How Your Memory Works -- and Why Forgetting Is Totally OK | Lisa Genova | TED

Transcriber:

譯者: Lilian Chiu 審譯者: Helen Chang

Thinking about the past week,

想想上個星期，

did any of you forget where you put your phone?

你有沒有忘記手機放到哪裡去了？

Did you have a word stuck on the tip of your tongue,

你有沒有一個詞在嘴邊卻說不出來，

you couldn't remember the name of an actor

因為你想不出某個演員的名字，

or that movie a friend recommended?

或者朋友推薦的電影片名？

Did you forget to take out the trash

你有沒有忘記倒垃圾？

or move the laundry from the washer to the dryer

或者忘記把衣服 從洗衣機移到烘衣機？

or to pick up something from the grocery store you meant to buy?

或者忘記去雜貨店 買你本來要買的東西？

What is going on here, is your memory failing?

這是怎麼回事？ 你的記憶力不行了嗎？

It's not.

不是的。

It's doing exactly what it's supposed to do.

你的記憶完全是在盡它的本份。

For all its miraculous,

記憶在我們的生活中

necessary and pervasive presence in our lives,

是很神奇、很必要， 也無所不在的存在，

memory is far from perfect.

但記憶一點也不完美。

Our brains are not designed to remember people's names,

我們的大腦並不是設計來記人名、

to do something later

等下再做某件事，

or to catalogue everything we encounter.

或者把遇到的每件事都做分類。

These imperfections are simply the factory settings.

這些不完美很單純 就只是出廠的設定而已。

Even in the smartest of heads, memory is fallible.

即使在最聰明的腦袋裡， 記憶也會犯錯。

A man famous for memorizing over 100,000 digits of pi

因為能記住π的小數 到十萬位數而出名的人，

can also forget his wife's birthday

也可能會忘記老婆的生日，

or why he walked into the living room.

或走到客廳是要幹嘛。

Most of us will forget the majority of what we experienced today

大部分的人到了明天就會忘記今天

by tomorrow.

大部分的經歷。

Added up, this means we actually don't remember most of our own lives.

總的來說，這就表示我們其實 記不住我們自己大部分的人生。

Think about that.

想想這一點。

So what determines what we remember and what we forget?

所以，我們會記得什麼、 忘記什麼，是怎麼決定的？

Here are two examples of supercommon memory failures

以下兩個例子是超級常見的失憶，

and why they're totally normal.

以及為什麼它們非常正常。

Number one, where did I put my phone,

第一個例子，我的手機放到哪裡去了？

my keys, my glasses, my car?

我的鑰匙呢？眼鏡呢？車呢？

The first necessary ingredient in creating a memory

如果要創造出比「此刻」 更持久的記憶，

that lasts longer than the present moment

第一種必要的成份

is attention.

就是注意力。

Your memory is not a video camera

你的記憶不是攝影機，

recording a constant stream of every sight and sound you're exposed to.

源源不絕地錄下所有 你接觸到的畫面和聲音。

You can only remember what you pay attention to.

你只能記下你有去注意的部分。

Here's an example that will probably feel familiar.

這個例子你可能會覺得熟悉。

I often drive from Boston to Cape Cod.

我經常從波士頓開車到鱈魚角。

About an hour into this trip I cross the Sagamore Bridge,

上路約一小時後， 我會經過薩加莫爾大橋，

a really big, four-lane, cannot-miss-it structure.

它是個大型、四線道、 不能可沒看見的建物。

And then about 10 miles and a mere 10 minutes later,

大約又開了十哩，十分鐘之後，

I'll suddenly wonder, wait,

我會突然納悶，等等，

did I already go over the bridge?

我剛才已經過橋了嗎？

I can't recall going over the bridge

我記不得我有開過橋，

because that memory was never created in the first place.

因為打從一開始就沒有 建立這段記憶。

It's not enough for my senses to perceive information.

光靠我的感官來接收資訊是不夠的。

My brain can't consolidate any sensory information into a lasting memory

我的大腦無法把感官資訊強化

並存入持久記憶中，

without the neural input of attention.

除非在神經方面有注意力的參與。

So because I've driven over that bridge countless times

因為我已經開過那座橋無數次，

and because I was probably lost in thought or listening to an audio book,

且因為我當時可能在想事情

或聽有聲書，

so my attention pulled elsewhere,

所以我的注意力擺在其他地方。

the experience of driving over it slipped out of my brain within seconds,

開車過橋的經歷在幾秒之內 就溜出我的大腦了。

gone without a trace.

