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3/28/07
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Colin_ORegan

Colin_ORegan

Brooklyn, NY
May 2006

MAR 26, 2007 11:13 AM





Life imitates art. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind is attempting to find a way to exist in real life. Scientists at New York University have discovered how to erase single memories without harming the subject's other memories or natural thought processes.

Researchers at New York University's LeDoux Laboratory have successfully deleted a single, targeted fear memory using drug therapy in rats. Their results, published in Nature Neuroscience, show that the removal of one memory from a rat's brain did not affect other memories there, and that the overall memory system was unharmed.

The scientists had trained the rats to fear two musical notes by following these musical tones with an electric shock. They split the rats into a control group and test group. They then began administering the drug UO126 to the experimental group. Once the experimental group had time enough to incorporate the drug's effects into their system they were then subjected to the each of the two music tones. The control group was frightened by both tones, but the test group did not recognize one of the tones as being associated with an electric shock. Neurophysiologists are excited about the ramifications this might have on the psychiatry world.

The possibility of picking a particular memory to erase holds tremendous potential in treating people who suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety disorders and other fear-related mental illnesses.



Someone with a phobia of snakes or heights or flying could potentially receive treatment that would erase the phobia by bringing it up under the influence of a certain drug. People with post-traumatic stress disorder, whose lives are severely impacted a terrifying memory, could be cured by removing that memory from their brain.

The scientists were able to target the single memory using UO126 as the second of the two tones still inspired fear in the test group.



Sadly, this means that Mark Ruffalo and Kirsten Dunst won't be getting wasted in our room with their lap top whenever we break up. We just pop another pill.



Boring.

Cherry

Cherry

SUICIDEGIRL

British Columbia, Canada

MAR 26, 2007 05:08 PM

I can't wait.

Cassiel

Cassiel

Aurora, CO
September 2004

MAR 26, 2007 05:10 PM

...and all the hipsters rejoice

overrated film.

armyofrobots

armyofrobots

Orlando, FL
October 2004

MAR 26, 2007 05:13 PM

Cassiel said:
...and all the hipsters rejoice

overrated film.



whatever

trout78

trout78

North Las Vegas, NV
March 2006

MAR 26, 2007 05:26 PM

what about the crimanal element?
imagine a serial killer who could simply "erase" the memory of his/hers victims.
would kind of be hard to catch that one...

geo35

geo35

Minneapolis, MN
January 2003

MAR 26, 2007 05:28 PM

There was this one night in Hays, Kansas with this rodeo cowgirl and a fifth of Jack Daniels that I'd like to forget...

_DictionaryGirl_

_DictionaryGirl_

NEWSWIRE

San Diego, CA

MAR 26, 2007 05:34 PM

trout78 said:
what about the crimanal element?
imagine a serial killer who could simply "erase" the memory of his/hers victims.
would kind of be hard to catch that one...



Wellllll, serial killers kind of erase more than one single memory. confused

_DictionaryGirl_

_DictionaryGirl_

NEWSWIRE

San Diego, CA

MAR 26, 2007 05:34 PM

That said! This is kind of terrifying. What's up with science today, man? surreal

Cherry

Cherry

SUICIDEGIRL

British Columbia, Canada

MAR 26, 2007 05:35 PM

trout78 said:
what about the crimanal element?
imagine a serial killer who could simply "erase" the memory of his/hers victims.
would kind of be hard to catch that one...



He wouldn't need to, because, erm... they'd be dead if he was a serial killer.


Now, rapists, that's who might take advantage.

Edit - hah DictionaryGirl beat me to it.

Pilkington

Pilkington

USA
October 2005

MAR 26, 2007 05:41 PM

"You could rape someone for years with out them knowing!" says the George Walker Bush avatar.

andtherobots

andtherobots

San Francisco, CA
August 2004

MAR 26, 2007 06:09 PM

Cassiel said:
...and all the hipsters rejoice

overrated film.



didn't you forget to put that in a spoiler warning?

Pumpkin

Pumpkin

SUICIDEGIRL

Quebec, Canada

MAR 26, 2007 06:17 PM

Wow. What's next? Maybe we'll be able to implant some extra memory then.

I'd like a Spanish chip, please? Oh, 2 for 1? Ok, I'll also take a Japanese one, while we're at it.

