We have all been through this: we are in the middle of a conversation, looking for a word, a name or a title and… nothing. We know we know it – we almost feel it – but she doesn’t show up.
This phenomenon, known as having a word “on the tip of the tongue”It is simultaneously fascinating and frustrating. But what goes exactly on the brain during these moments? Scientists explored this issue and discovered some intriguing ideas.
When a word is “on the tip of the tongue”, several regions of the brain come into action, working to locate the missing term. Imagine a group of people frantically looking for a specific book in a library. Similarly, the brain mobilizes specific areas to help in this demand. Three regions, in particular, play fundamental roles: the anterior cingulated cortex, the prefrontal cortex and the insula.
The anterior cingulated cortex and the prefrontal cortex are part of a network responsible for cognitive control and play complementary roles when a word is dodge. The anterior cingulated cortex Acts as a supervisorsignaling that there is a conflict: “I know this word, but I can’t remember it!”
However, the prefrontal cortex evaluates and verifies the information that arises during the research, ensuring that what is recovered corresponds to what is sought. The insula, a deeper and less visible brain region, contributes to the phonological recovery – Helping to access the sounds that make up the words.
With the use of tools such as Functional Magnetic Resonance (FMRI), researchers observed how these during these moments. It is as if these regions collaborate as colleagues who face a difficult problem, gathering their efforts to find the missing word.
Interestingly, this frustrating experience becomes more frequent as we get older. Studies show that the parts of the brain involved in word recovery – in particular the anterior cingulated cortex and the insula – tend to atrophy over time. This means that they lose some efficiency, such as an once immaculate library becomes disorganized, with poorly placed books and poorly tagged shelves. As a result, the recovery of a “book” or, in this case, a word becomes more difficult.
For example, the investigation has shown that in older adults the insula is less active during attempts to remember the words. This decrease in activity impairs the ability to gather the phonological elements of words, making the moments of “tip of the language” more common. The more affected the insula is with age, Most difficult is to remember words that would otherwise be familiar.
Despite its growing frequency with aging, the “tip of the tongue” phenomenon is perfectly normal. The phenomenon enhances brain complexity, showing that even seemingly simple tasks – such as finding a word – depending on the coordinated action of many regions.
In addition, there are ways to mitigate the effects of aging on word recovery. One of the strategies is to create what scientists call cognitive reserve – A protective factor reinforced by intellectual, physical and social activities. This reserve helps optimize brain health and cognitive aging, facilitating the search for words even as we get older.
Next time a word is at the tip of your tongue, remember that your brain is working hard to try to recover. Partial information-as certain sounds or related words-may arise first, encouraging you to continue to look. If the word does not immediately arise, take a break and try again with a clean mind later. These moments are proof of complexity and remarkable brain efficiency.