無影無蹤。

The number one reason for forgetting what someone said,

這是其中一個理由，能說明 你為何忘記別人說過什麼、

the name of a person you just met,

剛才認識的人叫什麼名字、

where you parked your car

車停到哪裡去了，

and whether you already drove over a really big bridge

以及你是否已經開過一座大橋，

is lack of attention.

理由都是缺乏注意力。

Number two,

第二個例子，

"Oh, what is his name?"

「喔，他叫什麼名字？」

One day I couldn't come up with the name

有一天，我就是想不起來 在 HBO 影集《黑道家族》中

of the actor who played Tony Soprano in the HBO series "The Sopranos."

演東尼·索波諾的演員叫什麼名字。

I knew his name was stored somewhere in my brain,

我知道他的名字就儲存在 我大腦中的某處，

and I could tell you all kinds of things about him,

我可以告訴你關於他的一堆事，

but I could not produce his name.

但我就是生不出他的名字。

I eventually gave up and googled it.

我最後放棄了，上網搜尋。

"Actor who played Tony Soprano."

「飾演東尼·索波諾的演員」。

James Gandolfini.

詹姆士·甘多費尼。對啦，就是他。

Yes, that's it.

Blocking on a word, also called tip of the tongue,

因為一個詞卡住， 也稱為在嘴邊卻說不出來，

is one of the most common experiences of memory failure.

這是最常見的失憶經歷之一。

You're trying to come up with a word, most often a proper noun,

你試著要說出一個詞， 通常是個專有名詞，

but you cannot, for the life of you, retrieve it on demand.

但你使盡吃奶的力氣就是無法 叫大腦把這個詞找出來。

Why does this happen?

為什麼會發生這種事？

Blocking on a word can occur when there's only partial

因為一個詞而卡住，可能是因為

只有部分或微弱的神經元活動

or weak activation of the neurons

that connect to the word you're looking for.

和你在尋找的詞有所連結。

We often come up with a loosely related word instead,

我們通常會想出一個 勉強類似的詞來取代，

something similar in sound or meaning.

發音或意義相似的詞。

These obliquely related words are rather unfortunately called

這些要拐個彎才相關的詞， 很不幸被稱為

the ugly sister of the target.

目標詞的醜陋姐妹詞。

And even more unfortunately,

更不幸的是，

zeroing in on an ugly sister will only make the situation worse.

集中精力在醜陋姐妹詞身上，

只會讓情況更糟。

These decoys lead your brain activity down neural pathways that go to them

這些誘餌會引導你的大腦活動

走上通往醜陋姐妹詞的神經通路，

and not to the word you're looking for.

而不是通往你在找的詞。

So now when you try to retrieve the word in question,

所以，這時，當你嘗試 說出你想說的詞時，

all you can come up with is the ugly sister.

你卻只能說出醜陋姐妹詞。

Here's an example.

舉個例子。

I recently asked my boyfriend,

我最近問我的男友：

"What's the name of that famous surfer?

「那個有名的衝浪者叫什麼名字？

Lance?

蘭斯？

No, it's not Lance."

不，不是蘭斯。」

He knew who I was talking about,

他知道我在說誰，

but he couldn't come up with it either.

但他也想不出來。

我們都被難倒了。

We were both stumped.

And turns out my blurting out the wrong name

結果發現，因為我隨便 說了一個不對的名字，

set my boyfriend's brain to Lance Armstrong,

導致我男友的大腦 被連結到蘭斯·阿姆斯壯，

the ugly sister.

也就是醜陋姐妹詞。

Now, he was stuck in the wrong neural neighborhood and couldn't get out.

現在他就被困在錯的鄰近 神經區域裡，無法脫身。

The ugly sister also explains this phenomenon.

醜陋姐妹詞也能解釋下述這個現象。

Much later, once you've stopped trying to find the word,

很久之後，一旦你不再 試著去想出這個詞，

it suddenly bubbles to the surface, seemingly out of nowhere.

它就突然從不知道哪裡冒出來了。

Laird Hamilton.

賴爾德·漢莫頓。是的，就是他。

Yes, that's it.

Why does that happen?

為什麼會發生這種事？

By calling off the hunt,

取消獵殺這個詞之後，

your brain can stop perseverating on the ugly sister,

你的大腦就可以不要再 固守著醜陋姐妹詞，

giving the correct set of neurons a chance to be activated.

讓正確的那組神經元 有機會可以啟動。

Tip of the tongue,

在嘴且卻說不出來， 特別是因為某人的名字而卡住，

especially blocking on a person's name, is totally normal.

是完全正常的。

Twenty-five-year-olds can experience several tip of the tongues a week,

二十五歲的人，每週可能會有 好幾次在嘴邊卻說不出來，

but young people don't sweat them, in part because old age,

但年輕人不會因此就 焦急地去想，部分是因為

他們根本就不在乎老化、 失憶，和阿茲海默症。

memory loss and Alzheimer's are nowhere on their radars.

