Researchers find out how to turn bad memories into good memories in mice

Who wouldn't want to turn unpleasant memories into happy ones? And we're not just talking about bad memories like the time you drunk too much and shamed at your friend's party or when you said what you didn't owe to someone dear. In some cases traumatic reminiscences can trigger a number of psychological disorders, so imagine the possibilities.

For after finding ways to implant new memories or even erasing them completely from the brain, according to The New York Times, scientists at MIT, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, discovered how to turn bad memories into good ones. Well, at least in mice.

On off

The researchers used a technique known as optogenetics - which employs light beams applied at specific points to "turn on" and "turn off" neurons - to find out what mechanisms the brain uses to connect emotions to memories and how those emotions are adjusted. To do this, scientists used a type of photosensitive protein to tag some neurons and applied pulses of light to light and erase these cells.

First, the researchers selected a group of male mice and created bad memories (with little shocks) and good memories (rewarding the pets by allowing them to spend some time in the company of mice). Then scientists identified which neurons were active when these memories came to pass.

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Then the rats that had been shocked were placed in the company of females — awakening the good memories — while the scientists used the light to activate the unpleasant memory of the discharge. In doing so, the researchers realized that while animals were conditioned to remember the shock, bad memories became less negative.

Then the animals that had originally spent time with the mice were given little shocks as scientists activated the neurons associated with pleasant memories. This time, the researchers realized that the good memories became less attractive, and the pets demonstrated expected behavior in fearful situations.

More discoveries

But that was not all the scientists found throughout the study. They also found significant differences in the way neurons act in two important areas of the brain: the hippocampus, which is responsible for forming new memories and encoding information such as "when" and "where" they were formed, and the cerebellum tonsils, which are responsible for associating emotions. the memories.

As they explained, the experiments pointed out that hippocampal neurons can be altered to make bad memories less negative, and vice versa. However, the cells present in the tonsils did not change during the study, indicating that perhaps these neurons are already programmed to reflect positive or negative emotions.

Human memories

According to the scientists, the finding may provide a neurological basis for psychotherapies in which patients are encouraged to arouse pleasant memories to reduce the emotions associated with traumatic memories.

Unfortunately, the technique used in mice is still considered too invasive to be applied to humans. However, the researchers involved in the study believe the finding could lead to more effective therapies to treat problems such as post-traumatic stress disorder, depression and anxiety, for example.