The Brain and information processing

Over the next few blog posts, I will discuss some aspects of the brain that are related to memory, information processing and trauma.

But first let’s “meet” the brain and all the parts that are particularly important in receiving, processing and storing information.

First we have the Thalamus. The thalamus is our brain’s first level sorting centre. It receives raw data from the environment. Raw data can be any feeling and sensory experience. The thalamus then separates two types of incoming infor Marion - explicit information and implicit information. Explicit information is contextual information such as time, place, orientation. Implicit information is our feelings and body sensations. The thalamus separates these two types of incoming information and sends them to two different pathways for processing.

Hippocampus - explicit information goes to the hippocampus for processing. This is where information on how, why, where and what is sorted. This is where experience is given meaning and context.

Amygdala - implicit information such as body sensations, thoughts and emotions go to the Amygdala for processing.

It is the working together of the amygdala and the hippocampus that consolidates a memory, gives it meaning and stores it functionally with other similar memories.

Frontal cortex - once the memory is consolidated, it connects with the frontal cortex which provides a balanced response to the situation.

In times of trauma, the brain’s processing system is completely overwhelmed and information is maladaptivelay stored. But that’s the subject of the next blog post....