Dr Dhamini G
Memory is the faculty by which the brain encodes, stores, and retrieves information. It is a record of experience that guides future action.
The types of memory described by scientists include:
- episodic memory-When a person recalls a particular event (or “episode”) experienced in the past, that is episodic memory.
- semantic memory– is someone’s long-term store of knowledge: It’s composed of pieces of information such as facts learned in school, what concepts mean and how they are related, or the definition of a particular word.
- procedural memory- The term describes long-term memory for how to do things, both physical and mental, and is involved in the process of learning skills— A related term is kinesthetic memory, which refers specifically to memory for physical behaviours.
- working memory- The terms short-term memory and working memory are sometimes used interchangeably, and both refer to storage of information for a brief amount of time.
- sensory memory– Sensory memories are what psychologists call the short-term memories of just-experienced sensory stimuli such as sights and sounds.
- prospective memory- Prospective memory is forward-thinking memory: It means recalling an intention from the past in order to do something in the future.
According to SK Mangal:
- MEMORY: the ability of or power of our mind to store the past experiences of learning and utilising them at a later stage is known as “memory”.
- Memory is regarded as a special ability of our mind to conserve or store what has been previously experienced or acquired through learning and then, at some later stage to enable us to make use of its reproduction or revival.
MECHANISM OF MEMORY:
- STAGES:
1.Learning– if there is no learning there will be no remembering.
2.learning experiences are retained properly in the form of mental impressions or images so that they can be revived when the need arises.
3.Recognition
4.Recall
- Remembering and memory:
Memory-is a noun denoting the power of ability of our mind.
Memorization or remembering-is a verb that processes out the directives of the memory I.e., power or ability of our mind.
- In a practical sense, when we say that a person has a good or poor memory, we always weigh it in terms of “remembering what has previously been learned”
TYPES OF MEMORY:
- Immediate memory: or to several seconds. sensory memory is that memory which helps an individual to recall something a split second after having perceived it.in such type of memory retentive time is extremely from a fraction of a second
- Short term memory: this type of memory is also a temporary, though not nearly as short lived as immediate memory.
- Long term memory: we store a vast majority of our memories in our memory. Any memory we can still recall after 30seconds could classify as long-term memory.
How to improve memory:
- Will to learn: materials read, heard, or seen without the mood to concentrate are difficult to remember later on.
- Interest and attention: interest as well as close attention are essential for effective learning and memorization.
- Adopting proper methods of memorization:
- To follow principle of association
- Grouping and rhythm
- Utilising as many senses as possible
- Arranging better learning situation
- Internal factor within the learner
- Provision for change and proper rest
- Repetition and practice
DISORDERS OF MEMORY:
Memory disorders occur when damage to certain parts of the brain prevents or reduces the ability to store, retain, or remember memories. Memory disorders also impact cognitive capabilities and social behaviours, affecting language, problem-solving skills, and the ability to perform simple task.
1.Dementia: the loss of cognitive functioning — thinking, remembering, and reasoning — to such an extent that it interferes with a person’s daily life and activities.
2.Alzheimer’s disease: Alzheimer’s disease is a brain disorder that slowly destroys memory and thinking skills, and, eventually, the ability to carry out the simplest tasks
3.Amnesia: or abnormal memory loss, can also result from a range of other medical conditions, sudden brain injury, substance use, or in reaction to a traumatic event.
HOMOEOPATHY AND MEMORY:
Dr.Kent laid greatest importance to the will, understanding and memory of the patient. They form the innermost of the man, and are extended outward through the general physical organism. Cure takes place from centre to periphery, but if the symptoms retreat from periphery to centre the prescription is wrong and must be antidoted. Hence in order to treat successfully, the homoeopath should know the correspondence of organs and direction of cure.
A true homoeopathic prescription cannot be made on pathology, on morbid anatomy; because provings have never been pushed in that direction.
No man who is only conversant with morbid anatomy and pathognomonic symptoms can make homoeopathic prescriptions.
He must know just how every remedy affects mankind in the memory and understanding and will, because there are no other things that the remedy that act upon as to the mind, and he must know how the remedy affects the functions, because there are no other ways in which the remedy affects the body of man.
MIASMATIC COMPARISON FOR WEAKNESS OF MEMORY:
Psora- Weakness of memory indicates psora.
Sycosis- Absentmindedness is sycotic. Patients lose the thread of the conversation. They are apt to forget the recent events but can remember the events of the past.
