infantile amnesia

Infantile amnesia, also known as childhood amnesia, is the inability of adults to recall events from their early childhood, typically before the age of three. This phenomenon is thought to be due to the underdeveloped brain systems required for encoding and retrieving specific events in infants.12

While adults cannot consciously recall these early memories, some theories suggest that the brain may still retain information in ways that are not accessible through typical recall. For instance, procedural memory, which relates to skills and habits, can function independently of conscious awareness.1

Other theories propose that developmental changes in memory formation and retrieval after early childhood might prevent access to these early memories. Some researchers also suggest that the infant brain loses memories more rapidly than the developed brain and lacks the ability to generalize to new events. Sigmund Freud proposed that infantile amnesia could be a form of repression, a defense mechanism against unpleasant recollections.1