Total recall : Scientists Erase Memories in Rat Brains

[tocqueville]

Charles Q. Choi
Special to LiveScience
LiveScience.com
1 hour, 12 minutes ago

Scientists have for the first time erased long-term memories in rats and also directly seen how the brain is changed by learning.

The research points to potential human benefits.

These findings could prove key "to understanding how memories can be augmented, for example in diseases that affect memory, like Alzheimer's," said neuroscientist Mark Bear at the Picower Institute for Learning and Memory at MIT.

The research could also help treat pain that does not go away, "like neuropathic pain, where people have a moderately severe injury, typically to the hands or feet, and instead of going away in a couple of hours just perpetuates," neurologist and molecular biologist Todd Sacktor at the State University of New York Downstate Medical Center in Brooklyn said in a phone interview.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/space/20060825/sc_space/scientistserasememoriesinratbrains

[zbdent]

1. On an unrelated note

GOP sees hope of retaining power in November 2006 ...

[Ezlivin]

2. Hell, I erase my own short-term memory every night

Thoughts on a Brain.

[Ravenseye]

3. Well getting rid of perpetual pain would be nice

I have two of those. My brain apparently likes to torture me. I got a severe burn on 90% of my chest and abdomen when I was 4. I can still feel exactly where the burn was and am sensitive, even though it's totally healed. In addition I had severe knee injuries (THANKS FOOTBALL!) and every step I take is like having a serrated dagger twisting in my knee...I've learned to basically just ignore the pain and while I know it's there, I don't let it affect me generally...Still it's there and it's annoying more than anything at this point. I'd love to get rid of it.

Also, my grandmother died of Alzheimers, so I'm a candidate for that as well. No idea whether I'll get it or not (I should go get one of those tests) but it'd be nice if they come up with a treatment for that as well.

In an opposite direction though, how fucking scary is it that they might soon have the ability to just ZAP someone and clear their memories. Talk about having a total memory lobotomy. It could be usefull for people with severe mental disorders, but you KNOW it will one day be used on someone, by someone else, with malice. Very scary. Like out of science fiction.

[unpossibles]

4. Eternal Sunshine of the ... uh... something or other

what were we talking about?

All Hail Glorious Leader! (hehe)

[GeorgeGist]

5. Just a thought...

What if the rats still had the memory but it's connection to action was broken? The rats might come to a quite different conclusion.

[Xipe Totec]

6. Wow, déjà vu

Wasn't this reported last year?

:popcorn:

[tocqueville]

7. you should stop taking that ZIP stuff n/t

[Xipe Totec]

9. I want to stop, but I keep forgeting... n/t

[soothsayer]

8. Wasn't rummy looking for a way to erase soldiers' memories

(to avoid PTSD, and I reckon so you could get them to do really horrible or illegal things)

[Porcupine]

10. This would be the preffered treatment for criminals.

Kill somebody? Rape somebody? We can just erase all your memories. Hey no problemo if the justice system is a little sloppy about finding out if it was really you who was guilty; you're not dead are you? Now go play in the playground.

[Nikia]

11. Someone I know had this problem after electro shock therapy

She is not happy that she lost many of her memories and became more depressed for some time because of it.
Despite having painful memories that do continue to affect me, I think that it would be troubling to me also to have lost most of my long term memories.

[Tesha]

12. We just have this simple eye test for you...