The Power to Erase Memories: Advancing Mental Health Care

The concept of erasing specific memories has often been explored in sci-fi movies, but what if it could become a reality? Recent breakthroughs in research from Japan indicate that this might not be just a fantasy. These advancements offer promising insights into how we could effectively tackle mental health issues and phobias, suggesting a hopeful future for those in need of such interventions.

At Kyoto University, researchers led by Akihiro Goto and Yasunori Hayashi have produced a technique that utilizes optogenetics to interrupt long-term potentiation (LTP) within specific parts of the mice's brains. Optogenetics is a light-based genetic manipulation, while LTP is an essential mechanism for forming long-term memories. Injecting a virus that produces a light-sensitive fusion protein at a certain time with the right exposure can lead to deactivating the proper protein. This process prevents saving long-term memories at that specific moment, resulting in the mice forgetting a learned task. The research portrays that if memory consolidation is interrupted during critical windows, these memories can be selectively deleted. 

At Tohoku University, scientists have discovered how astrocytes, star-shaped supporting cells, can influence whether specific memories are long-term. They used the same method of optogenetics and selectively acidified astrocytes in mice after an electric shock. Initially, the mice recalled the shock but forgot the whole memory the next day. This research proves that astrocytes play a part in determining which memories are permanent. 

While both studies demonstrate how we can selectively erase memories, its true significance lies in treating disorders. For post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), preventing the permanence of traumatic memories could lead to better mental health outcomes. Phobias and anxieties could be treated by selectively erasing harmful memories. The information about specific memory formations and how they can be interrupted can lead to further therapies for memory disorders such as Alzheimer's or amnesia. This new form of laser-light manipulation into specific parts of the brain implies more advancements in mental health and memory disorders. With further research on humans, this research could be used to relieve the burden of traumatic memories. 

Thank you for reading, 

Siri Nikku

Source: https://techiepotato.com/scientists-in-japan-can-now-erase-your-memories/