And unlike their parents,

和他們的父母不同，

they don't hesitate in outsourcing the job to their smart phones.

他們可以毫不猶豫就把這工作 外包給他們的手機去做。

Which brings me to an important point.

這就帶出了一個重點。

Many of you are worried that if you use Google to look up your blocked words

許多人會擔心，如果上網搜尋 一時想不出來的那個詞，

then you're cheating and contributing to the problem,

那就是作弊，會促成問題，

weakening your memory.

讓記憶變得更差。

You're worried that Google is a high-tech crutch

你擔心 Google 是高科技的拐杖，

that's going to give you digital amnesia.

會讓你得到數位失憶症。

This belief is misinformed.

這是錯誤資訊造成的想法。

Looking up the name of the actor who played Tony Soprano

搜尋飾演東尼·索波諾的 演員叫什麼名字

doesn't weaken my memory's ability whatsoever.

不會讓我的記憶能力變差。

Likewise, suffering through the mental pain

同樣的，讓自己心理很痛苦，

and insisting on coming up with his name on my own

堅持一定要靠自己想出他的名字，

doesn't make my memory stronger

也不會讓我的記憶變強，

or come with any trophies for doing so.

這樣做也不會得到什麼獎牌。

You don't have to be a memory martyr.

你不用去當記憶烈士。

Having a word stuck on the tip of your tongue

有個詞在嘴且卻說不出來

is a totally normal glitch in memory retrieval,

是記憶檢索時常有小毛病，很正常。

a byproduct of how our brains are organized.

我們大腦的建構方式 本來就會產生這項副產品。

You wear glasses if your eyes need help seeing,

如果眼睛需要協助看清楚， 你就會戴眼鏡，

you have my permission to use Google

如果有個詞在你嘴邊說不出來， 我允許你上網搜尋。

if a word is stuck on the tip of your tongue.

Memory is amazing

記憶很不可思議，

and is essential for the functioning of almost everything we do,

我們做的每一件事， 幾乎都少不了記憶的參與，

but it will also forget to call your mother,

但記憶也會忘記打電話給你媽、

where you put those glasses,

忘記眼鏡放在哪裡、

and what you ate for lunch last Tuesday.

忘記上週二你在哪裡吃午餐。

Frustrating, but not a cause for diagnosis, panic or shame.

會讓人有挫折感，但不該造成診斷、

慌張，或羞恥。

Most of what we forget is just a normal part of being human.

我們的健忘，大部分都很正常， 只是身為人的一部分。

Thank you.

謝謝。

David Biello: I will stand in for the audience

大衛·比耶羅：讓我 代表觀眾為你起立鼓掌。

to give you my own personal standing ovation.

I personally feel so much better.

我個人感覺好多了。

So thank you for that.

這要謝謝你。

I think we all get a little concerned about our memories,

我想我們都有點擔心自己的記憶， 特別是在這次疫情之後。

particularly after this pandemic.

And I see that we already have some questions from the audience.

已經有一些來自觀眾的問題。

But before we get into that, I have to ask one very important personal question,

但在那之前，

我要幫我自己先問 一個很重要的問題，就是

which is, should I be worried,

我該不該擔心，因為每次 我起身到另一個房間去，

because every time I get up and go to another room,

I forget why I've gone there.

我就忘了我去那幹嘛。 那是該憂慮的事嗎？

Is that is that troubling?

Should I be nervous?

我該緊張嗎？

LG: No, you should not be nervous.

麗：不，你不用緊張。

And that's one of the big take-homes of why I wrote the book I just wrote,

我寫了那本書的目的之一， 就是希望大家能理解這一點。

there's so many people, especially over the age of 40,

有好多人，特別是四十歲以上的人，

who experience normal moments of forgetting

都會遇到正常的健忘時刻，

but now we are keyed into it

但現在我們被灌輸了觀念，

and we think, "Oh, my God, does this mean I'm losing my mind,

會想：「喔，天，這表示 我要錯亂了嗎？要失智了嗎？

I'm going to get Alzheimer's."

So here's what happens when you have that --

實際上發生的狀況是這樣的——

so you're in your bedroom and you're getting ready to read a book,

你在臥室，你準備要閱讀一本書，

it's bedtime,

你習慣在睡前讀書， 但你發現你忘了拿眼鏡。

that's what you do before bed.

And you realize you've forgotten your glasses.

你想，眼鏡可能在廚房。

And you're like, they're probably in the kitchen.

