# Brain Memory Limit? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 21, 2003, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brain-memory-limit/183463 "2003-06-21T19:54:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Epimetheus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/c4cdca/32.png) [@Epimetheus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Epimetheus)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2003, 1:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brain-memory-limit/183463/21 "2003-06-24T13:00:14Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by eburacum45 \* > \*\*some discussion of processing and consciousness here, not all of which I agree with; > [http://www.kurzweilai.net/articles/art0183.html?printable=1](http://www.kurzweilai.net/articles/art0183.html?printable=1) \*\* I understand your reservations on this. Looks a bit hoaky to me in some regards. How valid is this site? It doesnt’ seem quite like quantum physics, and it doesn’t seem quite like neuroscience, so IMO it seems more like new age psuedoscience. Or just plain steps out of the bounds of science and falls flat on it’s face across the grounds of philosophy. (I will have to read it when I get more time, so I am going to bookmark it- however from just reading a few paragraphs here and there it’s veracity seems quite strained) ---
**Author:** ![Shalmanese](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shalmanese](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shalmanese)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2003, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brain-memory-limit/183463/22 "2003-06-25T17:02:26Z")
Kurweil is a relatively respected if sometimes far out future writer. Hes written some fairly asine stuff in hindsight but he has also done a fair bit of good work. Hes certainly not a quack. ---
**Author:** ![toadspittle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c0e974/32.png) [@toadspittle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/toadspittle)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2003, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brain-memory-limit/183463/23 "2003-06-25T18:06:45Z")
Does anyone have any idea how ANY info. is stored in our brain? I’ve never actually seen an explanation. Do certain proteins accumulate in the neurons, representing various data? Do the neurons have to fire continuously to keep information flowing (like RAM, which only stores memory while current goes through it … turn it off and it vanishes)? ---
**Author:** ![Trigonal\_Planar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/0ea827/32.png) [@Trigonal\_Planar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trigonal_Planar)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2003, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brain-memory-limit/183463/24 "2003-06-25T19:11:41Z")
The most I’ve heard is that memories are stored within the interconnected pathways of the neurons themselves. Stimulating certain patterns “triggers” a given memory. ---
**Author:** ![Trigonal\_Planar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/0ea827/32.png) [@Trigonal\_Planar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trigonal_Planar)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2003, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brain-memory-limit/183463/25 "2003-06-25T19:24:30Z")
The most I’ve heard is that memories are stored within the interconnected pathways of the neurons themselves. Stimulating certain patterns “triggers” a given memory. ---
**Author:** ![toadspittle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c0e974/32.png) [@toadspittle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/toadspittle)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2003, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brain-memory-limit/183463/26 "2003-06-25T20:18:23Z")
IOW, when someone forms a memory, neuron A may form new connections to B and D and sever connections with C and K, for instance, and this new “circuit” (A, B,D, plus whichever neurons they’re connected to) = a memory? ---
**Author:** ![LiveOctopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/dfb087/32.png) [@LiveOctopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LiveOctopus)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2003, 11:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brain-memory-limit/183463/27 "2003-06-25T23:12:06Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by county \* > **You have to be careful; after passing 50 years of age (assuming you have been learning all your life) each new thing you learn pushes out something you have previously learned.** Like that time I took a home wine-making course and forgot how to drive? ---
**Author:** ![county](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ce7236/32.png) [@county](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/county)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2003, 2:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brain-memory-limit/183463/28 "2003-06-26T02:13:18Z")
exactly [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brain-memory-limit/183463.md?page=1)