The documentary ‘Memory loss - When the brain suddenly goes on strike’, which is available in German on ARTE and in the ARD Mediathek, explores the phenomenon of memory loss. The documentary follows neurologist Magnus Heier as he tries to find an explanation for the 24 hours in which he was unable to store any memories.
One focus of the documentary is the contribution of Magdalena Sauvage, one of our neuroscientists who specialises in the functional architecture of memory. Sauvage explains how the human brain not only stores memories, but also modifies them. Her research illustrates how memories can be supplemented or even overwritten by new information, which can be both beneficial and harmful. On the one hand, supplementing old memories with new information facilitates learning. Similarly, overwriting a traumatic experience with neutral experiences is a way to improve the quality of life for many people.
On the other hand the documentary highlights the concept of ‘false memories’, whereby people remember events or things that never happened or whose details have been altered. This emphasises the importance of, for instance, recording witness statements as soon as possible after an event.
The documentary is thought-provoking and confronts us with the question of how memories shape our identity and what this means for our understanding of truth and reality.