Steve Ramirez, a neuroscientist, and his colleagues embarked on a groundbreaking journey to control memories, as if they could make a shudder run through the brain and body. But can we really manipulate memories? This excerpt from Ramirez's book, 'How to Change a Memory,' delves into this intriguing concept.
Life's uncertainties often prepare us for various outcomes, and it's natural to care about them. However, when stress becomes overwhelming, it can lead to brain pathologies. Anxiety, for instance, has numerous pathways in the brain, and its triggers are unique to each individual's experiences and memories. When these differences disrupt daily life, they are categorized as mental disorders.
As Ramirez entered his final year of graduate school, he became increasingly aware of the pervasive nature of anxiety. His own stressors and his mother's sudden panic attacks made him curious about the on-again, off-again nature of these feelings. Could there be a way to control these debilitating moments?
Ramirez and his lab partner, Xu Liu, aimed to activate positive memories to combat anxiety and depression symptoms. They wanted to tap into the brain directly, a brain-centric approach, to restore balance. Fortunately, they had a scientific precedent in humans, thanks to psychologist Barbara Fredrickson's study on the 'undoing effect' of positive emotions.
Fredrickson's work suggested that positive emotions can do more than make us feel good; they can counteract negative emotions and change how we interact with ourselves and others. When stressed individuals watched amusing movie clips, their stress-induced physiological responses rebounded faster. This hinted at a physical link between positivity and biology.
Xu and Ramirez took this further by testing the therapeutic potential of positive memories in rodents. They used a sucrose preference test, where rodents usually prefer sugar water. However, those with anxiety and depression-related behaviors show no preference. As expected, the anxious rodents licked the valves randomly. But with a click, a deep-blue laser awakened positive memories, and the mice's behavior changed dramatically.
The mice, as if jolted by a shudder, became motivated and started seeking the sugar water. The key to reversing abnormal behavior was hidden in their positive memories. Not only did this restore healthy behavior, but it also activated brain areas associated with reward and motivation. And here's where it gets fascinating: chronic activation of positive memories not only improved symptoms but also promoted new cell growth in the brain.
Ramirez's personal connection to this research is powerful. He envisioned cognitive-behavioral approaches inspired by the biological strength of positive memories, hoping to alleviate his mother's panic attacks. This idea is supported by the RDoC approach to treating the brain, emphasizing the interaction of cognitive and valence systems.
The author shares a personal memory of jumping off a cliff with his mother, a moment that neuroscience suggests has all the elements to make us feel good. This memory, now a triumph, showcases the brain's ability to transform fear into reward. It's a testament to the power of positive memories and their potential to influence our lives.
This research sparks a controversial question: Should we alter memories, even if it's for therapeutic purposes? The implications are vast, and the ethical boundaries are worth exploring. What do you think? Are we ready to embrace memory manipulation as a tool for mental well-being?
