However, there have also been studies where patients with an impaired
prospective memory had an intact retrospective memory, suggesting that to
some extent the two types of memory involve separate processes.
Furthermore, failure to anyone of this kind of memory can be a cause of
forgetfulness. According to Myer (2006 as cited by Etino, 2015), damage to
the medial temporal lobe hippocampus can severely damage the ability to
acquire new declarative memory. In addition to this, damage to the storage
areas in the cortex can disrupt retrieval of old memories and interfere with
acquisition of new memories.
Glenda Thorne (2006) as cited from
http://www.cdl.org/resourcelibrary/articles/memory_strategies_May06.php
(2009) stated that students who have high memory retention are: Students
who are encourage to repeat the directions given and explain the meaning of
these directions, students who are taught to use visual images and other
memory strategy in memorization, active readers students, students who
provide retrieval practice, students who have cues when storing information,
and students who are reviewing their materials before going to sleep.
In addition, According to Melinda Smith, M.A., Lawrence Robinson, and
Robert Segal, M.A. (2016 cited at http://www.helpguide.org/articles/
memory/age-related-memory-loss.htm, 2016) Walking is an easy way to fight
memory loss. New research indicates that people who walk six to nine miles
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every week can prevent brain shrinkage and memory loss. According to the
American Academy of Neurology, older adults who walked between six and
nine miles per week had more gray matter in their brains nine years after the
start of the study than people who didn't walk as much. Also regular exercise
boosts brain growth factors and encourages the development of new brain
cells. Exercise also reduces the risk for disorders that lead to memory loss,
such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Exercise also makes a
difference in managing stress and alleviating anxiety and depression—all of
which leads to a healthier brain and high memory retention.
Moreover, Riby, L.M., Marriott, A., Bullock, R., Hancock, J., Smallwood,
J., McLaughlin, J. (2008, cited in Jennifer Gibson, PharmD June 26, 2008)
People who had moderate increases in blood glucose had enhanced shortterm
memory performance and cognitive functioning across an array of
domains, but while their little glucose is good, too much can be bad. Sustained
elevations in blood sugar levels, as seen in conditions including impaired
glucose tolerance and diabetes, lead to a decline in cognitive functioning.
Simply, people with the longer glucose remains in the blood, the less fuel the
brain has to function and retain memories. These findings are owed, at least in
part, to the fact that glucose affects the hippocampus — the part of the brain
responsible for short-term memory. In one small study, people with high blood
sugar levels actually had a smaller hippocampus than those with normal
glucose regulation. Any type of insult or injury to the brain, including high blood
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sugar, easily damages the hippocampus. Fortunately, it is also a resilient part
of the brain and its function can be recovered when blood sugar levels are
controlled.
According to Melinda Smith, M.A., Lawrence Robinson, and Robert
Segal, M.A. (2016 cited at http://www.helpguide.org/articles/memory/agerelated-
memory-loss.htm.) a person who greatly got average to high on their
memory retention are the following: A person who got plenty of sleep; Who eat
plenty of fruits and vegetables, drink green tea, eat foods containing
antioxidants in abundance, foods rich in omega-3 fats (such as salmon, tuna,
trout, walnuts, and flaxseed); who made some activities more enjoyable by
appealing to their senses such as playing music during the exercise, for
example, or lighting a scented candle, or rewarding themselves after they’ve
finished; Who exercise their brain from playing chess or bridge, and word
games like Scrabble; A person who got the habit of learning new things such
as games, recipes, driving routes, a musical instrument, and a foreign
language; A person who took a course in an unfamiliar subject that interests
him/her; And a person who took on a project that involves design and
planning, such as a new garden, a quilt, or a koi pond.
But on the other hand according to Melinda (2016) a person who got
low on their memory retention if: A person took three or more drugs as well as
certain individual medications, taking too many medications can also create
cognitive problems. On her study it was found that the more medications a
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person will take, the higher their risk for brain atrophy; A person who aren’t
socially engaged with family and friends are at higher risk for memory
problems; A person who smoke heighten their risk of vascular disorders that
can cause them stroke and constrict arteries that deliver oxygen to the brain; A
person with damage stress hormone, damages the brain over time and can
lead to low memory retention; A person who eat too many calories, though,
can increase their risk of developing memory loss or cognitive impairment;
And sleep deprivation reduces the growth of new neurons in the hippocampus
and causes problems with memory, concentration, and decision-making. It can
even lead to depression.
In addition to the characteristics of a person with low memory retention
are the following study of Siddarth P., Ercoli L., Merrill D., and Small G. PLOS
(2014, as cited in Anthony Rivas 2014) depressed people with diabetes have
been shown to have a higher risk of memory loss, and people who are
uneducated are more likely to be obese. But these problems may all be more
interrelated than we might think. Physical inactivity may lead to not only higher
blood pressure but also diabetes and obesity. It seems that from a young age,
the most important thing a person can do is be as healthy as possible, with the
help of a proper diet and exercise. In doing so, all of these lifestyle factors can
be prevented even depression and mental health can and will be preserved.
Moreover, it was found out on the study of Glenda Thorne (2006) as
cited from http://www.cdl.org/resourcelibrary/articles/memorystrategies
28
May06.php (2009) that the memory demands for school-age children are
much greater than they are for adults. Many students have memory problems
because are constantly bombarded with new knowledge in multiple topic
areas. Students who have deficits in registering information in short-term
memory often have difficulty remembering instructions or directions they have
just been given, what was just said during conversations and class lectures
and discussions, and what they just read. Students who have difficulty with
working memory often forget what they are doing while doing it. In addition
these students will look like they have difficulty with reading comprehension. In
facts, they do; but the comprehension problem is due to a failure of the
memory system rather than the language system. Lastly, students
characteristics who have deficits in the storage and retrieval of information
from long-term memory may study for tests, but not be able to recall the
information they studied when taking the tests. They frequently have difficulty
recalling specific factual information such as dates or rules of grammar. They
have a poor memory of material they earlier in the school year or last year.
