| The brain has the ability to recall many | | | | from a nearby bakery. Using their other |
| things in detail. For instance, if you are | | | | senses, they can feel underfoot of a stone or |
| sitting at your desk right now and if you | | | | gravel path or the noise coming from a nearby |
| close your eyes, you'll find that you'd be | | | | subway, train track or traffic at a busy |
| able to find your calculator or pen. | | | | junction. Soon the familiar pathways will |
| Sometimes, unconsciously, you can even find | | | | become routine - like the visual "maps" of |
| yourself reaching out for such items when you | | | | normal sighted people. |
| need them unconsciously, while you are | | | | |
| consciously thinking of solving a problem or | | | | In a similar fashion, people have been using |
| making an important decision. | | | | mental maps to help them memorise large |
| | | | amount of information. Such memory |
| People who become blind as adults will find | | | | techniques help students develop their study |
| themselves impeded by their inability to use | | | | skills. In fact, anyone can use memory |
| their vision to sense their environment. | | | | mapping to help them improve their memory and |
| They cope by relying on their memory of how | | | | accelerate their learning. Such memory |
| things are placed. Their mental maps then | | | | training has found favour by many people to |
| become suddenly very important to them. | | | | improve memory in work, play and in school |
| Blind people have to re-create the world | | | | and with constant practise, can also keep the |
| around them in their heads by using their | | | | mind sharp even in old age. |
| other senses to help them make sense and | | | | |
| navigate their environment with new sensory | | | | For a long time, neurologists and scientists |
| data. | | | | have tried to determine the area of the |
| | | | brain where spatial orientation is located. |
| The blind are able to use their imagination | | | | Recent findings show that the hippocampus, a |
| and their memory to get around on their own. | | | | part of the cerebrum inside the temporal |
| For example, when they move around town, they | | | | lobes, could play an important role when it |
| are no longer able to navigate according to | | | | comes to orientation. The hippocoampus is |
| familiar landmarks, buildings or street | | | | part of the limbic system, which is |
| signs. Instead they must find new tags to | | | | considered to be the control centre for the |
| help them find their way around, such as the | | | | assessment of information and is the seat of |
| aroma of freshly brewed coffee from a nearby | | | | short-term memory. |
| café or the aroma of freshly baked bread | | | | |