於是你走去廚房，

So you go walk down to the kitchen

你為你之後打算 要做的事創造了記憶。

and you created the memory,

the intention of what you plan to do later.

That's called your prospective memory.

那叫做前瞻記憶。

So it's like, I intend -- we do this all the time, right?

就像，我打算—— 我們常常這樣做，對吧？

"When I go to the grocery store later, I need to buy milk."

「我等下去雜貨店時， 我要買牛奶。」

"I need to remember to call my mother."

「我要記得打電話給我媽。」

"I need to remember to pick up the dry cleaning," right?

「我要記得去拿乾洗的衣服。」

我們會計畫未來要做什麼。

These things that we plan to do in the future.

Our brains are terrible at them, like, inherently terrible.

我們的大腦非常不擅長 做這些，天生的不擅長。

So people feel like they're cheating if they create to-do lists, checklists,

大家會覺得做張待辦清單 或記載在手機裡面，

put it in their phone.

就是作弊。

No, this is just good practice, right?

不是作弊，是好做法。

So pilots don't rely on their prospective memories

飛行員不會仰賴他們的前瞻記憶

to remember to put down the wheels before landing the plane.

來記住在降落之前 要先把輪子放下來。

They outsource the job.

他們把這件事外包出去。 別用大腦，用待辦清單。

Don't use your brain, use the checklist, right?

So, like, using a checklist is sound practice.

做待辦清單是很好的做法。

So anyway, you made this intention,

總之，你有了意圖，創造了記憶：

this memory of, like, when I get to the kitchen,

當我到廚房時，我要去找眼鏡。

I'm going to look for glasses.

You show up in the kitchen, you're like, "I don't know why I'm here."

你到了廚房，你說： 「我不知道我來這裡幹嘛。」

Part of the reason is prospective memory sucks.

部分原因是因為，前瞻記憶很鳥。

But we've only asked it to remember something for 10 seconds.

但我們只請它記住 這件事情十秒鐘就好。

It's not like, "Oh, I need to remember to go to my Zoom meeting at four o'clock."

又不是說「我得記得 四點要參加 Zoom 會議。」

So what's going on?

所以，怎麼搞的？

The other key in this situation has to do with context.

在這個例子中，還有 一個和情境有關的關鍵。

So memory is very much influenced by context.

情境對記憶有很大的影響。

The cues, the associations,

提示、關聯性、

the sensory information, the emotional information, our mood,

感官資訊、情緒資訊、我們的心情，

anything that is linked to the thing we're trying to remember.

和我們試圖記住的事情有關的一切。

So context helps us form a memory

情境協助我們形成記憶，

and context helps us retrieve that memory

情境也協助我們取出那段記憶，

because memory is the connected neural network of associations.

因為記憶是各種關聯性 相連的神經網路。

So in the bedroom, all the cues for what you needed were there, right?

所以，所有你需要的 提示都在臥室裡。

The bookcase, the book you're reading, the time of day, it's bedtime,

包括書架、你在讀的書、 上床前的時間點，

"Oh, I need glasses."

「喔，我需要眼鏡。」

You show up in the kitchen and you're like,

等到了廚房，你會想：

"Am I hungry? Am I thirsty?"

「我是餓了嗎？還是渴了？」

Because, right, the cues are signaling,

因為，提示在跟你打信號： 「是要吃飯嗎？是什麼？」

"Is it a meal? Is it what?"

And not the glasses that you didn't notice.

想的不是你沒注意到的眼鏡。

所以，當你走進廚房，你會想： 「我不知道我來這裡幹嘛。」

So when you walk into the room and you're like,

"I don't know why I'm here,"

you're not going crazy, you're not getting Alzheimer's,

你沒有瘋，你也沒有失智，

your memory isn't terrible.

你的記憶也沒有很爛。

It's, go back to the room you were in before you landed in this one,

你可以……回到你到這裡 之前待的那個房間，

either in your mind's eye or physically do it

可以用想像的或實際走回去，

and imagine the cues that were there and it will instantly deliver

想像在那裡的提示，馬上就可以想到

what you were completely befuddled by a moment ago.

剛才還讓你很困惑的事。

DB: So a question that's come in from a number of our audience members,

大：好幾個觀眾都問了同樣的問題，

including Mel and Lorraine, is the flip side of this.

包括梅爾和蘿琳， 問的是另一個面向。

So when would you consider,

你什麼時候會認為，

或者說什麼樣的記憶提示

or what kinds of memory cues would be signs of abnormality

是不正常的徵兆？

or you should get further testing and checking?

