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Scientists Erase Specific Memories In Mice

Posted October 23, 2008 9:06 AM

From Slashdot:

It sounds like science fiction, but scientists say it might one day be possible to erase undesirable memories from the brain, selectively and safely. After exposing mice to emotionally powerful stimuli, such as a mild shock to their paws, the scientists then observed how well or poorly the animals subsequently recalled the particular trauma as their brain's expression of CaMKII was manipulated up and down. When the brain was made to overproduce CaMKII at the exact moment the mouse was prodded to retrieve the traumatic memory, the memory wasn't just blocked, it appeared to be fully erased.

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Guru
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#1

Re: Scientists Erase Specific Memories In Mice

10/24/2008 8:35 AM

This has potential applications, but most of the ones I can think of are either sinister or trivial. Erasing a memory when it would have formed? What about doing so years later? Oh, right, we've the KrisDel™ Time Machine...

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#2

Re: Scientists Erase Specific Memories In Mice

10/24/2008 10:17 AM

o.k. thanks for the info about the mice and for the slashdot? the idea will be of great value but beyond the first post about it being a ready available method of great value to some dictator or sinister activity's coordination and activation there is not much i observe in the additional info postings. at risk of once more being reffered to as a idiot with what i post it is to me absolutely inconcievable that few if any of the posts on that reffered to pages are anything remotely resembling intelligent or informative comment on what could be a dual edged sword in development the human minds development process's as well as the procedures long and short term efffects. most of the comments read more like a REALLY BAD mel brooks script. they make a monty python skit seem totally logical.

funny how history repeats itself, the same ideas along the lines of mind and memory control were i believe a quest to achieve at any cost of ancient philospohers sages priestesses and tyrants.

'da ber

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Guru
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#3

Re: Scientists Erase Specific Memories In Mice

10/25/2008 3:35 AM

Haven't you lot ever watched the hitchhiker's guide to the galaxy? The mice want you to think that we rule them, but in actual fact they are using us for their experiments. All explained in the film (not trying to advertise it at all)

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#4

Re: Scientists Erase Specific Memories In Mice

11/07/2008 9:54 PM

Sadly the Alzheimer's Syndrome does exactly that in people.

Watch out for The Smiths (The Matrix).

Kind Regards....

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#5
In reply to #4

Re: Scientists Erase Specific Memories In Mice

11/10/2008 7:25 AM

And of course, the MIB (Men In Black)!

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