I have a long-held theory I would like to examine. Is Alzheimer’s and/or dementia a symptom of someone reaching their memory capacity[1]? I’ve thought of this off and on over the years, starting from when I worked at a nursing home about 2 decades ago. However, I never truly examined how a brain could be compared with a computer.
The theory makes sense if we look at the brain as a “computer” that runs the body and stores our memories. The brain is a very powerful computer that eventually suffers from data degradation, but could it also get something similar to a computer virus?
Author’s Note: Please be aware of the Sensitivity[2] and Medical[3] disclaimers located at the end of the article.
Reaching Capacity = Slow-Running
Consider what happens when the hard drive on your PC starts to fill. The PC starts to slow down because there isn’t enough available memory to store new data. Similarly, when a brain approaches the capacity it can hold, the processing power of the person begins to slow down.
We say the person is senile when this happens.
At Capacity = Runs Slower and Buggy
Once the brain reaches its capacity, the processing power is slowed even further, and some of the stored data glitches or starts to act buggy. The person is generally okay for a short period of time, but becomes even more senile.
As the memory demand continues to exceed the brain’s capacity, the extra data starts corrupting the existing data as the CPU tries to overlap certain experiences to help accommodate more data.
Some people are better suited to hold more data than others.
I hope I’m one of those people who has a top-of-the-line hard drive. Otherwise, I may develop Alzheimer’s early simply because I have accumulated so much information from reading so many books and living many (fictional) lives.
RAM
People who cannot respond or communicate quickly, may simply be low on RAM (Random Access Memory). Imagine if we could do to our minds what we do with computers. We could upgrade the RAM card in our brain to think faster or perform better in debates.
Similarly, we could upgrade our memory to stave off data corruption (dementia).
Data Virus?
Can our brains be susceptible to something similar to a computer virus? We are delving even deeper into the realm of science fiction with this question, but let’s explore the possibilities.
At present, our brains are incompatible with digitally-induced viruses. However, it isn’t impossible for something similar to happen.
With the ever-expanding internet of things, it could be possible to one day purchase an implant allowing us to interface with devices or access information online. Once that medium is breached, it could be possible for our brains to be vulnerable to hacking or data corruption.
A criminal (or thought police) could violate our privacy and access memories or steal intellectual property. False memories could be implanted, which may cause someone to be confused about certain life events.
Consider the legal implications. Compromising a brain could be the new way organized criminals get away with crimes. If it can be proven that a witness’s memory is compromised, that witness would be disqualified.
The brain and mind may have inherent defenses against such mind violations and protect the “self.” Despite the defenses, repeated attempts could cause the mind to question what is real.
I may have just coined a new field of medical study. A data psychologist may be necessary to sort out and fix the corrupted data. Or, in dire situations, a clinical data-surgeon/psychologist could be a specialist called in to fix the corrupted data in our minds.
Temporary Glitches
In our current civilization, our brains could be corrupted or hijacked by chemicals, like alcohol, hallucinogenic compounds, and psychotic drugs. These compounds could force us to exhibit something similar to a computer virus or, at least, act glitchy and do things we normally wouldn’t.
Similar to a TV when changed to a channel with low signal, image-related data can become fuzzy or garbled… or the data associated with the image could lose the link to the original information.
Here are a few examples of how image data can be affected:
- Excessive alcohol consumption could narrow the screen size or cause the monitor to power off (or make the CPU go into sleep-mode).
- Consuming of the wrong type of alcohol (methyl) and exposure to certain chemicals, or even the sun, will destroy your optical sensors. Unlike a PC’s camera, you can’t replace your eyes (yet).
- Psychedelics may cause the computer to temporarily display colors more vibrantly and distort other images. Sometimes, things may appear that do not truly exist or our perception of real objects could change to something magical or monstrous.
Reformatting?
What about reformatting the “hard drive” or brain? Is it even possible?
