Think about a fact you recently had to memorize for a test. Or a song that’s been stuck in your head. Or how you felt when you last hung out with a friend.
All the sights, sounds and other sensations those words brought to mind are memories — experiences and information your brain had filed away. These stored data play a huge role in how we understand the world, our relationships with the people in it and ourselves. But how does the brain make memories?
When you experience something, brain cells called neurons send each other signals. Those electrical pulses zip through links between neurons called synapses. The more often you experience something, the more often certain sets of neurons will talk to each other. And the more they talk, the stronger the links between them become.
Scientists generally think those neural circuits encode memories. (Though some research has shown that other types of brain cells may play a role, too.) One recent study showed that sparse yet strong links between neurons in the hippocampus — the brain’s memory center — maximize info storage.
Several factors can get in the way of a brain’s ability to retain information. Injuries such as concussions can make it harder to remember stuff. Marijuana use has also been linked to foggier memories in young people. Frequent multitasking, too, seems to get in the way of recall — even when you’re trying to focus on one thing at a time.
On the flip side, there are many ways to boost memory. If you’re studying for a test, quizzing yourself and looking at pictures can help you hold onto information. Writing by hand rather than typing also seems to help.
If you want to improve your memory more generally, exercise is useful — it increases blood flow to the brain. So is eating a healthy diet that feeds the brain much-needed nutrients.
Want to know more? We’ve got some stories to get you started:
Could the magic of memory manipulation ever become real? Treatments underway might help people strengthen or weaken their memories. (2/26/2025) Readability: 8.2
Handwriting may boost brain connections that aid memory Students who wrote words showed more links between brain regions than when they typed them. (3/15/2024) Readability: 8.0
Playing video games may improve your memory and attention A study of more than 2,000 kids finds some beneficial changes in their brains and behavior.(1/2/2023) Readability: 6.3
Explore more
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Brain ‘ripples’ appear just before you remember something
Having sparse links in the hippocampus may maximize memory storage
Ow! These cells might help brains remember pain and fear
Young people’s memory improves after stopping marijuana use
Can’t remember? Maybe you multitask too much between screens
Less screentime linked to better memory, learning in kids
Top 10 tips on how to study smarter, not longer
Activities
Think you’ve got an excellent memory? Put it to the test on Cool Math Games! Their collection of memory games challenge your ability to recall the correct way to fold paper, sequences of colors and sounds, tile patterns and more.
