The Phenomenon of Photographic Memory: Do We Have Mental Photo Albums?

Have you ever imagined what it would be like to take a mental picture of a certain special moment? To memorize an entire study guide an hour before a test? To be able to perfectly explain a detailed scene to a friend? Personally, I have always longed for these abilities, and for some these abilities are readily available. These individuals have photographic memory.

X-Ray of a Skull: Internal Camera to symbolize Photographic Memory

Before we dive into photographic memory, it is important to know the basics of how our memories work. Essentially, there are 3 different processes that characterize how our memories function, which are encoding, storage, and retrieval/recall. These three processes are an integral part of human cognition, and play directly into allowing an individual to activate their memories and recall past events, with an equal understanding of them in the present.

Memory as a whole is controlled by the hippocampus, embedded in the temporal lobe of the brain, that has a very prominent role in the skills of learning, memory, and spatial navigation. It is structured in the shape of an S, similar to the shape of a seahorse! The hippocampus contains muscarinic and nicotinic receptors of acetylcholine, which is an important neurotransmitter which plays a large role in muscle contractions, body function, and of course, memory. With higher levels of acetylcholine present, muscle activity and memory increases, as it controls the speed and efficiency of memory update. When inhibitory A1 receptors are activated, adenosine contributes to neuro-modulatory influence (the way neurotransmitters control the activity of our neurons). As humans age past 40 years old, the number of neurons in the brain typically decreases, making it difficult to retrieve information and for the brain to function efficiently. Along with this loss of neurons could be a loss of neurotransmitters, which again would slow brain efficiency. The reason some memories become lost as humans age is because of this loss, and an even greater loss of neurons is displayed in diseases such as Alzheimer's. 

Diagram of the Temporal Lobe, including the Hippocampus

Now that we've got all that covered, let's talk about a specific type of memory, photographic memory! Photographic memory, in short, is the ability for an individual to recall an image in great detail. Although many people are aware of this phenomenon and claim to have photographic memory, it has not actually been proved to exist. Because of this, many people believe they have photographic memory when it is simply a memory type advantage. This could mean someone who has a stronger long-term memory or short-term memory, which would extend their memories in duration and capacity. In addition to memory types, the working memory holds certain bits of information that may be stored and used in the future. Most people can only hold a certain amount of information in their working memory, but those who claim to have photographic memory might instead have a larger capacity for their working memory as if it was amplified.

Eidetic Memory

Since photographic memory has not been proved to exist, the scientific community tends to dismiss the phenomenon. While scientists still deny the existence of photographic memory, another type of memory called eidetic memory seems more likely to be possible. An eidetic memory is when the brain can recall an image or event for a very short period of time, but in extreme detail. Many people claim to have this form of memory, while many scientists debate about its true existence. The amplified working memory of many people with "photographic memory" tends to be present in age groups of children, and especially for those on the autism spectrum.

Nature vs. Nurture

While the debate of the existence of photographic memory grows with time, so does the debate of nature vs. nurture. The debate of nature vs. nurture is essentially centered on the effects of genetics (nature) vs. environmental influence (nurture) on human development, with aspects such as cognitive ability, and therefore the concept of photographic memory. In the case of photographic memory, the debate lies around whether the strong cognitive memory abilities of photographic memory individuals lies in either a genetic trait or some form of training. 

A Book that supports the Nurture Argument of Photographic Memory

People who support the nature argument believe that there is some genetic factor weighing in on this heightened ability to memorize certain images or pieces of information in great detail. Although there has never been one single gene linked to photographic memory, there are some that are associated with heightened memory proficiency, such as some genes that are associated with CREB molecules.

In contrast to this, people who support the nurture argument believe that there are ways to train the brain to hold in more information and in greater detail, all through trial and error. There are many books on the internet and in stores that have been written for the purpose of improving memory and hopefully moving the brain closer to this standard of photographic memory. Some more techniques include the use of mnemonic devices, or any technique of learning that would improve the memory, repetition of memorization, mental imagery, specific cognitive strategies, and utilizing multiple senses while trying to retain information. While these techniques have been used by many and have even worked for some, there is still no scientific proof that training the brain can produce photographic memory.

In Summary

The human memory is extremely complex and phenomenon of photographic memory is still evolving as time progresses. Since it does still remain unproven, as more tests are done and more techniques are discovered, the debate of the existence of photographic memory will continue to flourish. So while it is true that some individuals have "mental photo albums", and can remember information in great detail, they may not have the photographic memory they claim to have. Hopefully this makes you feel better about that one test you may not have done well on--it could just be your neurons! :)