Title: Blockchain and human episodic memory,
Abstract: We relate the concepts used in decentralized ledger technology to studies of
episodic memory in the mammalian brain. Specifically, we introduce the standard
concepts of linked list, hash functions, and sharding, from computer science.
We argue that these concepts may be more relevant to studies of the neural
mechanisms of memory than has been previously appreciated. In turn, we also
highlight that certain phenomena studied in the brain, namely metacognition,
reality monitoring, and how perceptual conscious experiences come about, may
inspire development in blockchain technology too, specifically regarding
probabilistic consensus protocols.