Does the human brain really have a limit for memory storage?

[Maximum7]

TL;DR Summary

Trying to figure out the limits of human memory

I recently read that the “functional information content of human memory" as 10^9 bits at midlife based on testing of text and image retention”

It makes sense that anything biological would have a limit but memory is such a strange thing that I can’t see how it would be like storing bytes on a computer. That’s how we are currently comparing it to. Yet I feel this is flawed. Let’s say I live to be 300 or 400 (based on presumably advanced life extension technologies of the future). Will my brain show a 404 sign in front of my eyes because there isn’t enough “space” left for my new memories?

 

[DaveC426913]

...I can’t see how it would be like storing bytes on a computer. That’s how we are currently comparing it to.

Who is 'we'? Who is comparing it to bytes on a computer?

Yet I feel this is flawed. Let’s say I live to be 300 or 400 (based on presumably advanced life extension technologies of the future). Will my brain show a 404 sign in front of my eyes because there isn’t enough “space” left for my new memories?

What were you doing on February 8th 2007 at 8:15PM? Do you remember? That memory is long gone.

 

[Maximum7]

Who is 'we'? Who is comparing it to bytes on a computer?
What were you doing on February 8th 2007 at 8:15PM? Do you remember? That memory is long gone.

That was never a memory. The human brain does not record every moment of your life.

Also, the human brain is notoriously bad at keeping time.

For the record, I remember what I was doing on June 1st, 2004. I was noticing a girls armpits in my 5th grade class and remember liking it for reasons I didn’t know at the time.

 

[berkeman]

For the record, I remember what I was doing on June 1st, 2004. I was noticing a girls armpits in my 5th grade class and remember liking it for reasons I didn’t know at the time.

TMI.

 

[PeroK]

That was never a memory. The human brain does not record every moment of your life.

Hopefully you would still remember at 8:20pm what you were doing at 8:15pm.

Just because there is no function to retrieve data doesn't mean the data has been erased.

 

[pinball1970]

TL;DR Summary: Trying to figure out the limits of human memory

I recently read that the “functional information content of human memory" as 10^9 bits at midlife based on testing of text and image retention”

It makes sense that anything biological would have a limit but memory is such a strange thing that I can’t see how it would be like storing bytes on a computer. That’s how we are currently comparing it to. Yet I feel this is flawed. Let’s say I live to be 300 or 400 (based on presumably advanced life extension technologies of the future). Will my brain show a 404 sign in front of my eyes because there isn’t enough “space” left for my new memories?

Interesting to me as I was going to post on memory this week but forgot! (not a joke, I have an important task and need feedback)

Anyway, your question. I read wiki first to get some background but was lost in the reeds pretty quickly https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Memory

Parts do read like a computer rather than a human organ in terms of terminology, performance, and storage.

W.r.t. your question, there is a section on long term and short-term memory, capacity, and a few study references. (from the 1960s though)

Worth reading the below in terms of the memories you already have or think you have……….saved to file (even I am tempted to do it!)

https://www.psychologicalscience.or...oples-earliest-memories-may-be-fictional.html

This link below is a study on memories of 911, after it happened, one year and three years later. So called “flash bulb” memories of a group of people via a survey.

I am not old enough for Cuba or JFK so 911 is my flash bulb, but after reading this study, I doubt pretty much everything I have stored as an important memory.

Let me know what you think.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2925254/

 

[Rive]

Will my brain show a 404 sign in front of my eyes because there isn’t enough “space” left for my new memories?

...memory is such a strange thing that I can’t see how it would be like storing bytes on a computer. That’s how we are currently comparing it to. Yet I feel this is flawed.

This kind of comparison definitely has many flaws, yet it's soooo correct at the same time in so many ways that it worth to keep around.

For example

In the common language runtime (CLR), the garbage collector (GC) serves as an automatic memory manager. The garbage collector manages the allocation and release of memory for an application. ... Automatic memory management can eliminate common problems such as forgetting to free an object and causing a memory leak or attempting to access freed memory for an object that's already been freed.

No, you won't get any 404 at the age of 400, since the 'garbage collector' function of your brain will naturally free plenty of memory marked as 'no longer needed' for new use.

At the age of 400 it'll be more of problem to have a really big pile of memory you wish to forget - but can't

 

[Maximum7]

Hopefully you would still remember at 8:20pm what you were doing at 8:15pm.

Just because there is no function to retrieve data doesn't mean the data has been erased.

Of course that is possible but think about all the information we are bombarded with since the day we are born. I remember in the 7th grade, I dropped my pencil in Science and told my teacher “Oops I dropped my pencil” to cover up the fact that I wasn’t paying attention. A couple of dudes laughed and said “Good sh#%t, [-my name-]

I have that memory but I likely dropped my pencil (for real) many many MANY times and I doubt my brain saved that. I have an awesome memory but I do not have an eidetic one. Most of that stuff is too insignificant to be kept.

 

[Maximum7]

Interesting to me as I was going to post on memory this week but forgot! (not a joke, I have an important task and need feedback)

Anyway, your question. I read wiki first to get some background but was lost in the reeds pretty quickly https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Memory

Parts do read like a computer rather than a human organ in terms of terminology, performance, and storage.

W.r.t. your question, there is a section on long term and short-term memory, capacity, and a few study references. (from the 1960s though)

Worth reading the below in terms of the memories you already have or think you have……….saved to file (even I am tempted to do it!)

https://www.psychologicalscience.or...oples-earliest-memories-may-be-fictional.html

This link below is a study on memories of 911, after it happened, one year and three years later. So called “flash bulb” memories of a group of people via a survey.

I am not old enough for Cuba or JFK so 911 is my flash bulb, but after reading this study, I doubt pretty much everything I have stored as an important memory.

Let me know what you think.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2925254/

Thanks for the article! I am aware of the flashbulb memory. A lot of my memories are like this and I often creep people out (mostly in my family) at how precise my memories are.

As for your computer argument; I’m sorry but I must disagree. When you store information in a computer; it is completely accessible and word for word; exactly the same as when you entered it. Now for human memory- Everytime I recall something I change the memory slightly. Sometimes the memory isn’t accessible and will come back to me later or randomly. No computer behaves that way.

Example: I have memories in high school of my crush and her actions. I used to think she may have liked me but didn’t know how to show it. Now years later as I bring those memories up; I remember things I didn’t notice before and my conclusion is that she thought I was a gross loser.

Point is-the human brain changes your memories constantly. A computer does not do that.

 

[PeroK]

Most of that stuff is too insignificant to be kept.

Do you have a reference for that? Or, is just your personal opinion?

 

[Maximum7]

Do you have a reference for that? Or, is just your personal opinion?

Well, whatever determines what filters from short-term to long-term is probably heavily connected with consciousness which is an even bigger mystery than memory storage itself. My opinion is that your brain filters things out that aren’t beneficial to your existence or not in concert with your interests. I am also mentally ill and neurotic so I have memories of mostly everything

 

[PeroK]

Well, whatever determines what filters from short-term to long-term is probably heavily connected with consciousness which is an even bigger mystery than memory storage itself. My opinion is that your brain filters things out that aren’t beneficial to your existence or not in concert with your interests.

Your opinion is of no importance unless you have medical or biological data to back it up.

 

[Maximum7]

Your opinion is of no importance unless you have medical or biological data to back it up.

Of course but as I said. Nobody knows what determines what is converted from short to long term. It is likely ridiculously complex and won’t be determined for quite some time.

 

[berkeman]

My opinion is that your brain filters things out that aren’t beneficial to your existence or not in concert with your interests.

Your repeated refusal to post valid references in this thread has led to it being closed.