known) the hippocampus that is responsible for "saving" memories from short term memory to long term memory

If you want to know more about this, almost any lecturebook on cognitive psychology (chapters about memory) will be helpful. I personally prefer Cognitive Psychology by Robert Sternberg, and Psychology by Passer and Smtih

Answer 3

Hi. I have found that the body has it's own memories. I am a Survivor of some terrible childhood abuses and diagnosed with p.t.s.d.. It is commonly recognized in abuse survivors. When I am uncovering or processing memories of illness or pain it often happens that I feel the same physical pain or illnesses that I'm remembering. These are called"body memories" in recovery circles.

Answer 4

Brain is made of fleshy substance.

Religiously, those who believe in hereafter (judgement day), when person dies all of his flesh is swallowed by the soil, so there must be some place other then brain which cannot be swalow by the soil.

Spiritually, it is stored in our soul, in one of its subtle which record all and known as memory.

Daily life example, learn from computer, where the data can be stored, when you answer or chat, some memory of your computer is used, actually is stored in cyberspace.

One is short term memory (brain), other is long term memory (soul).

Answer 5

I believe our brains are like processors. Our eye, nose, ears, and nerve endings are the input devices, then the brain processes the information and passes it along to the DNA, that's where the information is used. Think of the dreams you've had of previous life. It's all stored in the DNA. Just my thoughts, I don't think it's science.

Answer 6

Stored other places than the brain? Tell me, Sherlock, another place the memory could possibly be stored. In your external zip drive?
There is no other place they can be stored, unless you keep a good diary of your life. Good reminder to keep your family history written, because when you die, it's all gone.

Answer 7

i have so many memories of the material things i have collected from long ago.Pictures.books,movies.places i lived and collected from the various places. I have some autographs that are famous. newspaper clippings. Many many things

Answer 8

i always heard they where liquid