A growing body of research offers a more welcome excuse: Forgetting stuff can actually be a byproduct of rigorous thinking, smooth decision-making or heightened creativity. Forgetting can help us block out useless or outdated information and keep us from fixating on a single set of ideas or thoughts. And contrary to the notion that forgetfulness reflects a withering of brain cells, scientists say it can actually be driven by the growth of new neurons in the hippocampus, a brain region linked to memory. Researchers believe a similar process occurs in humans. Why We Forget Memories slip away for a variety of reasons that have little to do with physical health: Other, similar memories compete for our attention.

Source: Wall Street Journal January 22, 2019 15:03 UTC