Why You Don't Easily Forget How to Ride a Bicycle
Riding a bike is stored as implicit, procedural memory in the cerebellum and basal ganglia — areas more protected from TBI than memory centers responsible for facts and dates.
By Attorney Dan D'Angelo
Trial Lawyer · Brain Injury Advocate · Avid Cyclist
Have you ever wondered what part of the brain is responsible for learning to ride a bicycle and why learning to ride a bicycle is not easily forgotten once learned?
Learning how to ride a bicycle is a long-term memory known as an implicit and procedural memory. Implicit memories are learned through repetition and do not require conscious thought to perform once learned. They are automatic and sometimes referred to as muscle memories, but the encoded information to perform the skill is not stored in the muscles. Motor skills like riding a bicycle have long been known to be stored in the areas of the brain known as the cerebellum and basal ganglia.
Studies suggest that long-term implicit memories like riding a bicycle are more resistant to traumatic brain injury than explicit memories like remembering facts such as names and dates. The reason for this greater resistance is believed to be that the areas of the brain responsible for implicit memories are located deeper within the brain structure and are more protected and less vulnerable to impact forces than the brain areas responsible for explicit memories.
Traumatic brain injuries that involve the cerebellum or basal ganglia may result in symptoms of impaired motor skills that include problems with balance, coordination, and dexterity. Examples may include problems picking up and using a fork while eating, unsteady walking, dizziness, tremors, problems with hand writing or buttoning clothes, and more.
Knowing the different areas of the brain and symptoms of a brain injury is important to presenting strong winning TBI cases.
Have a question about your case?
Attorney Dan D'Angelo offers free consultations for brain injury and cycling accident victims throughout Colorado.
About the Author
Attorney Dan D'Angelo
Trial Lawyer · Brain Injury Advocate · Avid Cyclist
Attorney Dan D'Angelo founded D'Angelo Law Office, P.C. in 2009 and Bike Brain Law to focus exclusively on traumatic brain injury and cycling injury cases in Colorado. An avid cyclist himself, Dan combines deep TBI science knowledge with hands-on cycling experience to build winning cases against insurance companies and corporations that put profits over safety.
- Practicing Colorado personal injury attorney since 2009
- Focused practice in TBI and bicycle injury litigation
- Multi-million dollar settlements and verdicts for injury victims
- Avid road and commuter cyclist