Long story short, maybe. It is technically possible to reformat your brain with certain chemicals, but doing so is tantamount to suicide since your mind and the collection of experiences stored in the brain is what makes you… you.
Such a treatment would force you to start over. What if your body is 40 years old? Is it worth the time and money to help your new identity relearn everything to make “you” a productive member of society?
Another thing to consider is the risk that too much data could get wiped in the process. Your body could lose (or forget) the ability to automatically perform involuntary body processes like breathing or pumping blood. What’s left of “you” would be a vegetable.
Dementia, A Broken Motherboard?
Let’s look at the symptoms of dementia and how they are comparable to what happens when a motherboard fails.
| Memory loss. | Memory loss or inability to communicate with one or more hard drives. |
| Problems communicating or finding words. | The soundcard may be broken or unable to link to the speakers and produce sound. Or, the words in text appear as windings (wingdings). |
| Trouble with visual and spatial abilities. | The camera cannot activate properly, or the distance function may not be working. In some cases, the internal GPS could be disconnected and cause the user to become lost. |
| Problems with reasoning or problem-solving. | Logic errors. Programmed data may be corrupt or deleted, which could cause unwanted or unintended output. |
| Trouble performing complex tasks. | Difficulty performing multi-level tasks because the if/then data is corrupt or access to that partition is severed. |
| Trouble with planning and organizing. | Unable to coordinate with or follow a pre-programmed schedule because the internal clock cannot sync with regional time or keeps resetting. |
| Poor coordination and control of movements. | The programming controlling robotic function is corrupt. The connection to the hardware could be severed or unreliable because of damaged or degraded wiring (kind of like multiple sclerosis). |
| Confusion and disorientation. | It does not compute. |
The causes of dementia can be compared to how a motherboard fails too.
Protein Plaque = Dust
Buildup of protein plaque in the brain is similar to dust on a motherboard. Dust can disrupt the electronics and cause some or all of the information to be lost between applications and hardware. Dust can also cause parts of the motherboard to overheat and shutdown, similar to how a person may black out from overexertion or intoxication.
Blood Vessels = Wires
Damaged blood vessels are like damaged wires. A limited supply of energy can cause the CPU to not work as fast or not function at all. Too much energy could cause damage too, similar to a stroke caused by a burst blood vessel.
Damage
Damage or injuries can cause failures too. Getting hit in the head may cause enough damage to disorient and impair memory. This damage can sometimes be repaired on a motherboard, and similarly fixed by brain surgery or naturally over time.
Sometimes, the damage is too great and the problem cannot be fixed, resulting in the whole computer shutting down (death). Or, the functional capacity will be limited for the rest of the life of the machine. Sort of like that old joke Boomers say about how dropping a baby on its head may result in a retarded child[4].
Age
Getting too old is a problem for both the brain and a motherboard, largely because essential components will start to malfunction over time. We can repair or replace certain components in the human body like the heart, lungs, and other organs. Similarly, we can fix or replace damaged wiring, a fan, the sound card, and other peripherals.
Unfortunately, we can’t fix the motherboard if it gets too old or is incompatible with the parts being used to repair it. We have the same problem with the brain. We cannot switch it out for a newer model and new replacement parts may be incompatible (attacked by the body’s antivirus).
Age of the Processor
When I was in my mid-20s, I was able to listen to an audiobook at 3x the normal speed and briefly read something else, and keep track of a conversation between friends. I was able to retain all the information from everything I read and respond to my friends when they asked for my input.
Now that I’m almost 40, I noticed how my biological processor has degraded in quality. I had to reduce the speed of new audiobooks to 2.5x normal speed while keeping track of conversations happening nearby. And I definitely can’t read two different books at the same time with any hope of retaining the knowledge.
So, How Much Memory can the Brain Store?
According to an article on Scientific American[5], the memory capacity of a human brain may be equal to 2.5 petabytes of memory capacity. According to the same article that’s about 300 years of video running 24/7. Of course, the brain isn’t merely recording video. There’s several layers of data the brain is processing and recording all at the same time.
