Protecting memory

Memories are intrinsic to our existence as individuals and within the social framework. For the most part, we tend to value the need for memories.

- Akanksha Das

This may be the music that was playing in the background on the first date or the smell of perfume worn by our mother during our childhood. A few times, one would not like to remember certain events of life, for example, some aspects of a traumatic event. In the film Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004), a couple separates but uses a futuristic machine to bring back memories of each other. Just like the functioning of any other body part, the role of memory remains underappreciated in daily life. However, when the system begins to break, we appreciate its tantalising significance, said Dr Pradeep Kumar Reddy Kumbham, a staff neurologist at Mercy Hospital, Rogers, in the state of Arkansas (USA).