This leads us to one of today’s most en vogue biochemical theories of memory: retrieval-induced forgetting. This theory states that whenever we remember we also forget. So, while it seems intuitively appealing that every time we recall a memory we consolidate it and form a stronger and more accurate memory, this is far from the truth. Instead, every time a memory is recalled it is effectively retrieved, examined, and then recreated from scratch to be stored again. It is the equivalent of keeping a file of index cards, pulling one out to read it, throwing it away, and then copying out a new
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