Scientists Implant New Memories Into Mice, Could Be Used On Humans

PARIS - Do mice dream of electric sheep?

Scientists at the Industrial Physics and Chemistry Higher Educational Institution (CNRS) have successfully implanted new memories into sleeping mice. Although scientists have previously made associations in the sleeping mind, this is the first time that new memories have been implanted.

The study manipulated the replay process that occurs while mice sleep. This is one of the ways that organisms, including humans, learn. By repeating the day's events through dreaming, we are better able to retain memories.

Researchers used electrodes to manipulate the mice's brain activity that governed place recall. Once they connected the firing of certain brain cells while thinking of a specific place, scientists were able to create new place memories. They implanted memories of being rewarded in certain maze locations. Once placed in the maze, the mice would instantly go to those locations despite only having received the reward in their subconscious sleeping state.

Make me forget the remake!

The researchers are hopeful that this technique will have practical applications and that it could be used to treat human emotional trauma. According to neuroscientist and head researcher Karim Benchenane, "The idea is to use this as a tool for post-traumatic stress disorder.” Benchenane thinks the research could lead to more work on human memory manipulation.

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