How does our human brain physically keep and manage images?

The brain is an interesting mix of structure, chemistry, and electrical impulses. In many ways, it’s like a computer, only far more efficient; a whole lot of simple things connected in a complex way. Just as a single transistor cannot compute like a Core i7 CPU, there’s no single component of our brain that stores a whole image. Like a computer file is a bunch of little elements analogous to the arrangement of magnetic fields on a hard drive.

So no, you won’t see pictures floating through the brain, or a single atom holding an entire memory.

Long-term memory is structural in nature, while short-term memory (including sensory signals) is electro-chemical. While those electro-chemical signals can alter your brain’s structure, they don’t always; if they did, you’d remember everything you ever saw, tasted, thought….

It’s also distributed. That’s how people who suffer brain injuries remember basic motor skills and (often) at least some language skills.

Thanks @jerv-!

I’m picturing my grandfather’s house right now. Whether my eyes are open or closed I see it in my “mind’s eye”. Wondering if they have already labeled these chemicals and electrical impulses which connect to form that image. : )

Here is an article on how human memory works.

My memory was damaged, quite a bit. It came back pretty funny. I lost my ability to read and write, but not because I couldn’t remember what letters were needed. My brain forgot how to interpret signals from my eyes. What I saw when I looked at lettering was garbled images, and difficult to describe. It explained for me some artist renderings of what they see.
After a few weeks I began to “see” block letters, recognizing some, and remembering how to put them together in words. I knew that C-A-T spelled cat, but it was a long process for my brain to go through; seeing images, sorting individual letters, comprehending their order, aligning the information with stored information regarding sound possibilities represented, etc. I still suffer some difficulties with reading. I get fruatrated and tired, and don’t last long.
The brain is mighty complex, and much more involved than micro images floating about in a soft, wet filing system.

@Jonesn4burgers That is very interesting. Just curious, did your memory damage affect your ability to remember images, as in the OP, of, say, a house you once lived in, or an event you once witnessed?