What causes the 'déjà vu' phenomenon and how does it relate to memory?

You feel like you've seen this moment before, even though it’s actually new, that’s déjà vu!

Imagine your brain is like a toy box full of little blocks. When you see something familiar, your brain grabs the right block and fits it into place, just like when you put together a puzzle. But sometimes, your brain gets confused and picks up the wrong block by mistake. That’s what happens during déjà vu, your brain thinks it's seeing something old, but it's actually brand new.

Your memory is like a storyteller who remembers all the things you've done before. When you see something familiar, the storyteller says, “Oh, I know this one!” But if the storyteller gets mixed up and tells you about an earlier moment instead of the current one, you feel like you’ve already lived through what’s happening right now, that's déjà vu!

Think about when you're playing with your favorite toy. Sometimes it feels like you've played with it a hundred times before, even though this is the first time today. Your brain is just mixing up the stories from different moments, and that's why déjà vu happens! You feel like you've seen this moment before, even though it’s actually new, that’s déjà vu!

Imagine your brain is like a toy box full of little blocks. When you see something familiar, your brain grabs the right block and fits it into place, just like when you put together a puzzle. But sometimes, your brain gets confused and picks up the wrong block by mistake. That’s what happens during déjà vu, your brain thinks it's seeing something old, but it's actually brand new.