Harnessing the Power of Memory

"By artificially activating specific neurons connected to a memory, his team was somehow capable of flipping a switch, enabling mice to recall experiences on command. They used a protein that illuminates activated cells to reveal which hippocampus neurons fired when rodents formed various memories-positive, neutral, and negative. When they later targeted those cells with laser light, they found they could trigger those memories, reducing depression-related behaviors in the mice."

"As a seasoned writer and editor with a love of psychology, I try to imagine walking into a library of my own memories and being able to edit them like chapters in a book. OK-perhaps my senior brain is doing that for me with no effort anyway. But what if I could dim the painful memories and brighten the joyful ones? Oh-and how cool would it be to create a few entirely new ones from scratch?"

A neuroscience lab demonstrated that specific hippocampal neurons linked to particular experiences can be identified and selectively reactivated. Researchers used a protein that marks activated cells to reveal which neurons fired during positive, neutral, and negative memories, then targeted those cells with laser light to trigger recalls on command. Artificial activation of those ensembles enabled mice to recall experiences and reduced depression-related behaviors. The findings suggest memories are more malleable than previously assumed and raise possibilities of dimming painful memories, enhancing joyful ones, or creating synthetic memories. Popular culture comparisons underscore potential identity and ethical questions.

Read at Psychology Today