Scientist aims to steal and implant memories to help depressed people remember and forget

A scientist is aiming to wipe out selected memories and replace them with new false ones to treat people experiencing post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression. The new approach would help experts boost positive emotions by implanting good events in patients' brain cells and shutting down bad memories.

The neuroscientist, Steve Ramirez of the National Geographic and a recent MIT PhD, has conducted a test on mice which were given amnesia; false memories were also implanted on their brains for his study. The scientist aims to understand how to regulate the good and bad memories in the brain to help patients remember and forget.

Ramirez uses the approach called optogenetics. It allows experts to dig individual brain cells that carry particular memories in the mouse's brain.

Brain cells can be genetically engineered to respond to light. Light can reactivate a set of brain cells holding on to a memory, which could then reactivate recollection.

“Imagine we could dial up the emotional oomph associated with a positive memory or dial down the emotional oomph associated with a traumatic memory. Ideally, you can rewrite the contents of the memory in a more therapeutic manner,” Ramirez told the National Geographic.

The use of optogenetics in mice would help the team map out how memories are realised in the brain. It will also help them determine the changes in memories and their reliability. Ramirez said it would allow them to see what would happen if the brain is manipulated in various contexts.

“You close your eyes, you can think back to your memory of your first kiss, the time you got to college, your last break-up. And you don’t break a sweat. I’m enamoured of the idea of reverse engineering this mental time machine,” he stated.

However, the team is still unable to test the treatment in people and will continue to explore mouse brains. Meanwhile, a separate team working at the same laboratory with Ramirez has successfully redeemed a memory in animals with Alzheimer’s by using the similar approach of optogenetics.

In future studies in humans, Ramirez aims to conduct trials on war veterans with PTSD or patients suffering from depression.

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