Researchers: Fearful Memories Can Be Erased

Researchers from New York University recently conducted a study which they hope will uncover therapeutic techniques to erase fear memories.  The experiment involved creating a fear response in subjects and then extinguishing those memories during whats called the “reconsolidation phase” of the memory forming process.

Although their findings are still general in scope, the researchers believe that eventually behavioral modification therapies could be developed to recall fearful memories and then rewrite them much like computer files are rewritten when new information is added to a file and saved again.  Can fearful memories be wiped out?  Intriguing indeed.  The study was published in the Journal Nature .

Related posts: