Erasing Bad Memories

Researchers in Holland think an existing drug can be used to help you erase a specific bad memory, something that could be very useful to victims of post-traumatic stress disorder.

Dutch scientists claim to have shown that the beta-blocker propranolol can “erase” unpleasant memories – a discovery which “opens up new avenues for providing a long-term cure for patients with emotional disorders”. Professor Merel Kindt and his team from the University of Amsterdam first subjected human volunteers to a “fear acquisition” process – that of causing them to associate pictures of spiders with a mild electric shock delivered to their wrists. A day later, the volunteers were divided into two groups, once of which was given propranolol and the other placebo pills. All then underwent “memory reactivation” by enjoying the spider pictures for a second time. The team measured the “conditioned fear response” to the images by testing how the subjects reacted to a sudden loud noise – indicated by their “eyeblink startle reflex”, aka “startle response”.

Other scientists are skeptical of the study. One points out that the victim of a violent crime might lose the will to testify against their assailant if the bad memory were lessened. I have a couple of memories I’d love to press the delete button on.