Altering or even creating human memory may soon be possible as the scientists are 'closing in' on areas where memory is stored and a technique for controlling these memories.
Neuroscientists at MIT have discovered a chemical way to make mice forget bad memories.
By deactivating a 'memory gene', Npas 4, they found that mice would 'forget' their fear of a chamber where they had previously been given electric shocks.
The researchers believe that the gene could be important for all types of memory.
To look into the genetic mechanisms of memory formation, researchers gave mice a mild electric shock when they entered a specific chamber.
Within minutes, the mice learn to fear the chamber, and the next time they entered it, they froze.
The gene - Npas4 - activates strongly when this happens and when the researchers removed the gene for Npas4, they found that mice could not remember their fearful conditioning.
No comments:
Post a Comment