Brain Researchers Open Door to Editing Memory


	Brain Researchers Open Door to Editing Memory

Silkweaver

4-11-2009 9:16 AM

926 views

tags:

ethics, memory, neuroscience

Silkweaver says:

Nothing is going to have a greater impact on the fabric of society and our understanding of human identity more than a reliable tool of editing, erasing and amplifying memories. If not the first, this is one of the holy grails of brain research nd technology. The ethical and other philosophical implications are profound.

3 Comments |

Add a Comment

4-12-2009 12:10 AM

onlinedesign

WoW!

4-12-2009 10:03 AM

syncopath

WoW again ! these news may allow us, as the proverb says, not only 2 remember what 2 remember, but, also 2 remember what 2 forget.

4-14-2009 4:51 PM

chiggles

can't wait until that's put into water just like flouride. huzzah, huzzah.

Login to Comment. Not a member yet? Sign up

Today's Top Clips

visit the Top Clips page

View the Top Clips from April 11, 2009

Embed This Clip In Your Site...

<div style="margin: 12px 0px; font-family: arial; color: #333333; background: #ffffff; border: solid 4px #e5e5e5; width: 100%; clear: left;"><div class="CM_CTB_Content_Wrap" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;background-color: #ffffff;"><div style="border-bottom: solid 1px #dcdcdc; white-space: nowrap; margin-bottom: 8px; background-color: #eeeeee ;background-image: url(http://clipmarks.com/images/source-bg.gif); background-repeat: repeat-x; height: 24px; line-height: 24px; vertical-align: middle; padding-bottom: 4px; color: #666666; font-size: 10px;" ><a href="http://clipmarks.com/clip-to-blog/" title="see clips that are hot right now"><img src="http://content.clipmarks.com/blog_embed/a7c85bfe-fdf9-4f19-b8da-294a48455a72/4440A246-1EF4-403D-82DD-05A3A76E8EFC/" alt="" width="19" height="19" border="0" style="vertical-align: middle; margin: 0px 4px; display: inline; border: none; float:none;" /></a>clipped from <a title="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/06/health/research/06brain.html?pagewanted=1&_r=1&partner=rss&emc=rss#" href="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/06/health/research/06brain.html?pagewanted=1&_r=1&partner=rss&emc=rss#" style="font-size: 11px;">www.nytimes.com</a></div><blockquote style="text-align: left; padding: 0px 8px; margin: 4px 0px 8px 0px; background: transparent; border: none;" cite="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/06/health/research/06brain.html?pagewanted=1&_r=1&partner=rss&emc=rss#"><div align="center"><img src="http://content6.clipmarks.com/blog_cache/www.nytimes.com/img/9CD3AA87-8884-4DF7-857D-BC6536DF41FF" alt="" /></div></blockquote><div style="height: 2px; font-size: 2px; background: #dcdcdc; border-bottom: solid 1px #f5f5f5; margin: 2px 4px;"></div><blockquote style="text-align: left; padding: 0px 8px; margin: 4px 0px 8px 0px; background: transparent; border: none;" cite="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/06/health/research/06brain.html?pagewanted=1&_r=1&partner=rss&emc=rss#"><P>Suppose scientists could erase certain memories by tinkering with a single substance in the brain. Could make you forget a chronic fear, a traumatic loss, even a bad habit. </P></blockquote><div style="height: 2px; font-size: 2px; background: #dcdcdc; border-bottom: solid 1px #f5f5f5; margin: 2px 4px;"></div><blockquote style="text-align: left; padding: 0px 8px; margin: 4px 0px 8px 0px; background: transparent; border: none;" cite="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/06/health/research/06brain.html?pagewanted=1&_r=1&partner=rss&emc=rss#"><P>Researchers in Brooklyn have recently accomplished comparable feats, with a single dose of an experimental drug delivered to areas of the brain critical for holding specific types of <A title="In-depth reference and news articles about Mental status tests." href="http://health.nytimes.com/health/guides/test/mental-status-tests/overview.html?inline=nyt-classifier" linkindex="50">memory</A>, like emotional associations, spatial knowledge or motor skills. </P></blockquote><div style="height: 2px; font-size: 2px; background: #dcdcdc; border-bottom: solid 1px #f5f5f5; margin: 2px 4px;"></div><blockquote style="text-align: left; padding: 0px 8px; margin: 4px 0px 8px 0px; background: transparent; border: none;" cite="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/06/health/research/06brain.html?pagewanted=1&_r=1&partner=rss&emc=rss#">The drug blocks the activity of a substance that the brain apparently needs to retain much of its learned information.