Mahashatavdhan
Dr Sudhir Shah
(M.D., D.M.)
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Hon. Neurologist to H.E. Governor of Gujarat
Director of Neurosciences : Sterling Hospital
Head of Department ,Neurology : V. S. Hospital
www.sudhirneuro.org
4th March, 2012
Mumbai, India
Towards Powerful Cognition
Plan of My Talk
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Memory function
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Tips to improve memory
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Jain view
Human Brain Capacity
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Human brain has roughly 100 billion (1011)
neurons and 100 trillion (1014) synapses
One can store enormous facts e.g. 90 million
books each having 1000 pages
One
can hold approximately seven items
in short-term memory for about 20 to 30 seconds
It is known that we severely underutilize our
brain
Brain VS Computer
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The brain is much, much bigger than any
[current] computer
Accurate biological models of the brain would
have to include some 225,000,000,000,000,000
(225 million billion) interactions between cell
types, neurotransmitters, Neuro modulators,
axonal branches and dendritic spines
No hardware/software distinction can be made
with respect to the brain or mind
Brains are analogue; computers are digital
Brain VS Computer
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The brain is a massively parallel machine;
computers are modular and serial
Processing speed is not fixed in the brain;
Short-term memory is not like RAM
Synapses are far more complex than electrical
logic gates
Unlike computers, processing and memory are
performed by the same components in the brain
The brain is a self-organizing system
What is Memory?
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Memory is a specific cognitive function: the
storage and retrieval of information
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As such, it is the prerequisite for learning, the
building block of all human knowledge
Limbic System & Memory
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Certain structures of the limbic system are
involved in memory function
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These large limbic system structures
AMYGDALA and HIPPOCAMPUS
are
Limbic System
The Hippocmapus
The Hippocampus Plays
an important role in
consolidating
information from
short-term memory
into long-term
memory and retrieves
them when necessary
The Amygdala
The Amygdala is
responsible for
determining what
memories are stored
and where the
memories are stored
in brain & responsible
for emotional
memories
Cohen and Squire, 1980
Memory
Declarative
Non-declarative
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Available to conscious retrieval
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Experience-induced change in
behaviour
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Can be declared (propositional)
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Cannot be declared (procedural)
Examples
 “What did I eat for breakfast?”
(episodic)
 “What is the capital of Spain?”
(semantic)
 “What did I just say?”
(working)
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Examples
 Subliminal advertising
(priming)
 How to ride a bicycle?
(skills)
 Phobias
(conditioning)
Mati Gyan + Shrut Gyan
What Is Working Memory ?
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A combination of
– Attention
– Concentration
– Short-term memory
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The ability to temporarily
manipulate information
maintain
and
Working Memory
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The Prefrontal Cortex
With more difficult tasks involving bilateral
brain activation
The number of activated brain regions in the
prefrontal cortex increases as the complexity of
the task increases.
In Munishri, the prefrontal cortex, hippocampus
& amygdala must have been very well
developed…..
Hypothesized Memory Processes:
Encoding, Consolidation, and Retrieval
Encoding, Consolidation and
Retrieval of Declarative Memories
Shatavadhani
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Shrimad Rajchandra (1867-1901)
Shatavadhani Dr.R.Ganesh ( 1981)
Muni Mahendra Kumar (1957)
Sathavathani Sheikh Thambi Pavalar (18741950)
Shri Manek Muniji Maharaj (1991)
Shatavadhan And Above
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Dr. Garikipati Narasimha Rao (2002)
Dr. Medasani Mohan (1996)
Dr. Nagaphani Sarma (2000)
Kadimalla Varaprasad
Yashodevsuri Ma. Saheb
Dharmsuri Ma. Saheb
Nirmalashriji
Munishri Ajitchandrasagarji Maharaj ( D/O
Panyasshree Naychandra Sagarji Maharaj)
Scientific Tips For
Higher Cognition
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Repetition
Symbolization
Association
Visualisation
Remove stress
Neurobics
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Be Positive
Be Interested
Be Attentive
Be Active
Be Relaxed & Happy
Be yourself
Limitations of Scientific
Knowledge
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Laws of Conservation defined only for physical
systems which are closed and passive
Biological systems are open systems
Constantly interacting with the environment
Human beings have memory, which makes it
difficult to do any scientific experiment on them
Jain view
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Gyanavarniyakarma xayopasham
Worship of Gyan, Gyani & tools of Gyan.
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Linked with Past birth achievements
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Ways shown to lead to kevalgyana
Jain (Oriental-Spiritual) View to
Achieve Higher Cognition
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Maun (silence)
Brahamcharya (celibacy)
Sadhna (austerity)
Tapasya (penance)
Pratyahaar ( Control of Senses)
Vinay (politeness)
Mantrajap (chanting)
Swadhyaya (spiritual reading)
Constant Abhyas ( Repeatition)
Dhyana (Meditation)
Spiritual Order and
Shatavadhanies
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Shatavdhanies’ spiritual practices involve all these
disciplines
By these mind goes into low entropy state &
tremendous data can be stored and recalled
efficiently
Involves parapsychology like telepathy and
clairvoyance
It will provide new direction of evolution which is
very different from Darwin’s principle of evolution
It is a big challenge for the modern science
Shri Pokharna
Jain’s Theory of Knowledge Through
Consciousness
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As per modern science, knowledge is nothing but
information organized in some way and information
is nothing but data organized in some way
We can collect data and generate information and
knowledge through consciousness
So all knowledge is structured in the consciousness
Hence the Jain concept that knowledge is structured
in the consciousness is very logical, as demonstrated
by shatavadhanies
However final destination is Kevalgyan
Role of Subconscious Mind
Subconscious Mind
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The subconscious (preconscious) mind is part of
the conscious mind and includes our memory.
These memories are not conscious, but we can
retrieve them to conscious awareness at any time
Your subconscious mind remembers everything
even those things that have entirely by-passed
your conscious awareness
So boosting Subconscious mind can be powerful
memory tool…..by spiritual practices like
meditation, silence, etc.
Suggested Hypothesis
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There may be opening of Millions of Synapses
Increased function of Neurotransmitters
More use of Association areas
Role of Prefrontal cortex, as it is more developed
in animals with higher intelligence
Formation of G Module and extraordinary tracks
of neurons
Development of new storage areas
Memory and Gene
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Neuroscientists identified a master controller of
memory
Npas4 gene appears to regulate the brain’s
ability to form new memories
So by increasing this Gene Expression one can
make powerful memory
Genes
Molecules
Synapses
Neurons
systems
Networks
Behaviour
"We remember what we understand; we
understand only what we pay
attention to; we pay attention to what
we want" - Edward Bolles
The Value of Chunking
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You have 5 seconds
to memorize as much
as you can
Then, draw an empty
chess board and
reproduce the
arrangement of pieces
Thank you