One step closer to the spotless mind

[furie]

LONDON, Feb 15 (Reuters) - A widely available blood pressure pill could one day help people erase bad memories, perhaps treating some anxiety disorders and phobias, according to a Dutch study published on Sunday.

The generic beta-blocker propranolol significantly weakened people's fearful memories of spiders among a group of healthy volunteers who took it, said Merel Kindt, a psychologist at the University of Amsterdam, who led the study.

"We could show that the fear response went away, which suggests the memory was weakened," Kindt said in a telephone interview.

The findings published in the journal Nature Neuroscience are important because the drug may offer another way to help people suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder and other problems related to bad memories.

more... (http://www.zimbio.com/Reuters+Health/articles/478/Study+takes+step+toward+erasing+bad+memories)



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[ChrisTheCop]

when does Kirsten Dunst start jumping on my bed?

[calmtempest]

Interesting article, thanks for sharing. This article leaves me with a lot of questions - does the pill actually weaken the memory, or does it possibly weaken the connection between the memory and the fear?

Can you imagine what it would be like, to have memories without any emotional content attached? The idea creeps me out.

[boosterp]

I take an anti-hypertensive for bad dreams related to PTSD. Sometimes it works and sometimes it does not. I am not completely certain of the mechanism of action but thankful that I am able to take something that reduces the horrid dreams I have. I welcome research like this because it can help myself and my fellow veterans, plus those that suffer traumatic events like a rape.

[skyscraper]

it's not altogether a good idea; as painful as many memories are, we learn things from the experience of them. if we lose the memory, we lose the lessons learned.
to say nothing of the legal ramifications:
let's say you were raped by your stepfather, and years later he was arrested and brought to trial. how are you going to be able to testify against that asshole if you have no memory of what he did?

[RoseBlood]

Not completely sure how I feel about this.

Is this the answer for PTSD victims or could good intentions in the scientific world backfire on humanity?

It's not available yet but drug metyrapone to erase bad memories (http://psychcentral.com/news/2011/05/27/drug-metyrapone-to-erase-bad-memories/26532.html)

[foodcourtdruide]

Sign me up!

[Furtherman]

Not completely sure how I feel about this.

Is this the answer for PTSD victims or could good intentions in the scientific world backfire on humanity?

It's not available yet but drug metyrapone to erase bad memories (http://psychcentral.com/news/2011/05/27/drug-metyrapone-to-erase-bad-memories/26532.html)

It might be good for PTSD.

It shouldn't be good if you say something stupid and wish to forget it, then you'd never learn. Hmmm... I'll need a whole jar of those.

[cougarjake13]

Interesting article, thanks for sharing. This article leaves me with a lot of questions - does the pill actually weaken the memory, or does it possibly weaken the connection between the memory and the fear?

Can you imagine what it would be like, to have memories without any emotional content attached? The idea creeps me out.

that would freak me the fuck out

id be wondering who the fucks memories am i remembering and am i who i think i am ?