或者你應該要去做進一步的檢查？

LG: Oh, I love this question, too,

麗：我也喜歡這個問題。

because I think that for too long there's been this disconnect with,

因為，長久以來，

都有著這種不相關……

you know, people are comfortable thinking

大家對於思考如何改變

about having an influence over their health

他們從頭到腳的健康， 都很自在，對吧？

from the neck down, right?

So especially with heart health,

特別是心臟的健康， 很多人會計算步數，

a lot of us count our number of steps

or we'll go to the doctor and get blood pressure taken.

或者去找醫生量血壓。

And do we have high cholesterol?

看看我們有膽固醇過高嗎？

How can I influence these factors, right?

思考我能如何去改變 這些因素，對吧？

How can I influence the likelihood that I'll get a heart attack later?

我要如何改變我將來 得到心臟病的機率？

But most people don't think they have any influence over their brain health.

但大部分人不認為他們 能夠改變大腦的健康。

And so this question is great because it's like,

所以這個問題很棒，就像在問： 我能注意些什麼？

well, what can I notice?

And then what do I do with that information, right?

有這些資訊之後我能做什麼？

So, like, don't just panic and don't tell anyone.

不要只是慌張而不告訴別人。

There's so much shame and stigma attached to anything going on with the brain

關於大腦的議題，特別是記憶，

太容易連結到羞恥和污名。

and particularly memory.

But this becomes information

但這已經變成你可以 跟你的醫生談論的資訊。

that you can be in conversation with your doctor about.

So what is your cognition?

你的認知是什麼？ 你今天的記憶是什麼？

What is your memory today

and what does it look like a year from now?

一年之後會是什麼樣子？ 會改變嗎？

Is it changing?

And so what are the differences?

所以，有什麼差別？

So forgetting people's names,

忘記人名，是完全正常的。

totally normal.

Names sort of, live in, like, little neurological cul de sacs

名字存在於……就像是 神經學的死胡同裡，

like, ultimately lots of things connected to them,

歸根結底，很多事都和名字相連結，

but really hard in the end to just produce the words,

但單單要說出這個詞卻很困難，

you've got to get to that house at the end of that street,

你得要走到街尾的那間房子， 只有一條路可以進去。

there's only one way in.

Whereas common names, common nouns are like,

而常見的名字，常見的名詞，就像是

in the intersections on Main Street, USA,

美國主要街道的十字路口，

like, you can get, there are a number of different ways,

有很多路都通到那裡， 進出都很容易。

and it's super easy to get in and out.

如果你開始經常忘記 常見的字詞——

If you start forgetting common words frequently --

so if I'm like, "Oh, what's the name of the thing you write with?

比如：「你寫字用的那東西叫什麼？

The thing you write with. What's that"

就是你寫字用的那個。那是什麼？」

"Pen?" "Yeah" --

「筆？」「對。」

if that starts happening, that could be something.

如果開始有這種現象就要注意了。

Doesn't have to be Alzheimer's.

不見得是阿茲海默症，還有很多原因

There are lots of reasons for having issues with retrieving memories

會讓你很難存取記憶，創造新記憶。

making new memories.

It can be sleep deprivation,

可能是睡眠剝奪， 可能是 B12，有很多可能性。

it could be B12, it can be lots of things.

So you don't have to just jump to Alzheimer's.

你不用馬上認定是阿茲海默症。 但希望是你可以處理的問題。

But it is something that you can hopefully address.

Again, be involved in your brain health.

再說一次，要參與你的大腦健康。

The other has to do with understanding how things work,

另一點和了解運作的原理 以及目的有關，

what things are for.

So, like, my friend Greg O'Brien has Alzheimer's

比如，我朋友葛雷格·歐布萊恩 有阿茲海默症，

and he uses the example which I love and I used in my book is,

他用的例子我很喜歡， 也有放在我的書中：

a lot of people say I can't remember where I parked my car.

許多人說我記不得我把車停在哪裡。

That happened to me the other day.

我才發生過。 我在購物中心，出來時，

I was in the mall, I got out,

我記不得我把車停在車庫中的哪裡。

I couldn't remember where in the garage I parked the car.

我肯定幹過這種事。

I've certainly done this.

對有阿茲海默症的葛雷格 則是，他開車到某處，

For Greg, who has Alzheimer's, it's he drives somewhere,

back when he used to drive,

那是他以前還開車的時候，

parks his car, gets out, like, does something for a minute.

把車停好，下車， 稍微做了一下某件事。

So his example's the dump.

他的例子是垃圾場。 「我去垃圾場，把垃圾丟出去，

"I went to the dump, threw the trash out,

turned around standing in front of my car.

轉身，站在我的車子前面。

Don't recognize it as mine."

認不出那是我的車。」

So that's a semantic memory.

