Erasing memories

[JTsyo]

Long article but interesting

main point:

He taught several dozen rats to associate a loud noise with a mild but painful electric shock. It terrified them—whenever the sound played, the rats froze in fear, anticipating the shock. After reinforcing this memory for several weeks, Nader hit the rats with the noise once again, but this time he then injected their brains with a chemical that inhibited protein synthesis. Then he played the sound again. “I couldn’t believe what happened,” Nader says. “The fear memory was gone. The rats had forgotten everything.” The absence of fear persisted even after the injection wore off.

Cliffs:

-every time you recall a memory, you rewrite it. That's why the past seems great. Every time you remembered it, you changed it a bit and it's no longer truly accurate.

-A protein is needed to write back in to memory. Block that protein and prevent the memory from being remembered.

-Actual memory and the emotions attached to it are stored separate. It's is possible to erase just to emotional aspect to help treat PTSD.

 

[Atomic Playboy]

So you're saying that Total Recall was a documentary?

 

[AFurryReptile]

Science is awesome.

 

[Ns1]

Science is awesome.

+1, wow

 

[SKORPI0]

:biggrin:

 

[Matthiasa]

Ah so soon criminals/governments will be able to clear the minds of their victims.

 

[MichaelD]

Ah so soon criminals/governments will be able to clear the minds of their victims.

Ala the "flashing pen" from M.I.B.? :awe: Wow, I'll finally be able to stop carrying Roofies to every nightclub I go to! Awesome sauce!

 

[vi edit]

Ah so soon criminals/governments will be able to clear the minds of their victims.

And on the flip side it could maybe be used to wipe the memories of people with severe trauma (rape, whitness to a murder, ect) and make their lives more enjoyable.

 

[MichaelD]

And on the flip side it could maybe be used to wipe the memories of people with severe trauma (rape, whitness to a murder, ect) and make their lives more enjoyable.

Until the inevitable flashbacks from some subtle trigger occur and then the person is up on the roof with the hunting rifle...

 

[child of wonder]

Long article but interesting

main point:


Cliffs:

-every time you recall a memory, you rewrite it. That's why the past seems great. Every time you remembered it, you changed it a bit and it's no longer truly accurate.

-A protein is needed to write back in to memory. Block that protein and prevent the memory from being remembered.

-Actual memory and the emotions attached to it are stored separate. It's is possible to erase just to emotional aspect to help treat PTSD.

Memories are only valid if Stayfr0sty allows them to exist. He has an uncle that can erase memories.

Not saying he will erase your memories, just saying. You know.

 

[Texashiker]

Sounds like a new date rape drug

 

[lxskllr]

Sounds like a new date rape drug

As long as you rape rats :^D

 

[amdhunter]

Sounds like a new date rape drug

:hmm:

 

[SandEagle]

time to destroy my amygdalae
http://mblogs.discovermagazine.com/notrocketscience/2010/12/16/meet-the-woman-without-fear/

 

[JTsyo]

Until the inevitable flashbacks from some subtle trigger occur and then the person is up on the roof with the hunting rifle...

That's the thing though, with this you're not repressing the memory with a chance of it coming back. You are erasing it.

Trouble with the procedure though is that it stops you from remembering what ever you are thinking of while it's active. So you go in to get a trauma wiped but for some reason think of something else too, that'll be wiped. When you're done you won't even realize that you've forgotten something you didn't want to.