Foolish Assumptions?

Google "I don't assume much about you, but I do assume that you have memory skills.  Why? Because you simply can't live without them. (Now how good those memory skills are is another question.)  I also assume you can improve your memory skills.  No matter, where you're starting from in terms of memory, there's always room to improve."  The seemingly prevalent number of individuals with some form of memory deficit suggest that we are experiencing an epidemic of declining memories (symptoms).  My inquisitive mind asks WHY?   And then I got to thinking about how I could improve my memory skills and that led to discovering what memory skills really are.   So I stumbled upon some facts about memory that surprised me.  "YOUR MEMORIES ARE CONSTANTLY RESHAPING THROUGHOUT LIFE.  They are not snapshots of information, frozen in time.  Throughout your life, you go through all sorts of changes:  You mature, learn from previous mistakes, and even get tainted by unfortunate experiences.  Perspectives change over time, and the lens that you use to look back at your memories colors those memories.  Your brain is far too complex and is always changing, which affects the way you look at your memories.  They are subject to modification by everything one experiences.  YOUR MEMORY IS A SKILL THAT YOU CAN CULTIVATE AND IMPROVE UPON, NO MATTER WHAT YOUR AGE, INTELLIGENCE LEVEL, OR SOCIOECONOMIC CLASS.  Your memory isn't something that you have or do not have.  It can't be lost or found like a memory chip.  However, if you do incur damage to your brain, the amount and type of damage limit your memory skills.    YOUR ENTIRE BRAIN WORKS TOGETHER AS ONE SYSTEM.  Each memory has input from a wide variety of different parts of your brain.  Memories are not just stored in one place in your brain.  (So I am to surmise that could be one of the reasons that AD is such an individual thing and no two people are alike in their symptoms, hence making it so puzzling.}  Your brain codes memories like a system of different units.  Some areas of the brain have unique talents in coding memories that correspond to shapes.  A few other areas have unique talents in coding words.  Your entire brain works together, so when you are trying to remember a 1969 VW Beetle, you remember the shape with one part of your brain (the left).  The more dimensions and parts of your brain you can involve in a memory, the more easily you can remember it later.  YOUR BRAIN HAS SEVERAL KEY PARTS THAT PLAY A MAJOR ROLE IN FORMING THE FOUNDATION OF YOUR MEMORY.  One of the key parts of your brain is called the HIPPOCAMPUS:  it moves short-term memories into long-term storage.  The short-term memories that you move into long-term memory depend largely on three factors.   1.Your attention: Generally, a measure of short-term memory.    2. The meaningfulness of the information: The more meaningful or relevant the information, the greater your chances of remembering it.  3. How well the memory fits into what you already know: A foundation of memory helps with new learning.      YOUR MEMORY DEPENDS ON YOUR ATTENTION.  Your memory simply does not work unless you are PAYING ATTENTION, your BRAIN IS CAPABLE OF EXTRAORDINARY MENTAL GYMNASTICS.    IF YOU PROTECT AND CARE FOR IT.   --Gleaned from Improving your memory for Dummies.  LOL