Engram (neuropsychology)

Hello there! So, an engram is like a secret code or a memory trace that your brain creates when you learn something new or experience something important.

Think of it like this - you know how you make footprints in the sand when you take a walk on the beach? That's kind of what happens in your brain when you learn or experience something new. Your brain leaves behind a trace or a mark of that experience, like a footprint, and that is called an engram.

So let's say you learn how to ride a bike for the first time. Your brain will create an engram or a memory trace of that experience. That engram helps you remember how to ride a bike the next time you try to do it.

Sometimes, our brain creates engrams without us even realizing it, like when we hear a catchy tune and can remember the lyrics without trying. Other times, it takes a lot of practice and repetition for an engram to form, like when learning a new language or a musical instrument.

Engrams are interesting to neuropsychologists because they can help us understand how the brain processes and stores memories. And knowing more about how memories work in the brain can help us learn more about how we learn and how we develop as people.