VOLUME LXIV | APR 2022

Memory leaks: information shared across memory systems

Think of the brain as a highly organized building with different floors. Each floor represents a different type of memory, like skills and facts. Despite their independence, information can leak from one floor to another. Recent research has shed light on the various ways these leaks occur. Sometimes, simple interactions between memories can allow or prevent further processing. Other times, more complex exchanges enable the sharing of abstract information between memories. These leaks are especially prominent in memories that rely on hippocampal circuits, which play a crucial role in facilitating these unintended connections. By understanding how different memories interact, scientists can gain insights into the intricate workings of the brain and how information is processed and stored.

Amir Khan

Amir is a Pakistani-Canadian neuroengineer in Toronto, developing brain-computer interfaces to enhance learning. As a volunteer author, he shares insights on how technology can amplify cognitive abilities, drawing from his diverse South Asian-Canadian perspective.

The brain is highly segregated. Multiple mechanisms ensure that different types of memories are processed independently. Nonetheless, information leaks out across these memory systems. Only recently has the diversity of these leaks been revealed. Different memory types (skills vs. facts) can interact in simple ways, either allowing or preventing their further processing, or in more complex ways, allowing the sharing of abstract information between memories. Leaks occur from memories dependent upon hippocampal circuits, which have properties critical for leaks and activity patterns related to memory interactions.
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