Traumatic memories 'could soon be erased from your mind'



Scientists say they are able to erase painful memories, paving the way for new treatments of debilitating phobias and stress disorders.

Neurobiologists from the Georgia College of Medicine found they could selectively eliminate memories in mice, without damaging their brains in the process.



Like in the film Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, scientists could soon be able to wipe unwanted memories from our minds

The technique targets a protein that is crucial in the formation of memories. Making the mice over-produce this 'memory molecule', while recalling a disturbing event caused the memory to be eliminated.

It has parallels with the popular film Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, where characters played by Kate Winslet and Jim Carrey decided to wipe their memories of eachother after a painful breakup.

However, the researchers said wiping should only be used for traumatic memories.



'While memories are great teachers and obviously crucial for survival and adaptation, selectively removing incapacitating memories, such as traumatic war memories or an unwanted fear, could help many people live better lives,' leader researcher Dr Joe Tsien said in the journal Neuron.



U.S researchers say the technique could be useful treating incapacitating memories, such as war trauma

The researchers placed mice in a chamber and played a sound, then mildly shocked the mice’s feet.



The mice learned to associate both the chamber and the sound with a shock and would freeze in anticipation of getting shocked when they entered the chamber or heard the sound.



Firstly a mouse given increased amount of the protein alpha-CaMKII after being placed in the chamber without the sound. It only forgot the chamber and froze next time the sound was played.

Then a mouse was given the protein in the chamber with the sound it associated with being shocked. Later when placed in the same conditions it didn't freeze. This suggests memory erasure was limited to that being recalled at the time.



Despite the exciting breakthrough, Dr Tsien warned it could be years before they honed the technique for humans who have far more complicated brains.



'No one should expect to have a pill do the same in humans any time soon, we are barely at the foot of a very tall mountain.'