那是語意記憶。

That car is my yellow jeep and I don't recognize it.

那台車是我的黃色吉普車， 而我認不得它。

And then B, forgets that he drove there.

第二，他還忘記他開車去那裡。

So that's an episodic memory, a memory for what happened.

那是情節記憶，記得發生什麼事情。

So just a few minutes ago,

幾分鐘前，我開車到垃圾場， 現在我不記得我做了那件事。

I drove to the dump and now I don't remember that I did that.

And so that's not the same as, like, "Did I park on level four or five?"

那和「我是停在四樓 還是五樓」不同。

DB: Yeah.

大：是的。

So George Weiss,

接著是喬治·魏斯，

in the helping-us-remember-better vein,

在協助我們記憶方面，

wants to know can diet help us to avoid memory loss

他想要問，飲食是否 能協助我們避免失憶？

and can you, kind of, exercise your neurons into better memory

你能不能比如讓神經元 做運動來改善記憶，

through crossword puzzles or deeper relationships

用縱橫字謎遊戲

或更深的關係之類的？

or anything like that?

You're shaking your head no, so that's the short answer.

你在搖頭，所以 簡短的答案是「不」。

麗：是也不是。我也很喜歡 這個問題，謝謝你。

LG: Yes and no. Again, I love this question, so thank you.

Yeah, so I tell folks, like, there's no real gimmick to this,

是的，我會告訴大家，這沒有竅門。

like there's no supplement I can give you

我無法給你什麼補給品

that's going to keep you from experiencing a tip of the tongue

讓你不會話在嘴邊卻說不出來，

or help you memorize your next TED Talk.

或協助你記住下一次 TED 演講。

Like, there's no supplement,

沒有這種補給品，

the crossword puzzles are not the thing,

不是靠縱橫字謎遊戲， 我不知道這是誰先想出來的。

I don't know who started that one.

So crossword puzzles are going to --

縱橫字謎遊戲會——

think about what you’re doing --

想想你在做什麼—— 你是在取出你已經知道的詞。

you're retrieving words you already know.

So you're going to get better at remembering those words.

你會把那些詞記得更清楚。

But it's not cross-training.

但這不是交叉訓練， 在你的日常生活中它沒辦法幫你

It doesn't then help you in your day-to-day life

remember what happened that day

記得那天發生了什麼事，

or again, if you have a presentation, what you have to say.

或者幫助你記住要說的內容， 如果你要做簡報的話。

It doesn't work that way.

不是這樣運作的。

It's also not building new neural roads.

它也不會建造新的神經通路。

So retrieving information you already know

所以，取出你已經知道的資訊

doesn't lend itself toward neuroplasticity,

對於神經可塑性並沒有助益。

which is in building something called a cognitive reserve.

神經可塑性要靠 建造所謂的認知儲備。

So every time we learn something new,

每當我們學了新東西，

we're actually building new neuroanatomical

我們其實是在建立新的

神經解剖學及神經化學連結。

and neurochemical connections.

And so if you imagine --

想像一下——

your brain isn't just this pink blob in your skull,

你的大腦並不只是 頭骨裡面一坨粉紅色的東西，

in this little black box in your head,

頭裡面的小小黑盒子，

it's a very dynamic organ and it's changing constantly.

它是非常動態的器官， 且經常在改變。

And your genes are interacting with what happens.

你的基因也會影響到發生的現象。

It's interacting with what you do and experience and feel,

它會影響到你的行為、體驗、感受，

and it changes.

且它會改變。

And the more we learn, the more connections we build.

學習更多，就會建立更多連結。

And this is important

這很重要，因為，

because if you do start to experience some pathology,

如果你確實開始遇到一些病狀，

that is sort of, pre-Alzheimer's,

像是阿茲海默症前的症狀，

or if you start to get Alzheimer's,

或者你開始得到阿茲海默症，

you actually have a lot of reserve.

你其實有大量的儲備。

You have back-up connections

你有備用的連結，

that can dance around any problems or detours.

可以繞著任何問題舞動或迂迴而行。

So learning new things is one way.

所以學新東西是一種方法。

Exercise has been shown to decrease your risk of dementia

研究顯示運動能把 失憶的風險減少一半之多。

by up to a half.

Just day-to-day,

日常生活上，

we know that sleep is massively important,

我們知道睡眠極重要，

both for preventing Alzheimer's and for your memory today.

對預防阿茲海默症 以及今天的記憶都有幫助。

So the memories that I make today

所以，我今天創造的記憶

become long-term, stable memories,

變成長期、穩定的記憶，

become long-term, stable alterations and neural connections while I sleep.