Let’s assume the example in the article intended the video quality to be “standard” and not high-definition. Let’s also assume sound is factored into that calculated amount. In addition to the video and sound, the brain is processing and storing data from, at least, 4 other sensory inputs[6].
The brain is processing and recording all these different layers of information:
- Optical – The visual data of an object or many objects in the environment.
- Audio – The sounds it’s making (if any), and the background noise from the environment.
- Olfactory – The smell of the object and the smell of other objects or people nearby.
- Gustation – What the object tastes like (if applicable). This sense is enhanced by the olfactory organs and can be affected when that sense is damaged or weakened from illness.
- Tactile – How an object feels when touched, and other physical sensations being felt from the environment like temperature, vibrations, and air movement (wind).
- Intellection – What you’re thinking about at any given moment and how you felt emotionally.
Vision and audio is only part of the data being processed and recorded by the brain. We don’t know how all the other sensory data factors into the brain’s capacity.
For simplicity, let’s consider an equal 1/6th distribution of data across the senses. If the extra layers of information are factored in, the 300-year estimate (for video and audio) would dramatically reduce to about 100 years.
This doesn’t even account for the other data stored in the brain, data which can only be accessed by our subconscious. The software that runs while we sleep or keeps our organs functioning without us thinking about it. The repair programs that are constantly fixing cuts, scrapes, and doing general cellular repair…
That can reduce the capacity of the brain even further. For simplicity, let’s consider this data to be about half the amount that’s dedicated to the other sensory data stored in the brain. That could mean our brains generally should reach capacity around age 75-80!
Based on my experience working in nursing homes, this matches the trends I’ve seen. Actually, it’s an over-estimate on the capacity because I’ve noticed that data tends to get corrupt in the 60s. Which probably means that some people may have less hard drive space, or may be more prone to data corruption than others.
Of course, humans are not built on an assembly line. Some “models” are likely to have better memory capacities than others based on: genetics, drug and alcohol consumption, injuries, and environmental exposure.
I’ll close with an observation I’ve noticed with many people around my age and younger. They sometimes act like they have substantially less memory capacity than most people, or have an inability to use the “search” function to recall simple facts. At times, it seems like they stored relevant data on a flash drive and… threw it away.
[1] Image Credit: The author or creator of the image I call, “Megabyte to Zettabyte,” is unknown. I originally used the image in a Facebook post on March 3, 2023. I almost certainly saw it on a post made by another (unknown) person.
[2] Sensitivity Disclaimer: It is not the intention of the author to disparage or make light of those suffering from dementia or the many conditions with dementia-like symptoms. This is an examination of how certain biological symptoms are similar to what happens with a computer under comparable situations.
[3] Medical Disclaimer: The owner of this website and the author(s) or general contributors are not doctors or any kind of medical professionals. The information presented is for educational and informational purposes only, and does not constitute any professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
If you or any other person has a medical concern, you should consult your health care provider or seek other professional medical treatment immediately. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you read in this website, the articles and blogs published in said website, or in any linked materials.
[4] Retarded: When I grew up, the word “retarded” was a general medical term for mental or physical retardation. I am aware the word has been cancelled by millennials and younger generations into being politically incorrect. However, this is an objective examination of a subject and a historical reference to what was once said. Therefore, the use of the term is quite appropriate (if you disagree, that is your right).
[5] Reber, P. (2010, May 1). What Is the Memory Capacity of the Human Brain? Scientific American. Retrieved from Scientific American: https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/what-is-the-memory-capacity/
[6] How Many Senses? Some scholars theorize that we have about 7 senses to include kinesthesia (motion) and the vestibular system (balance and gravitational orientation). Some experts theorize there are even more senses the human body can feel. I’ve reviewed these so-called senses and almost all are associated with touch.
For the purposes of this article, I will only include the normal 5 senses, and a 6th sense I would like to coin… the sense of “thought” and/or emotion.
Edwords wOrcs 