E P I S T E M O L O G Y Part 2

THE ART OF THINKING, LEARNING, MEMORY FORMATION AND RECALL

You can’t recall what you didn’t learn.

Thinking, learning, acquiring knowledge, memory formation and recall are all biological functions of our brain. Without knowing how our brain performs all of these higher mental faculties, at the neuro-cellular and molecular levels, we can’t possibly know how to study smartly or learn effectively.

Many neuroscientists with their brilliant scientific minds, and studies on laboratory animals’ brains have given us important background information and knowledge as to how our brain does all of these brilliant tasks.

The scope of these studies are beyond me and beyond the scope this article. Therefore, I shall only summarize my favored Nobel Laureate Neuroscientist Dr. Eric R. Kandel’s works on the brain and nerve cells of California sea-snails, called Aplysia. Aplysia is a primitive animal and its brain contains only 26,000 rather large nerve cells, which makes it easy to place a microelectrode in them. In comparison, the human brain contains 100 billion main nerve cells.

Dr. Kandel is considered world’s leading authority on memory. I shall only give a brief summary of his work. Those readers who are interested in the details of his work and his life story, must read his stunning book, entitled In Search of Memory.

Dr. Kandel used Pavlov’s famous behavioral protocol on dogs by converting it into a biological protocol and applying on sea-snails, so that he can teach snails, and induce in them to habituation, sensitization and classic conditioning. At each stage of teaching and learning, he examined the cellular and molecular changes that occurred in the brain nerve cells of the sea-snails.

He concluded that learning modifies the strength of the synaptic connections between nerve cells, by increasing neuropeptide signal molecules concentrations and by the creation of new nerve endings at synaptic connections. Different signals with different intensities give rise to two different types of learning and memory formation: short- term learning with short- term memory and, long term learning with long term memory formation.

Learning and memory are interrelated, like two sides of the same coin. Signals that induce learning with short -term memory are not so important for the animal; they are weak signals and present no risk or danger. Short- term memory forms by the increased concentration of neuropeptide molecules at the synaptic connections. It’s functional state and soon is forgotten or ignored.

Signals that cause strong learning with long- term memory formation are intense. These signals are perceived as much important for the safety and well-being of the animal. They are transmitted not to synaptic connections, but directly to the nerve cell nucleus for DNA instructions for the formation of new nerve endings. This is the formation of long - term memory.  Long - term memory also forms with repeated use or stimulus of short- term memory mechanism. 

Neuroscientists mostly agree that these ”minimalist theories,” also apply to human beings, because the production of all neuropeptide signal molecules are the same in all living creatures in the animal kingdom.

Short – term memory signals provide what we are thinking to do, or to say right now. It can easily be disrupted or forgotten by any distractions. Therefore, forgetting some names, or what we were going to say are not necessarily the signs of senility. It could happen in any age; it is due to our distracted attention. Therefore, paying full attention at the task at hand, not multitasking, is very important and is a must for doing things properly. Learning with a strong memory formation. 

In part 3, we will discuss how to use this knowledge to achieve better learning, understanding, long- term memory formation and better recall.