</blockquote><div style="height: 2px; font-size: 2px; background: #dcdcdc; border-bottom: solid 1px #f5f5f5; margin: 2px 4px;"></div><blockquote style="text-align: left; padding: 0px 8px; margin: 4px 0px 8px 0px; background: transparent; border: none;" cite="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/06/health/research/06brain.html?pagewanted=1&_r=1&partner=rss&emc=rss#"><div align="center"><img src="http://content7.clipmarks.com/blog_cache/www.nytimes.com/img/D376EFEF-4D24-4905-8A44-0E28D16317E7" alt="Focusing on a Memory Molecule" /></div></blockquote><div style="height: 2px; font-size: 2px; background: #dcdcdc; border-bottom: solid 1px #f5f5f5; margin: 2px 4px;"></div><blockquote style="text-align: left; padding: 0px 8px; margin: 4px 0px 8px 0px; background: transparent; border: none;" cite="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/06/health/research/06brain.html?pagewanted=1&_r=1&partner=rss&emc=rss#"><P>The brain appears to retain a memory by growing thicker, or more efficient, communication lines between these cells. </P><P>The billion-dollar question is how?</P></blockquote><div style="border-bottom: solid 1px #dcdcdc; white-space: nowrap; margin-bottom: 8px; background-color: #eeeeee ;background-image: url(http://clipmarks.com/images/source-bg.gif); background-repeat: repeat-x; height: 24px; line-height: 24px; vertical-align: middle; padding-bottom: 4px; color: #666666; font-size: 10px;" ><a href="http://clipmarks.com/clip-to-blog/" title="see clips that are hot right now"><img src="http://content8.clipmarks.com/images/clip-icon.gif" alt="" width="19" height="19" border="0" style="vertical-align: middle; margin: 0px 4px; display: inline; border: none; float:none;" /></a>clipped from <a title="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/06/health/research/06brain.html?pagewanted=2&_r=1&partner=rss&emc=rss#" href="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/06/health/research/06brain.html?pagewanted=2&_r=1&partner=rss&emc=rss#" style="font-size: 11px;">www.nytimes.com</a></div><blockquote style="text-align: left; padding: 0px 8px; margin: 4px 0px 8px 0px; background: transparent; border: none;" cite="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/06/health/research/06brain.html?pagewanted=2&_r=1&partner=rss&emc=rss#">“This possibility of memory editing has enormous possibilities and raises huge ethical issues,” </blockquote><div style="height: 2px; font-size: 2px; background: #dcdcdc; border-bottom: solid 1px #f5f5f5; margin: 2px 4px;"></div><blockquote style="text-align: left; padding: 0px 8px; margin: 4px 0px 8px 0px; background: transparent; border: none;" cite="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/06/health/research/06brain.html?pagewanted=2&_r=1&partner=rss&emc=rss#">Yet as scientists begin to climb out of the dark foothills and into the dim light, they are now poised to alter the understanding of human nature in ways artists and writers have not. </blockquote></div><div style="margin: 0px 6px 6px 4px;"><table style="font-size: 11px;border-spacing: 0px;padding: 0px;" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%"><tr><td style="background:transparent;border-width:0px;padding:0px;">&nbsp;</td><td align="right" style="background:transparent;border-width:0px;padding:0px;width:107px" width="107"><a href="http://clipmarks.com/share/4440A246-1EF4-403D-82DD-05A3A76E8EFC/blog/" title="blog or email this clip"><img src="http://content9.clipmarks.com/images/c2b-foot.png" border="0" alt="blog it" width="107" height="17" style="border-width:0px;padding:0px;margin:0px;" /></a></td></tr></table></div></div>

New from the makers of Clipmarks: Amplify.com - Don't just share the news...Amplify it!

Clipmarks: Home; New Clips; Top Clips; Dashboard

Popular Topics: News; Life; Science; Technology; Entertainment

Get Started: Sign Up; Install Clipping Tool; How Clipping Works; Clip-to-Blog™; ClipSearch

Tools and Resources: FAQ; ClipWeek; Top Clippers; Top Tags; Site Map

About Clipmarks: About Us; Contact; Copyright; Privacy; EULA

Search Options

Today's Top Clips