They may also be unable to answer specific questions asked of them in class
even when their parents and/or teachers think they really know the
information.
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New Age Music on Memory Retention
The following are previous studies conducted which support that New
Age Music has significant effect on memory retention: First the study of
Varnell’s (2013) as cited in Etino (2015); Colwell, C.M. (1994); Messeli, P.,
Pegna, P. Sordet, N. (1995); Bouhuys, Bloem and Groothuis of the University
of Groeningen (1995; and Felix (1993) as cited in Herman (2008). These
researches identified the new age music as one intervention to improve the
working memory and problems on it can be minimize. In fact, listening to
music such as Steven Halpern, comfort-Zone can improve memory retention
(as cited in Etino, 2015).
Furthermore, according to the World Education Council (2009) as cited
by Etino, (2015), entitled “Learning and thinking effectively” music such as
new age music is best for relaxation, uplifting, enhances creativity, and
improves concentration and focus.
There are studies that have explored the effect of new age music to the
memory retention. According to the study of motion, Kershner & Siegel (2002)
as cited in Etino, (2015), both memory recall and retention increased while
listening to music. The results were interpreted as an arousal response to the
music that enhances neurotransmission in certain pathways. Similarly, another
study of Balch and Lewis (2000) as cited in Etino, (2015), entitled “Music
30
Dependent Memory: The roles of tempo change and mood mediation contains
a memory retention experiment in which the participants are exposed to both
the same or varied music tempos attempting to memorize to certain words
they found out that listening to music with a constant tempo while memorizing
words triggered a mood-dependent effect that cause the participants to
experienced high tend memory retention.
However, as cited by Etino (2015) Adding brainwave entrainment
technology to healing music amplifies the benefits of the music itself. Taking
advantage of the well-documented 'frequency-following effect', Deep Theta
allows you to tune your brain' to the theta range of brainwave activity
associated with deep meditation, enhanced healing and heightened creativity.
Music for accelerated learning you learn best when you're relaxed. Create the
optimal sound environment for learning in which you retain and recall
information more effectively. The music becomes transparent and nondistracting
as it orchestrates whole brain learning. This is best recommended
for students of all ages, including ADD/ADHD. Steven Halpern’s comfort zone
is the exquisite music, on solo piano and electric piano, provides an
atmospheric ambience that is both functional and artistically pleasing. Comfort
Zone is an ideal choice for many listening situations; at work, at home, by you
or with friends or family. Close your eyes take a deep breath and enjoy the
relaxation and renewal from being in your Comfort Zone has a great effect on
the memory retention.
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Moreover, Charles Parent (as cited from
www.rocketmemory.com/articles/music-and-studying/) the use of music in
promoting memory retention and concentration results proved to have both
positive on memory retention and I.Q. First study on the theory revealed that
I.Q. levels were boosted by 8 to 9 points this set a Flurry of subsequent
studies on the subject of music and education.
However, on the testimonial of Kim Bevill, Classroom teacher,
consultant, and Director, Brain Basics Convention (2011) as cited in
(www.brainconvention.com, www.kimbevill.com). He can see the effects
immediately his student’s faces, and in their behavior. As a workshop leader
he conducts training programs for teachers, he has recommended Steven’s
music for years. As a result these teachers are now experiencing the brainbalancing
benefits with their own students. One of his students told him that he
had ADD and had never read more than one sentence of a book in his life. He
said he played Steven Halpern’s new age music and home, and for the first
time, he read an entire chapter, his music also works wonders on the teachers
themselves. It helps them maintain their own balance and center amidst the
daily challenges of the classroom.
On the other hand, the following are previous researches stating that
New Age Music has no significant effect on memory retention; First, according
to Abrams, Brian O. (2012) Does It Really Work? Voices- as cited from
http://testvoices.uib.no/community/ ?q=fortnightly-columns/2012-does-it-really32
work (2015). As he reflect upon his own experienced to work with clients (from
neonatal intensive care, cancer care, psychiatric, individual music
psychotherapy, and other contexts), as well as my own experiences of being a
client, he have never found the work in music therapy to be located in any sort
of mechanism. For him, the work is located in human relationship, on the level
of persons-persons who utilized opportunities for co-creating processes and
outcomes that address clinical needs. He had never experienced the new age
music as a thing that works, but rather as a way in which the client works, with
the help and support of the therapist; nor had he ever experienced new age
music as effective (even when it is, as he liked to pun, very affective).
Dowling, W.J., Kwak, S., Andrews, M.W. (From the time course of
recognition of novel melodies. Perception & Psychophysics, 2000). Explored
the time course of recognition of brief novel melodies in 7 experiments with a
total of 248 undergraduates. In a continuous-running-memory task, Subjects
recognized melodic transpositions following delays up to 2 min. The delays
were either empty or filled with other melodies. Test items included exact
transpositions (Ts), same-contour lures with altered pitch intervals, and
different-contour lures (DCLs). Subjects' discrimination of detailed changes in
pitch intervals and their discrimination of contour changes (T/DCL) were
assessed. Results suggest that (1) contour and pitch-interval information make
different contributions to recognition, with contour dominating performance
after brief empty delays and pitch intervals dominating after longer filled
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delays; (2) a coherent tonality facilitates the encoding of pitch interval patterns
of melodies; and (3) the rich melodic-rhythmic contours of real melodies
facilitate T/DCL discrimination.