Los Angeles, CA
A 36-year-old female asked:
The sherlock holmes movie character has a photographic memory. do some people really have this, and how common is this trait?
2 doctor answers • 8 doctors weighed in

Dr. David Milleranswered
Family Medicine 11 years experience
Eidetic memory: There is currently a lot of controversy as to whether photographic memory (technically called "eidetic memory") actually exists. Here's an interesting website on this fascinating topic:
http://www.Eideticmemory.Org/.
6.2k viewsReviewed >2 years ago

Dr. Paul Schwartzanswered
Psychiatry 39 years experience
Real, but uncommon: Photographic, or eidetic memory--the ability to recall things in abundance and in great detail, is a real phenomenon, and may be associated with larger than normal caudate nuclei in the basal ganglia of the brain. It is very uncommon.
6k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
Last updated May 17, 2016
People also asked
Connect with a U.S. board-certified doctor by text or video anytime, anywhere.
24/7 visits - just $39!
50% off with $15/month membership
Disclaimer:
Content on HealthTap (including answers) should not be used for medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment, and interactions on HealthTap do not create a doctor-patient relationship. Never disregard or delay professional medical advice in person because of anything on HealthTap. Call your doctor or 911 if you think you may have a medical emergency.