Why do old people forget recent past but remember childhood days?« Back to Questions List

Human brain has got amazing powers which are not be realized by us. The brain has got almost inexhaustible capability to work. It can actually work hours and days together with no fatigue except that the other parts of the body that co-ordinate with the brain undergoes exhaustion. The brain helps us respond to stimuli, think, memorize, retain memories and many other important functions.

The three major parts of brain are cerebrum, cerebellum and the brain stem. The cerebrum is the part associated with thought and action. The cerebellum deals with the regulation and coordination of movement, posture and balance. The brain stem is responsible for performing the vital functions like breathing, heart beat and blood pressure.

The functioning of brain is electro chemical in nature. It has got millions and millions of minute nerve cells. These nerve cells have got tiny tendrils through which an electro-chemical message can pass from one cell to another cell. Thinking and memory are associated with the passage of these currents.

A rich circulation of blood, oxygen, glucose and other chemicals results in good intelligence. A study reveals that an unusually thick bundle of nerve fibers is in one particular place in the brain of genius people.

Learning is associated with ability to create new reverberating electric circuits in the brain, and as long as that power remains you can continue to acquire new knowledge and skills even at ninety.

The impairment of brain in old people is due to the decreased supply of blood, oxygen and glucose to the brain. That’s why old people don’t get to remember recent past. But they remember their childhood days because they were planted in the brain with rich supply of blood to the brain.

At the same time, one cannot remember days when he was an infant. This is because the functioning of brain starts only after it matures. As the brain matures, the nerve fibers get surrounded with a fatty substance called myelin. Until the age of two or three, a new born lacks myelin. That is why we don’t remember what happened when we were infants.

Many people fail to realize that power of brain grows with its use. Food for thought encourages the growth of myelin. Thinking actually becomes an important exercise to the brain. The ability to memorize, do difficult tasks, take important decisions - all this improves significantly with more and more exercise given to the brain.

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