Scary or traumatic memories 'could be erased from the mind', scientists show

Scary or traumatic memories could be erased from the brain, new research from scientists in the US has suggested.

Researchers at the University of California have invented a way to selectively remove particular memories of fear by weakening the connections between nerve cells.

The study explored how certain sights, sounds or smells can trigger alarming memories and how these recollections could be wiped from the mind.

According to the team of scientists, the findings offer insight into how PTSD and specific phobias could be treated.

The research was carried out on genetically modified mice to discover the links between the part of the brain which recognises a particular sound and the part responsible for emotional memories.

During the test, the mice were given mild electric “footshocks” when they heard a high-pitch sound.

Scientists then found the connection between that particular sound in the brain and the memory part of the brain had been strengthened.

Jun-Hyeong Cho, who led the research, said: “Using low-frequency stimulations with light, we were able to erase the fear memory by artificially weakening the connections conveying the signals of the sensory cue – a high-pitch tone in our experiments – that are associated with the aversive event, namely, the footshock.”