Your Brain’s “Save” Button: The Amygdala

Abstract

Do you ever wonder why you remember some experiences better than others? Why do you remember that funny joke your friend told at lunch a few months ago or the scary snake you saw in your backyard, but not that time you went to the post office with your parents? Just like a computer has a save button, our brains do, too! When something scary, exciting, or strange happens, a small part of the brain, the amygdala, helps us click “save” on that event so we can remember it later. Decades of research have helped scientists understand what parts of the brain are important for memory and how the amygdala works with other brain regions to tag experiences as worth remembering. This research is important for understanding how memories are formed and can help us create new therapies for people with memory problems, who have trouble forming new memories and remembering past experiences.