Mind Boggling | 60 Minutes
328Depending on your memory, you may or may not recall a story 60 Minutes made five years ago about a small group of extraordinary people who can remember every detail of their lives, stretching back decades. They can remember where they were and what they did on any particular day in any particular year. Scientists are intrigued by this rare ability and hope a better understanding of it might one day lead to cures for sufferers of dementia and Alzheimer’s Disease. Since the original story went to air, the number of people diagnosed with Highly Superior Autobiographical Memory has grown from 10 to 60 – and now includes the first Australian. Twenty-six-year-old Becky Sharrock’s mind retains so much detailed information it almost defies belief; she can even recite every word of every Harry Potter book. But while the idea of a super memory might sound appealing, it can also be a curse.