Mar 29 2011: It is a great question. I think, firstly, we should consider the question "What are memories made of?" Are memories just some proteins expressed and contained in our brain for sometime untill we forget them or they are some kind of connection or linkage between our neurons? I think the latter is true. Memories are not stable unless we connect them to something else which will make the connection "linked" to another memory. Thus, when we recall one thing we also recall another-or part of another- so we strenghten not only the first memory but also the latter and the connection between them.
Our immune system has a more simple memory than our brain nevertheless it is the fundamental reason we are able to keep the infections from becoming diseases all the time. It is a very rational process and works by the lock&key model with some elaboration. More tight interaction between antigen and antibody results in more growth signals and so the proliferation of that memory B cell clone. Therefore it is the interaction that makes the memory.
So I think it is hard for any nanobot to download or upload any memory to our brain. If nanobots wereto recover our lost memories they should find a way in which targeting specific neurons increases the strenght of the circuit of the once forgotten memory.
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A comment on Conversation: Do memories get lost for ever or just disconnected from brain's recollection system?
Our immune system has a more simple memory than our brain nevertheless it is the fundamental reason we are able to keep the infections from becoming diseases all the time. It is a very rational process and works by the lock&key model with some elaboration. More tight interaction between antigen and antibody results in more growth signals and so the proliferation of that memory B cell clone. Therefore it is the interaction that makes the memory.
So I think it is hard for any nanobot to download or upload any memory to our brain. If nanobots wereto recover our lost memories they should find a way in which targeting specific neurons increases the strenght of the circuit of the once forgotten memory.