Understand & Improve Memory Using Science-Based Tools

Huberman Lab

Scicomm Media

Science, Health & Fitness, Life Sciences

4.8 • 26.2K Ratings

🗓️ 16 May 2022

⏱️ 130 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

This episode I explain the mechanisms by which different types of memories are established in our brain and how to leverage the amount and timing of key neurochemicals and hormones, such as adrenaline (aka epinephrine) and cortisol, to improve your learning and memory abilities. I describe multiple science-based protocols to do this, including repetition, caffeine, emotional states, deliberate cold exposure, sleep, meditation, and the role of vision, including taking “mental snapshots.” I also describe how exercise and an associated hormone, osteocalcin, can improve cognitive ability and memory formation. I also describe unique aspects and forms of memory such as photographic memory, extreme facial recognition (aka super recognition), and the phenomenon known as déjà vu. For the full show notes, visit hubermanlab.com. Thank you to our sponsors AG1 (Athletic Greens): https://athleticgreens.com/huberman InsideTracker: https://insidetracker.com/huberman Thesis: https://takethesis.com/huberman Supplements from Momentous https://www.livemomentous.com/huberman Timestamps (00:00:00) Memory, Improving Memory (00:02:45) Sponsors (00:07:54) Sensory Stimuli, Nervous System & Encoding Memory (00:11:12) Context & Memory Formation (00:13:46) Tool: Repetition, Improving Learning & Memory (00:17:11) Co-Activation and intensity Neuron Activation (00:20:50) Different Types of Memory (00:25:40) Memory Formation in the Brain, Hippocampus (00:28:00) Hippocampus, Role in Memory & Learning, Explicit vs. Implicit Memory (00:31:49) Emotion & Memory Enhancement (00:36:44) Tool: Emotion Saliency & Improved Memory (00:41:42) Conditioned-Placed Avoidance/Preference, Adrenaline (00:47:14) Adrenaline & Cortisol (00:49:35) Accelerating the Repetition Curve & Adrenaline (00:53:03) Tool: Enhancing Learning & Memory - Caffeine, Alpha-GPC & Stimulant Timing (01:00:50) Tool: Enhancing Learning & Memory - Sleep, Non-Sleep Deep Rest (NSDR) (01:04:48) Tool: Enhancing Learning & Memory - Deliberate Cold Exposure, Adrenaline (01:08:42) Timing of Adrenaline Release & Memory Formation (01:12:36) Chronically High Adrenaline & Cortisol, Impact on Learning & Memory (01:15:12) Adrenaline Linked with Learning: Not a New Principle (01:17:25) Amygdala, Adrenaline & Memory Formation, Generalization of Memories (01:22:20) Tool: Cardiovascular Exercise & Neurogenesis (01:27:00) Cardiovascular Exercise, Osteocalcin & Improved Hippocampal Function (01:29:59) Load-Bearing Exercise, Osteocalcin & Cognitive Ability (01:34:41) Tool: Timing of Exercise, Learning & Memory Enhancement (01:37:29) Photographic Memory (01:38:49) “Super Recognizers,” Facial Recognition (01:41:46) Tool: Mental Snapshots, Photographs & Memory Enhancement (01:49:12) Déjà Vu (01:53:24) Tool: Meditation, Daily Timing of Meditation (02:02:21) How to Enhance Memory (02:05:51) Zero-Cost Support, YouTube Feedback, Spotify & Apple Reviews, Sponsors, Momentous Supplements, Instagram, Twitter, Neural Network Newsletter Title Card Photo Credit: Mike Blabac Disclaimer

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0	Welcome to the Huberman Lab podcast where we discuss science and science-based tools for everyday life.
0:09.0	I'm Andrew Huberman and I'm a professor of neurobiology and ophthalmology at Stanford School of Medicine.
0:15.0	Today we are discussing memory, in particular how to improve your memory.
0:19.0	The study of memory is one that dates back many decades, and by now there's a pretty good understanding
0:25.0	of how memories are formed in the brain. The different structures involved and some of the neurochemicals involved.
0:31.0	We will talk about some of that today.
0:33.0	Often overlooked however is that memories are not just about learning.
0:37.0	Memories are also about placing your entire life into a context.
0:41.0	And that's because what's really special about the brain, and in particular the human brain,
0:46.0	is its ability to place events in the context of past events, the present, and future events.
0:52.0	And sometimes even combinations of the past and present, or present and future, and so on.
0:57.0	So when we talk about memory, what we're really talking about is how your immediate experiences relate to previous and future experiences.
1:05.0	Today I'm going to make clear how that process occurs.
1:09.0	Even if you don't have a background in biology or psychology, I promise to put it into language that anyone can access and understand.
1:15.0	And we are going to talk about the science that points to specific tools for enhancing learning and memory.
1:22.0	We're also going to talk about unlearning and forgetting.
1:25.0	There are of course instances in which we would like to forget things.
1:28.0	And that too is a biological process for which great tools exist to, for instance, eliminate or at least reduce the emotional load of our previous experience that you really did not like,
1:40.0	or that perhaps even was traumatic to you.
1:43.0	So today you're going to learn about the systems in the brain and body that establish memories.
1:49.0	You're going to learn why certain memories are easier to form than others.
1:53.0	And I'm going to talk about specific tools that are grounded in not just one, not just a dozen, but well over 100 studies in animals and humans
	...

Please login to see the full transcript.

Previous episode | Next episode

Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from Scicomm Media, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.

Generated transcripts are the property of Scicomm Media and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.