X-Message-Number: 19023
Date: Mon, 6 May 2002 09:13:34 -0400
From: Thomas Donaldson <>
Subject: CryoNet #19021

Hi Toby!

We know that the information has not been lost because many experiments
with dogs, in which they were cooled down so much that their brains
ceased all electrical activity, then showed that they remembered by
tests given after they warmed up again.

It is true that our very short term memories (say, what we were thinking
about at the same time as we started to be cooled down) may get wiped
out. But our longer term memories are stored by various chemical
reactions which aren't affected by electrical activity. Just what they
may be remains something of a mystery, but they MAY consist of formation
of new synapses between the relevant neurons.

The point that our memories don't persist due to electrical activity
was worked out in the 1950's. It usually isn't mentioned in papers on
brain activity, not because it is wrong but because it was found out
long enough ago that nobody questions it any more. And because it can
be tested without killing the dogs, it's perfectly easy to verify that
they remember afterwards.

			Best wishes and long long life,

				Thomas Donaldson

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