Researchers have long been puzzled by infantile amnesia, a phenomenon where people struggle to recall their early childhood experiences. While some believe it’s due to difficulties in creating memories, others think it’s because we fail to retrieve them. New research suggests that the answer lies in our brains’ unique development during this period.
Dr. Nick Turk-Browne, a professor of psychology at Yale University, explains that our brain’s ability to form and store memories changes significantly as we grow. During infancy and toddlerhood, our brains are constantly processing new information, but this process is not yet consolidated into long-term memory. As a result, these early experiences become harder to retrieve.
Turk-Browne believes that the human brain’s “learning curve” is more pronounced during childhood, making it challenging for us to recall events from this period. This theory is supported by studies showing that people tend to forget most of their childhood memories as they get older.
The mystery of infantile amnesia has been a topic of interest among researchers and scientists for years. Turk-Browne’s research provides new insights into this phenomenon, offering hope for better understanding of how our brains develop and function.
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/science/audio/2025/mar/25/where-do-our-early-childhood-memories-go-podcast