ThisIsWhoWeAre

ThisIsWhoWeAre

Oakland, CA
July 2004

MAR 26, 2007 06:20 PM

Pumpkin said:
Wow. What's next? Maybe we'll be able to implant some extra memory then.

I'd like a Spanish chip, please? Oh, 2 for 1? Ok, I'll also take a Japanese one, while we're at it.



I know Kung-Fu.

ObservingOne

ObservingOne

Monroe, LA
April 2006

MAR 26, 2007 06:31 PM

Pumpkin said:
Wow. What's next? Maybe we'll be able to implant some extra memory then.

I'd like a Spanish chip, please? Oh, 2 for 1? Ok, I'll also take a Japanese one, while we're at it.



Instant MD. Or Architect or Lawyer, etc.

camalot

camalot

Kitchener, ON
April 2006

MAR 26, 2007 06:43 PM

Just because we can, doesn't mean we should.

AriadneLeFay

AriadneLeFay

Blacksburg, VA
March 2007

MAR 26, 2007 07:18 PM

Very interesting.

But as with everything, I am skeptical.

Ziltoid

Ziltoid

Australia
April 2006

MAR 26, 2007 07:54 PM

Meet me in Montauk? shocked

StarBelliedBoy

StarBelliedBoy

Philadelphia, PA
December 2003

MAR 26, 2007 08:00 PM

Ok now... Logically, how could you forget somebody if they were enough of a part of your life that you'd want to? I mean, the memories make so many associations in your brain that it seems like almost everything is connected to them.

And wouldn't you want to know why there is a large block of your life just totally missing? Wouldn't that creep you out to the point that you'd need to find out?

SlackerInChief

SlackerInChief

Sanford, FL
March 2005

MAR 26, 2007 08:10 PM

This is dangerous, I was always more on the red pill side of this arguement. I mean yes it could definitly be useful to alot of people but I don't trust this technology. Just who can get there hands on this pill? How is it going to become available? This seems like it could be very vital in setting up another system of absolute control over a population in repressive societies.... eeek

5371W

5371W

Elizabethtown, KY
May 2005

MAR 26, 2007 10:41 PM

SlackerInChief said:
Just who can get there hands on this pill? How is it going to become available? This seems like it could be very vital in setting up another system of absolute control over a population in repressive societies.... eeek



I bet the they're going to put it in the water. Year Zero here we come. wink

SenorRandom

SenorRandom

Parry Sound, ON
October 2005

MAR 26, 2007 11:02 PM

The real question is: Do I be a dick and link my ex-girlfriend who was obsessed with "Eternal Sunshine" to this and tell her to do what she's always wanted?


brandxofttl

brandxofttl

Scranton, PA
March 2007

MAR 27, 2007 12:12 AM

Cassiel said:
...and all the hipsters rejoice

overrated film.



Because there's always gotta be that one person every thread who hates whatever is being referenced...they're just a different kind of hipster.

But to get on the actual topic, the original ending to the movie shows Clementine as an old woman who has abused the treatment so badly that her mind is almost completely gone. If this kind of drug were eventually developed for the everyday consumer, it'd only be a matter of time before people would use it for everything from bad childhoods to bad relationships, no matter how serious or minute the offending memory is. Therepists eagerly hand out pills to fuck with your head now - imagine what they'll be doing in a few years if this takes off. Good or bad, our experiences help make us who we are. Post-tramatic stress is one thing, but if a drug can make some drug company pretty damn wealthy, don't think they won't market it for other uses.

But I'm just thinking ahead...If it's still in the rat-torturing stages, it should be at least a few more years before we get an update.

Alecks

Alecks

Visalia, CA
October 2004

MAR 27, 2007 12:45 AM

i wonder if erasing all traumatic memories would make you super sheltered

=-> Alecks

adjunct

adjunct

Philadelphia, PA
July 2002

MAR 27, 2007 12:59 AM

A single memory, and still being tested on mice, you fucking Luddites.

This would be good for trauma survivors who don't respond to other kinds of therapies.

ferrofluid

ferrofluid

Brooklyn, NY
February 2004

MAR 27, 2007 07:17 AM

nothing happened at guantanamo.
what are you talking about?
what boarding?
you're crazy man.

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