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| Main Author: | |
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| Format: | Recurso digital |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Zenodo
2025
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.16929152 |
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Table of Contents:
- <div> <p><span>Memory is a fundamental cognitive capacity that enables organisms to acquire new information, retain it over time, and retrieve it when needed. This paper provides a comprehensive review of the processes of memory encoding, storage (consolidation), and retrieval, with an emphasis on how these processes operate in the human brain. We examine classic cognitive psychology theories alongside findings from cognitive neuroscience to elucidate the mechanisms by which experiences are transformed into lasting memories and later accessed. Encoding is the initial process of perceiving and learning information, during which sensory input is converted into neural representations; this stage is influenced by factors such as attention, meaning, and emotion. Storage refers to maintaining encoded information over time and involves both transient short-term memory and more permanent long-term memory, supported by biological processes of consolidation that stabilize memory traces in neural circuits. Retrieval is the act of accessing stored information and is shown to be a reconstructive process subject to the availability of cues and the state of the brain. Across these stages, we highlight the distinct cognitive operations and brain systems involved, for example, the role of the hippocampus and medial temporal lobe in long-term memory storage, the prefrontal cortex in working memory and strategic encoding/retrieval, and distributed cortical networks for storing different aspects of experience. The literature review also discusses how encoding, storage, and retrieval are interdependent (e.g. successful retrieval strengthens memory, whereas failures at any stage can result in forgetting or distortion). We synthesize evidence from behavioral experiments, neuropsychological case studies, and neuroimaging research to underscore that memory is not a unitary function but a dynamic system of processes. The Results of this review emphasize key empirical findings, such as the benefits of deep (semantic) encoding, the necessity of consolidation (including sleep-related processes) for long-term retention, and the pivotal role of retrieval cues in accessing memories. In the Discussion, we consider theoretical and practical implications, including the adaptive nature of memory (e.g. how reconsolidation updates memories) and applications for improving learning and mitigating memory disorders. We conclude that a full understanding of human memory requires an integrated perspective on encoding, storage, and retrieval processes and how they interact within the brain’s cognitive architecture.</span></p> </div>