Syphilis- Forgetfulness is syphilitic. There is a kind of mental paralysis, the patient may read but cannot retain the information. The mind is slow.
RUBRICS RELATED TO MEMORY FROM KENT’S REPERTORY:
- MEMORY active
- Evening
- Midnight, until
- Alternating with dullness
- With weak memory
- Lassitude
- Suppressing sexual desire from
- MEMORY, weakness of
- Business, for
- Dates, for
- Do, for what was about to
- Done, for what has just
- Expressing one’s self, for
- Happened, for what has
- Heard, for what has
- MEMORY. weakness of,
- Labour, for mental
- Fatigue, from
- Letters, for the name of the
- Name, for proper
- Occurrences of the day
- Periodical
- Persons, for
- Places, for
- Read, for what has
- Said, for what has
- Say, for what is about to
- Sudden and periodical
- Thought, for what has just
- Time, for
- Words, for
- MEMORY. Weakness of
- Write, for what is about to
- Written, for what he has
THERAPEUTICS:
1.Anacardium – This is almost a specific for the improvement of memory. Students will forget the studies before the examinations. Brain fag, impaired memory and absent mindedness are the chief characters of this remedy.
2.Absinthium – Loss of memory and forgets what has recently happened.
3.Arg Nit – Apprehension. It has examination funk due to fear of failure. Terror of anticipation.
4.Aethusa –Inability to think and to fix the attention on studies. It is very useful for the students who had been compelled to give up his studies. This makes them to resume their studies and pass brilliantly in examination.
5.Baryta Carb – Loss of memory and absent minded in old age. Mental weakness, senile dementia, confusion.
6.Aconite – Weakness of memory. He cannot remember what he had just done and he can scarcely recall what it was. He cannot remember the dates.
7.Agaricus – Children are slow in learning. They make mistakes and do not remember the lessons. Stupid children. Late in talking and walking.
8.Graphites – Absent mindedness. Forgets the recent events. But remembers the childhood events. Forgetfulness with misapplication of words in speaking or writing.
9.Ailanthus – Matters spoken of a moment ago cannot be remembered. There will be a continuous loss of memory.
10.Cannabis indica – Forgetful. Starts to speak and forgets what has to say. Forgets the things he has placed five minutes ago.
11.Lac caninum – Absent minded and forgetful. He makes mistakes in writing. Sometimes his mind becomes a total blank. He busy things in the market and walks away without them. Goes to drop a letter in post box and returns back with the letter in his hand.
12.Glonoine – He forgets the name of well-known streets, persons, the number and the location of his own house, although he has been living in it for a long time.
13.Rhododendreon- Great loss of memory. He omits words while writing. We also finds sudden vanishing of thoughts while talking. He often desists to enable himself to recall the trend of his thoughts.
14.Kreosote – Forget fullness and whimpering after over bleeding from anus or nose.
15.Lycopodium – Weak memory and confused thoughts in old people. Spells and writes wrong words. He cannot read what he writes.
16.Ambra Grisea – In old age a person cannot remember simplest words to express himself. Changes from one subject to another subject. Thinking is difficult in the morning. Forgets simple words.
17.Sulphur – Very forgetful. Does not remember names and words. Cannot find proper words while talking or writing.
18.Rhus Tox –Incapability of mind for continuous thoughts. Writes incorrect figures. If he has to write 25, he writes the figure 2 only. He cannot recollect the figure which should follow.
19.Nat Carb – Inability to add up figures. He forgets what he reads. In reading a page or chapter, the one previous to it soon goes out of his mind.
20.Conium –Memory weak. Unable to sustain any mental effort. Excessive difficulty of recollecting things.
21.Nat Sulplh –Loss of memory due to concussion of brain in an accident.
REFERENCE:
- Essentials of educational psychology By SK mangal; chapter-memory
- Lectures on Homoeopathic philosophy by JT Kent -chapter-value of symptoms
- Repertory of Homoeopathic Materia medica by JT Kent. -Chapter-MIND; memory
- Memory -psychology today; https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/basics/memory
- Miasmatic prescribing content by dr.Subrata Banerjea.Part-2; Miasmatic diagnostic classification.
- Homoeopathic therapeutics book by Samuel Lilienthal.
- New Manual of Homoeopathic Materia medica with Repertory by William Boericke.
Dr Dhamini G
PG Scholar
Department Of Organon Of Medicine and Homoeopathic Philosophy
GHMC,Bengaluru.
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