Date: March 16th, 1997
From: Dr. Silvia Helena Cardoso ()
To: brainstorm-e@server.nib.unicamp.br
Subject: Photographic memory

I have been thinking about photographic memory which some individuals have endowed with. This mental "aberration" possible be by genetic origin but is not possible that it is also a consequence of increased number of synaptic conections in reason of train and experience? Is it possible that a normal individual could have his or her memory improved with a large amount of studing, challenge of new knowledge, practice of new activities, living in rich environments, etc?

Dr. Silvia Helena Cardoso, PhD. Psichobiologist, Center for Biomedical Informatics, State University of Campinas (São Paulo), Brazil

Date: March 16th, 1997
From: Dr. Norberto Cysne Coimbra ( nccoimbr@fmrp.usp.br.)
To: brainstorm-e@server.nib.unicamp.br
Subject: Photographic memory

Inicially, I would not define photographic memory as an aberration (anomaly, abnormality). It is nothing more than a characteristic of mnemonic system which apparently is more developed in some individuals. I think that cognitive exercice can be used to increase significantly the mnemonic circuit. It has been described in the literature that during learning there are many neurochemical alterations (such as release of messagers RNA, so called c-fos, c-jun or c-trans) and morphological ones (such as dendritics sprouting, formation of new synapses and presentation of pre-exisisting synapses furthemore could be also deformation of new receptors which could serve as a code information. However, we cannot absolutly discard the genetic determination which would favor the implantation of these mechanisms and nervous circuits.

Dr. Norberto Cysne Coimbra, MD, PhD. Laboratory of Neuroanatomy and Neuropsichobiology, Department of Morphology, Faculty of Medicine, Ribeirão-Preto USP (São Paulo), Brazil

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