Human memory, as William James observed, is a crucial part of the self. The structures of memory are found in the brain; the amygdala, medial prefrontal cortex, hippocampus, olfactory bulb, precuneus, occiptal lobe, temporal lobe, parietal lobe, and occipital lobe.
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How Does Memory Work? fact sheet
The memory systems of the brain integrate a variety of structures in the brain.
Every part has its own job, and its own functions.
The left-lateral prefrontal cortex is involved in the retrieval of autobiographical memories.
The medial prefrontal cortex is in charge of self-referential processing (self-referencing).
The amygdala is in the right hemisphere of the brain, and is responsible for intese emotions; including fear and traumatic memories.
The hippocampus is where memories are stored and consolidated.
The precuneus connects time and place with the self.
The olfactory bulb processes fear and emotion.
4 lobes make up the frontal lobe:
-The occipital lobe, respsonible mainly for vision
-The temporal lobe, responsible for integration of memory and emotional processing
-The parietal lobe, responsible for handling spatial relationships
and interprets sensory information
-The frontal lobe, responsible for working memory and selectively choosing memories related to the current circumstance, creating memory traces. This lobe is also responsible for future remembering, or prospective memory
Memory occurs most vividly first, while visual cortex activity related to vividness occurs later.