How does your brain form and store long-term memories?

Long-term memory formation begins with a process called consolidation. When you experience something, neurons fire together and strengthen their synaptic connections through a mechanism called long-term potentiation. The hippocampus plays a central role, temporarily holding new information and coordinating its transfer to the cortex for permanent storage. This transfer happens largely during sleep, when the brain replays and reinforces recent experiences. At the molecular level, memory storage involves physical changes to synapses, including the growth of new synaptic connections and the synthesis of proteins that stabilize those connections. Different types of memories are stored in different regions: the amygdala handles emotional memories, the cerebellum manages motor skills, and the prefrontal cortex stores working and semantic memories. Retrieval actually slightly modifies memories each time you access them.