Leanne Walker lost all her memory at the age of 21 due to Encephalitis, a virus which can inflame the lining of the brain. Now two years later, through hard work and determination, she has just got a 2.1 degree from the University of Lancaster. After losing her memory she worked with cognitive psychologist Dr Peter Walker to help build a new set of memories. The full story from the Indepentdent can be found here.
This remarkable tale demonstrates an important aspect of the brain. That a good or bad memory is not something innate but the remembering things is a skill that learnt. Dyslexics have problems remembering things because they are overwhelmed by to many confusing signals. Use of memory techniques such as Tony Buzan’s Mind Mapping may help.