Brain Scans of Infants Reveal the Moment We Start Making Memories

A giggling toddler in a pink dress and matching headphones lies down on her back in front of a gigantic whirling machine. A pillowy headrest cushions her head. She seems unfazed as she’s slowly shuttled into the claustrophobic brain scanner. Once settled, a projection showing kaleidoscope-like animations holds her attention as the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) machine scans her brain. The girl is part of a new study seeking to answer a century-old mystery: Why can’t most us remember the first three years of our lives? Dubbed “infantile amnesia” by Sigmund Freud, the study could provide insight into how the brain develops during our early years. And if we can form memories at a young age, are they fleeting, or are they still buried somewhere in the adult brain? It seems like a simple question, but an answer has eluded scientists. Though infants and toddlers aren’t yet able to give detailed verbal feedback, studying their behavior has begun to shed light on if and when they remembe ... Read full article.