Tuesday, February 17, 2009

No such thing as a memory-erasing pill

One more example of not posting everything I read. The last couple of days filled the blog world with post saying they found a memory erasing pill but when you read this, it turned out to be a lot of hype.

No such thing as a memory-erasing pill
BMJ Group, Tuesday 17 February 2009
The headlines have been full of news about a pill that can 'erase bad memories', leading to fears about mind-control. Looking at the research, it's clear that the pill doesn't wipe out bad memories. However, it may make them less upsetting, which could offer help to people suffering long-term trauma.

What do we know already?
Researchers are investigating whether propanolol, a type of drug called a beta blocker, could be used to help people avoid post-traumatic stress disorder.

Propanolol has been used for many years to slow down the heartbeat for people with high blood pressure. Beta blockers block some of the effects of adrenaline, a hormone whose function is to prepare the body for 'flight or fight' and which causes symptoms of anxiety, such as sweating and palpitations (when you can feel your heart beating faster than normal). Some doctors prescribe beta blockers for people suffering stress or anxiety.

A study in 2004 looked to see whether giving people a course of propanolol within 6 hours of a traumatic event (such as a car crash) could stop them from getting post-traumatic stress disorder. But the study was small and the results were inconclusive.

In this new study, researchers tested whether propanolol could interfere with the way the brain processed the emotions attached to memory when people were reminded of a stressful event.
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No such thing as a memory-erasing pill

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