Anyone for Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind ?
The brain acts as a computer to both store information and process that information. In a computer, separate devices perform these roles; while a hard disk stores information, the central processing unit (CPU) does the processing. But the brain is thought to perform both these functions in the same cells – neurons – leading researchers to ask if distinct molecules within the brain cells serve these different functions.
In a discovery that may one day lead to the ability to erase debilitating painful memories and addictions from the brain, researchers at SUNY Downstate Medical Center have found that a molecule known to preserve memories – PKMzeta – specifically stores complex, high-quality memories that provide detailed information about an animal’s location, fears, and actions, but does not control the ability to process or express this information. This finding suggests that PKMzeta erasure that is designed to target specific debilitating memories could be effective against the offending memory while sparing the computational function of brain.
I imagine this’ll really help folks with PTSD if they can ever do it.
What a cool little find. Thanks for posting that.
I will fight you for Kirsten Dunst. Unless you can offer me Jeri Ryan.
what about creating memories? Can I remember having Kirsten Dunst dozens of times?
Declan
December 25, 2008, 8:04am
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While they are talking about eventually erasing specific bad memories , I wonder if this could lead to the fictional death of personality that babylon 5 portrayed.
Declan
Researchers at the SUNY Downstate Medical Center discovered it?