With the human brain itself being an unmatched wonder, it is very difficult to assess such questions. Within the brain, the two most complex physiological acts which are still in the realm of medical fascination, are, memory and learning. These two decide the level of intelligence. Unlike many other functions of the brain, memory and learning cannot be attributed to any specific part of the brain, although it has been established that a six-layered brain tissue over the cerebral hemispheres, having numerous gyri and sulci (which appear like waves to the common eye, designed to increase the surface area of the brain, are the main contributors to the power of learning and memorising. The six layers are what we popularly refer to as grey matter.

Memory draws on many factors: curiosity, attention, concentration and corroboration. It is due to the interplay of these factors that a growing child would ordinarily report a higher grasping power than, let us say, his grandfather, whose experience and knowledge are impeding factors in his curiosity and concentration levels. Memory is of two types - declarative and non-declarative, the latter composing habits, skills, conditioning and reflexes, while the rest of our remembrance is all declarative.

Non-declarative memory makes us all Pavlovian creatures. Remember Ivan Pavlov's experiment with the dog who received food at the ringing of a bell? Over time, the bell connoted food to the dog and even without being given food, the dog salivated at the mere ringing of the bell. In medical parlance, it is known as conditioned reflexes and our motor driving, account-keeping and violent response to certain situations are some such reflexes. Repetition is an essential part in the making of reflexes, skills and habits.

Declarative memory, on the other hand, comprises of events and facts stored in the brain as recent or remote memory. It can be lost partially or completely on account of brain injury or fevers, such as, meningitis and encephalitis. Transient amnesia is common among alcoholics and drug addicts, while shock, while naturally caused or as therapy through electro-convulsive means, usually employed for mentally deranged patients, can effect memory loss.

Head injury-induces memory loss is a common occurrence, but if it leads to complete memory loss, which is rare, it would mean reaching a vegetative state, becoming the living dead.

Dementia or memory loss because of the degeneration of brain cells affects 10 to 15 per cent of people above the age of 65 and 50 to 60 per cent of those above 85. Alzheimers disease to which former US president Ronald Regan is prey, is a type of the late life degeneration of the brain, the seed of which is laid between 40 and 60 years of age. With memory seeming like it is ever-ready to get lost, can it be gained, recovered and enhanced? This question is what brings us to the ayurvedic drugs in the Indian market which claim to, at least, enhance memory. Megamind from Dalmia, Memory Plus from Velvet, Dimaghla Chawanprash from Charak and Shankh Pushpi from established names such as Dabur, Zandu and Baidyanath, are all part of the memory-boosting drug war, the first two being market leaders, primarily because of their aggressive ad campaigns.

It is interesting to note that despite these drugs having the clearance certificates from the Drug Controller of India, only Dalmia's Megamind, a combination of Brahmi and Vacha, claims to have done human trials of the drug but none of them explains the molecular biology of the drugs and how they enhance or strengthen memory. Not that they are obliged to do so, because, the very core of the philosophy that directs ayurveda is that it has the backing of centuries of wisdom and experience. And yet, if the target groups of these drug manufacturer are students, young executives, mind-sportsmen and women, it is because they know that memory-boosting drugs are, at best, a minor aid to help those whose concentration levels are not up to the average mark.

For instance, a dull student may gain by taking such drugs (the recommended dosage is two tablets a day for three months for most), but an already bright student cannot hope to enter the genius's hall of fame at the end of a three-month memory drug course. Patients with specific, memory-related problems may also benefit by them. The rest of us, attracted to the idea of taking these drugs, can console ourselves with the fact that, if we have not gained any memory at the end of the recommended period, we have not lost any either.