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Memory via Shutterstock

How to erase a memory - and restore it

The research from the University of California at San Diego could impact on Alzheimer’s research.

RESEARCHERS AT THE University of California, San Diego have erased and reactivated memories in the brains of rats.

The research has profoundly altered the rats’ reactions to past events.

The study, published in the journal Nature, is the first to show the ability to selectively remove a memory and predictably reactivate it by stimulating nerves in the brain at frequencies that are known to weaken and strengthen the connections between nerve cells, called synapses.

“We can form a memory, erase that memory and we can reactivate it, at will, by applying a stimulus that selectively strengthens or weakens synaptic connections,” said Roberto Malinow, MD, PhD, professor of neurosciences and senior author of the study.

In terms of application, Malinow says that since Alzheimer’s Disease is caused by a weakening of synapses by the beta amyloid peptide, the research could be used to fight the disease.

“Since our work shows we can reverse the processes that weaken synapses, we could potentially counteract some of the beta amyloid’s effects in Alzheimer’s patients,” he said.

Read: Debunked: Is it possible to have a photographic memory?

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42 Comments
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    Mute Richie Aprile
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    Jun 7th 2014, 9:10 PM

    4 shots of sambuca erases it for me. I deffo don’t want to know what I’ve done during my sambuca induced memory loss.

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    Mute Mister Fantastic
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    Jun 7th 2014, 9:26 PM

    And neither do we.

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    Mute Ian Walsh
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    Jun 7th 2014, 9:29 PM

    I’m a Tequila Coma man meself. There is absolutely no need to remember the going’s on while being in that state.

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    Mute Sarah Jane
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    Jun 8th 2014, 2:29 AM

    I thought I told you to back off beansie Richie !

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    Mute James O'mahony
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    Jun 8th 2014, 12:50 PM

    Why do you have to comment about drinking on an interesting article. You drink well done ! Im very impressed

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    Mute Pedro deluvio
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    Jun 7th 2014, 8:49 PM

    Erasing memory’s and restoring them?

    Governments using mobile phone companies as tools to spy on us!

    Catholic Church burying “EIGHT HUNDRED CHILDREN” in a septic tank..

    While the majority of us watch people watching TV on TV…

    Oh lord!

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    Mute Mister Fantastic
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    Jun 7th 2014, 9:07 PM

    I doubt the researchers in California had anything to do with the last three on your list.

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    Mute Pedro deluvio
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    Jun 7th 2014, 9:18 PM

    I was referring to the news over the last couple of days, Californian researchers are irrelevant!

    My point is cleared up “I hope” by asking yourself the following question.

    What sort of state is society in all of a sudden?

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    Mute Sean Mac Gabhann
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    Jun 7th 2014, 9:20 PM

    I wonder could they use this method on Bertie and the entire FF goverment, the builders/ developers and all the cronies. They seem to have forgotten evetything they did, lets remind them.

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    Mute Mister Fantastic
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    Jun 7th 2014, 9:30 PM

    It’s already seemed to have worked fantastically on Sinn Fein. Most of the 70s are now just a hazy blur.

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    Mute cornflaker
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    Jun 8th 2014, 2:35 AM

    Waking up after a session and thinking. “ah great craic last night…I think.”
    Then ye look at your phone and your friend had sent a picture of you on the bar in only your jocks swinging your clothes around your head.instant memory restoration. Oh Lord the fear,the guilt,the horror.oh sweet baby Jesus help me forget again.I’ll be good.I promise.

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    Mute John Murray Photo
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    Jun 7th 2014, 8:55 PM

    Eradicate mutated gluten and you would eliviate 90%+ of alzheimers going forward

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    Mute skeyes
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    Jun 7th 2014, 8:59 PM

    Have you any sort of a link in relation to this? I would be really interested in hearing more.

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    Mute Susie Elliott
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    Jun 7th 2014, 9:11 PM

    What’s all this about?

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    Mute Dermot Lane
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    Jun 7th 2014, 9:24 PM

    Here’s the thing: our lifestyle causes countless illnesses (eg obesity, type 2 diabetes), then, we spend billions researching the cures. Here’s the cure for most lifestyle illnesses: smoke less, drink less booze, eat less processed food, eat less meat, eat more natural grains and more nuts and more veggies.
    You’re welcome

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    Mute Ronan Stokes
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    Jun 7th 2014, 9:29 PM

    & go to farmers markets and buy the best fresh veg.

