Do we lose memories forever?

Ask the doctor

Published: August, 2016

Q. When we lose memories, do we lose them forever? A friend told me they may still be in our brains.

A. Our memories are stored inside nerve cells in our brains, often in multiple cells that communicate with each other. Each nerve cell looks a little like a tree, with a trunk, branches and, ultimately, little "twigs" (called spines). The spines of one cell communicate with those of another cell by releasing chemicals.

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