Erase bad memories?

Soldiers haunted by scenes of war and victims scarred by violence might wish they could wipe the memories from their minds. Researchers at the <a class="taxInlineTagLink" id="OREDU0000116" title="Johns Hopkins University" href="/topic/education/colleges-universities/johns-hopkins-university-OREDU0000116.topic">Johns Hopkins University</a> say that might someday be possible.<br> <br> A commercial drug remains far off - and its use would be subject to many ethical and practical questions. But scientists have laid a foundation with their discovery that proteins can be removed from the brain's fear center to erase memories forever."When a traumatic event occurs, it creates a fearful memory that can last a lifetime and have a debilitating effect on a person's life," says Richard L. Huganir, professor and chair of neuroscience in the Hopkins School of Medicine. He said his finding on the molecular process "raises the possibility of manipulating those mechanisms with drugs to enhance behavioral therapy for such conditions as <a class="taxInlineTagLink" id="HEBEC000022" title="Post-traumatic Stress Disorder " href="/topic/health/behavioral-conditions/post-traumatic-stress-disorder--HEBEC000022.topic">post-traumatic stress disorder</a>."<br> <br> The research has drawn interest from some involved in mental health care, and some concern.
bal-krt-us-news-sci-prbz20101222091317

( Kenneth K. Lam, Baltimore Sun / November 18, 2010 )

Soldiers haunted by scenes of war and victims scarred by violence might wish they could wipe the memories from their minds. Researchers at the Johns Hopkins University say that might someday be possible.

A commercial drug remains far off - and its use would be subject to many ethical and practical questions. But scientists have laid a foundation with their discovery that proteins can be removed from the brain's fear center to erase memories forever."When a traumatic event occurs, it creates a fearful memory that can last a lifetime and have a debilitating effect on a person's life," says Richard L. Huganir, professor and chair of neuroscience in the Hopkins School of Medicine. He said his finding on the molecular process "raises the possibility of manipulating those mechanisms with drugs to enhance behavioral therapy for such conditions as post-traumatic stress disorder."

The research has drawn interest from some involved in mental health care, and some concern.

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