Researchers from the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine found a way to delete the memory and restore it back. The study, published in the journal Nature this is the first to demonstrate the ability to select the memory you want to remove and turn it back memories. The trick is to stimulate the nerves in the brain at a frequency that can weaken and strengthen the connection between nerve cells, called synapses.
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| Illustration of human brain. A new study in America is giving hope of a breakthrough in finding a cure for Alzheimer's Disease. (Picture from: http://bit.ly/1m9Cqc5) |
"We can form a memory, the memory wipe and reactivate it, by applying a stimulus that selectively strengthen or weaken the synaptic connections," says Roberto Malinow, a professor of neuroscience and senior author of the study as in the release of the University of California, San Diego Health Sciences.
For the purposes of the study, the researchers used mice as a research object. They stimulate the collection of nerves in the brain of mice that had been genetically modified to be sensitive to light, while delivering an electric shock to the foot of the animal.
These mice immediately associate the stimulation of the optic nerve with pain and fear behavior demonstrated when the nerve is stimulated. The analysis showed the chemical changes in the optic nerve synapses are stimulated, which indicates synaptic strengthening.
In subsequent experiments, the research team demonstrated the ability to undermine this by stimulating neural circuit similar to the deleted memory. They use low-frequency optical vibrations.
These rats then no longer respond to nerve stimulation with fear. It shows the pain of memory have been erased.
The most surprising result of this study is the discovery of a way to turn back the lost memories by stimulating the same nerve with forming memories. This is done using high-frequency optical vibrations.
Rats that experienced reconditioning once again respond to stimulation with fear, although not given electric shocks to their feet.
"We can make an animal has a fear then have no fear and have fear again by stimulating the nerve at a frequency that strengthen or weaken synapses," said Sadegh Nabavi, a researcher in the laboratory Malinow and lead study author.
In a potential clinical application, Malinow which also involved members of the Shiley Endowed Chair in Alzheimer's Disease Research, noted the beta amyloid peptide that accumulates in the brains of patients with Alzheimer's disease weakens synaptic connections, as well as low-frequency stimulation of rat mengapus memory.
"Because this study demonstrated the ability to reverse the process that weakens synapses, ... this could potentially counteract some of the effects of beta amyloid in Alzheimer's patients," Malinow said.
This research was funded in part by the National Institutes of Health and the Cure Alzheimer's Fund. Similarly, reported Newswise page. *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | CBS NEWS]
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