在我睡覺時會變成長期、穩定的改變

以及神經連結。

And it's during certain phases of sleep that this process happens.

這個過程會發生在 睡眠的某些特定階段。

So sleep is not this passive state of doing nothing.

所以睡眠並不是 什麼都不做的被動狀態。

It's a very busy biological state.

它是種非常忙碌的生物狀態。

And so it's locking in the information and experiences you learn today.

它會把你今天學到的 資訊和經驗給鎖在裡面。

And so that's superimportant.

所以睡眠超級重要。

Then tomorrow, if I didn't get enough sleep tonight,

如果我今晚睡的不夠，明天，

I'm going to --

我就會——

my frontal lobe's not going to want to drag itself into its day job

我的額葉就不會想要拖著自己上工，

and do the work of paying attention today, right?

去做「集中注意力」的工作。

You feel sluggish, like, "Ah, I can't pay attention. What?"

你會覺得很懶散：「啊， 我無法專心。什麼？」

If I can't pay attention, what's not going to happen today?

如果我無法專心， 今天就不會發生什麼事？

Making new memories.

不會創造新記憶。

So I'm not going to remember yesterday,

所以我不會記得昨天，

I'm not going be able to make new memories today,

今天也不會創造新記憶，

光是睡眠不足就會 造成一種形式的健忘。

I have a form of amnesia just from not getting enough sleep.

DB: Right.

（大：是的）麗：研究顯示， 一晚睡七到九小時……

LG: So seven to nine hours a night has been shown --

the science is superclear

科學超級清楚說明，

that this is what we need minimally as a human species.

人類這個特別最少需要 這麼多的睡眠。

And then in terms of what you eat, again, there's no perfect study,

至於要吃什麼，同樣沒有……

沒有理想的研究結果， 我也無法從帽子裡拉出兔子來，

and there's no rabbit-out-of-a-hat I can pull for you,

or of, like, if you eat this

也沒有說，如果你吃這個，

or this nutrient, this antioxidant, this recipe,

或吃這種營養物、 這種抗氧化劑、這種食譜，

it's going to save your memory.

就能拯救你的記憶力。

It's like, no, but we know there's been enough to show us

沒這種事，但我們知道 有許多資料顯示，

that being on a Mediterranean diet, a mind diet

選擇地中海飲食、麥得飲食，

so these leafy vegetables, the brightly-colored foods,

吃多葉的蔬菜、顏色很亮的食物、

the whole foods,

全食、

fatty fishes, olive oil, nuts, beans,

多脂魚、橄欖油、堅果、豆類，

these are the kinds of foods that really fuel and support heart health,

這些類型的食物可以協助改善

心臟健康、大腦健康，和記憶力。

brain health and memory.

And it doesn’t have to be 100 percent, folks, right?

各位，不需要追求 100%，好嗎？

You're not going to be perfect at this,

你在這方面無法 做到完美，沒關係的。

and that's OK.

試著從整體著手。

Try to do it overall, right?

Today, what did I eat overall?

整體來說，我今天吃了什麼？

This week, how did I do overall?

整體來說，我本週做得如何？

Because I think we need to have realistic expectations.

我認為我們的期望要實際一點。

So exercise,

所以，要注意運動、

the diet, sleep and stress and learning new things.

飲食、睡眠、

壓力、學習新東西。

And learning new things is also -- it's this, it's being around people.

學習新東西也包括——和人相處。

If you're in conversation,

如果你在談話，那段談話 是以前沒有發生過的，

that conversation's never happened before.

So if you're present and paying attention,

如果你的心能在焉，能專注，

your brain is getting a lot of stimulation that's superhelpful.

你的大腦就能得到 很多刺激，那超級有幫助。

DB: So Bob wants to know about our capacity, our brain capacity.

大：鮑伯問到我們的腦容量。

Do we have like a lifetime capacity

我們有沒有一生的容量限制？

and we hit it and then that's kind of it,

達到了，就這樣了？

or is that why children seem to remember things better

那就是為什麼兒童似乎比較會記憶，

than maybe folks of my age?

比像我這種年齡的人會記憶嗎？

Or is that just, I don't know, an urban myth?

或者那只是……都市迷思？

LG: Yeah, it's myth.

麗：是迷思。

This idea that like, oh, you only use 10 percent of your brain

有人會說，喔，你只用了 腦容量的 10%。

or you only use five percent of your brain,

你只用了腦容量的 5%， 有些人說得比較少。

someone's making it smaller.

I don't know who started that one, either.

我也不知道這是 誰起頭的。沒這回事。

That's not true.

So, you know, at any given moment,

所以，在任何時刻，

I'm using certain parts of my brain, right?