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    Mute Peter Richardson
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    Jun 7th 2014, 9:44 PM

    Dermot, you mean well but your advice on eat more natural grains is misdirected with the possible exception of unprocessed oats.

    Wheat and most grains are excessively processed, even when described as natural whole grains.

    The processed carbohydrates convert too quickly to glucose in the blood, triggering over insulin reaction, long term inflammation and eventually Type 3 Diabetes, which is another description of Alzheimer’s disease.

    I can quote sources but processed starches and sugars are a major factor in giving rise to the brain inflammation which eventually triggers brain changes which exhibit as Alzheimers.

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    Mute Peter Richardson
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    Jun 7th 2014, 9:46 PM

    BTW, John Murray photo above makes a valid point. The red thumbs are misdirected.

    Wheat and certain other grains are too mutated.

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    Mute Peter Richardson
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    Jun 7th 2014, 9:51 PM

    Alzheimers is often referred to as Type 3 Diabetes. Avoided refined starches, minimise white breads, pastas, white rice and fructose.

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    Mute Pedro deluvio
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    Jun 7th 2014, 9:58 PM

    Big red thumb for the red thumb brigade!!
    He’s right according to the internet!

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    Mute Peter Richardson
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    Jun 7th 2014, 10:28 PM

    I don’t mind the red thumbs but I hope that some people will be open minded enough to research this hypothesis.

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    Mute Brendan Harlowe
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    Jun 7th 2014, 10:36 PM

    Peter you’re right to an extent. But it all depends on what you mean by processed. When I say processed I think of sliced ham/chicken an bleached flours etc. Some oats and grains are prepared enough so we don’t have to chew them for hours. Cooking is processing in and of itself. Overall though everybodies right- more natural as possible as often as possible. When eating healthy/natural asthma clears up loads of energy etc etc. many foods or overeating of foods seem to triggers an inflammatory response that can affect other parts of the body, in myself at least. And no amount of herbal or pharmaceutical remedies can overcome Symptoms when the underlying cause is not addressed .

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    Mute Peter Richardson
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    Jun 7th 2014, 11:12 PM

    Brendan, most whole grains are highly processed so as to be easily digestible and more palatable. The effect is that starch is quickly absorbed or assimilated into the blood stream and converted to a high glucose level which is then counteracted by insulin. It is related to high GI and low GI.

    Read Grain Brain by a neurologist who is also a nutritionist. Lustig, Ludkin and others have advanced the hypothesis.

    5 months ago I was diagnosed as pre diabetic with excessive high fasting glucose and also very high post prandial blood glucose levels.

    I researched the position and eliminated white bread, brown bread, cake, sugar, fruit juices, pasta and anything derivative of what. Much to my GP’s astonishment, blood glucose levels are now very healthy, I’m losing weight, and feeling better than ever before.

    Diabetes 3 is a modern scourge. Modern wheats and grains are too modified by excessive selection. They bear no comparison to grains of 100 years ago.

    Grinding the cellulose, fibres, husks etc enable the starches to be assimilated too quickly and produce extreme glucose spikes.

    I have prevented diabetes 2, got blood glucose levels stable, lost weight and enjoy better health. Gluten is bad and not only for those who are Coeliac or have Crohn’s disease.

    The human endocrine system is not adapted to refined or semi refined starches but I don’t expect to be believed. But ask yourself why we have an epidemic of Diabetes 2 and 3.

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    Mute George Salter
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    Jun 7th 2014, 11:18 PM

    Diabetes 3 is news to me. Is this a widely recognised disease or a new discovery?

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    Mute Peter Richardson
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    Jun 7th 2014, 11:37 PM

    Diabetes 3 is a shorthand for the adverse neurological consequences of insulin resistance and the cumulative effect of elevated blood glucose levels over a prolonged period of time due to over consumption of sugar and carbohydrates.

    This is a major area of medical research at the moment.

    Infectious diseases are now less destructive in the western world than the adverse health impact of bad diet which is over focused on added sugars and refined starches.