我都在用大腦的某些部分。

So I'm not in a rage right now,

我現在沒有在盛怒中，

so my amygdala is kind of chilling.

我的杏仁核就冷卻下來。

Like, I'm not grief-stricken,

我沒有被悲慟所苦，

so my amygdala is kind of relaxed,

所以我的杏仁核就很放鬆，

and I have my eyes open,

我張著眼睛，所以我的 視覺皮層就亮起來了，

so my visual cortex is lit up,

and neurons there are firing.

神經元都啟動了。

And if I were to close my eyes, that part of my brain goes quiet.

如果我閉上眼睛， 大腦的那部分就會靜下來。

But all of my brain is being used at some point throughout the day, probably,

但我大腦的所有部分

可能在每天的某些時點都會被用到，

or certainly capable of accessing it.

或者說肯定是可以去使用的。

There aren't parts of my brain that I just can't seem to use

若說我的大腦有些部分 似乎都用不到，

and I'm only squirreled away into certain domains.

我只能使用某些區域。

That is a fallacy.

那是個謬論。

And no, you don't run out of room.

不，空間不會用盡。

So, you know, there's a man, I use his example in the book,

所以，

我在書中有用到一個人的例子，

Akira Haraguchi,

原口證，

a retired engineer from Japan who at the age of 69,

退休的日本工程師，六十九歲時，

he's the guy who memorized over 100,000 digits of pi, right?

他能記住π的小數十萬位數。

So at an age where we associate,

在這種年齡，

like, you know, senior discounts and retirements,

和老人票價、退休拉上關係的年齡，

like, he's doing something that is kind of completely mind-blowing.

他在這種年齡還能做如此驚人的事。

And we can all do this if we wanted to.

如果願意，我們也都可以。

So no, at any age, you’re capable --

所以，不，在任何年齡 你都能——隨著年齡漸長，

So as you grow older,

you don't lose the information of stuff you've learned.

你並不會失去你學過的東西。

So the stuff, your semantic memory.

這些語意記憶。

So this is why you've accumulated a body of knowledge

這就是為什麼你能累積大量的知識，

and you've got wisdom now, right?

能擁有智慧。

Because now you know how it all fits

現在你知道這些怎麼用， 你可以運用你收集到的智慧。

and you can use that wisdom you've collected.

You've got that.

你具有這些。

It's not that that starts to go away.

這些並不會消失。

You accumulate that.

這些是你累積的。

And you might think like,

你可能會想：

"Oh, I don't remember much from childhood.

「我不太記得童年的事。

I can't really think about,"

我想不太起……

like, "I can't tell you what happened when I was 10."

我無法告訴你我十歲時發生的事。」

This has more to do with context.

這和情境比較有關係。記憶仍然在。

It's still in there.

So if, you know, if you live in New York and you’re, you know,

所以，如果你住在紐約，

you're surrounded by skyscrapers and city life

你被摩天大樓和城市生活給包圍，

and you grew up in rural Vermont,

而你在佛蒙特的鄉下長大： 「我記不得我十歲時的事。」

"And I can't remember what happened when I was 10."

Go back to your neighborhood and drive around and,

回去你長大的街坊，開車繞一繞，

there's the willow tree, and there's Ms. Richards house,

是那棵柳樹，那是 理查斯女士的房子，

and there’s Ms. Molansen,

那是莫蘭森女士，喔， 那是喬伊摔斷腿的地方，

oh, that's where, like, Joey broke his leg,

and like, it all will come back,

一切都想起來了，

because, again, it's like going from your kitchen to your living room,

因為，那就像是從你的廚房 回到你的客廳……

your bedroom to your kitchen to look for the glasses.

抱歉，從你的臥室 到你的廚房去找眼鏡。

It's like, all that context will reveal memory that you have in your head.

那些情境會

帶出腦中的記憶， 你自己都不知道你記得。

you didn't realize you have.

You've got trillions of possible connections.

你有數兆個可能的連結。

And no, you will not run out.

不會，用不完的。

You can learn to juggle when you're 80.

你八十歲時還是可以學雜耍。

You can learn to play piano.

可以學彈鋼琴。

You can learn a new language.

可以學新語言。

You can listen to a new TED Talk

你可以聽新的 TED 演說，

and learn and remember something to share with someone else.

學習和記住一些資訊，和別人分享。

Like, it's unlimited.

這是沒限制的。

There's no reason to think there's a limit to it.

沒有理由認為有限制存在。

[Get access to thought-provoking events you won't want to miss.]

〔參與發人深省的活動， 你不會想錯過的〕

[Become a TED Member at ted.com/membership]

〔成為 TED 會員： ted.com/membership〕