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    Mute Pedro deluvio
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    Jun 7th 2014, 11:49 PM

    Hi peter
    What’s your profession? If you don’t mind!

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    Mute Pedro deluvio
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    Jun 7th 2014, 11:50 PM

    Apologies, got ya!

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    Mute Brendan Harlowe
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    Jun 8th 2014, 12:33 AM

    Even if somebody is a medically trained neurologist, nutritionist is a quack term. It means nothing. Type 2 diabetes isn’t an inevitability, it’s a bad diet. Yes most grains are processed to an extent but everything is. Well done for turning your life and health around but don’t explain the results away with bad and inaccurate science. Ben goldacre is a good place to start when reading into why poor and wispy explanations are overall detrimental to a common goal.

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    Mute Peter Richardson
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    Jun 8th 2014, 12:34 AM

    Merely retired, but I have established by using a glucose meter over the last 5 months that a radical reduction in starch has got my blood sugar levels under control and down to a healthy level. My very high triglycerides are way down and mild hypertension has been brought down to a healthy level.

    Before the 5 months started, I experimented with different and thought that whole grain brown bread, Weetabix Shredded Wheat etc were healthy. But when I consumed any these items my blood glucose levels went up very high to 11.5 per mmol. Now my blood glucose readings are healthily low and I’m losing abdominal fat without even trying.

    Many people are adversely affected by what grain, by even whole grain products and any starchy or sugary foods.

    A friend of mine who is morbidly obese saw the good effect on me and he has achieved even more dramatically beneficial effects.

    Abdominal fat, the proverbial beer belly, is very unhealthy and it is good to see it disappearing.

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    Mute Brendan Harlowe
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    Jun 8th 2014, 12:34 AM

    * to a purposeful goal and outcome. Sorry fat and fast fingers make bad mistakes.

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    Mute Peter Richardson
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    Jun 8th 2014, 12:48 AM

    Brendan, you must be 100% correct and I must be misguided and ill informed.

    Deferring to your infallibility, diabetes 2 is a result of bad diet in many cases. Insulin resistance results from excessive insulin production released by the pancreas so as to reduce excessively high blood glucose levels. There is a familiar tendency.

    The remarkable result in my particular case is that the elimination of grains from my diet, avoidance of sugar, and consumption of less fructose high fruits has delivered remarkably beneficial effects for me.

    It may be bad and inaccurate science but I understand the hypothesis and the results work for me.

    I’m reading a very interesting book by Gary Taubes at the moment, “Good Calories, Bad calories” . The sources and bibliography run to just over 130 pages and drawn from peer reviewed articles in scientific and medical journals. Yudkin was initially derided but is now supports by Lustig and others who are endocrinologists.

    Fortunately, the results are excellent for me even though you consider the approach to be bad and inaccurate science.

    As a matter of interest what scientific sources do you reply on and do you deny that Lustig and Yudkin are valid?

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    Mute Pedro deluvio
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    Jun 8th 2014, 1:23 AM

    Do you eat bread at all peter?

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    Mute Brendan Harlowe
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    Jun 8th 2014, 9:52 AM

    Peter apologies about theirs understanding I completely agree with you on weetabix cereals and loaf breads in the shops etc. they are loaded with sugar and salts and often that’s half the problem. But an endocrinologist is different to a nutritionist. Ive never even heard of the authors or nutritionist you discuss. However from studying psychiatric nursing ad at least anectodatal evidence of people who would’ve eaten very Healthy natural organic ey and still developed Alzheimer’s and dementia but I do agree that diet and lifestyle can prevent a lot Of dementia but not necessarily Alzheimer’s .

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    Mute Ailbhe O'Nolan
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    Jun 8th 2014, 10:14 AM

    Hey Peter, what exactly have you cut out and what have you been eating? I’d like to give it a go

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    Mute Graham Kelly
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    Jun 7th 2014, 9:20 PM

    Is this research based on ‘Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind’? Apart from using rats instead of Jim Carrey, it’s pretty much identical!

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    Mute Mister Fantastic
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    Jun 7th 2014, 8:33 PM

    What a waste of time science is.

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    Mute Ronan Stokes
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    Jun 7th 2014, 8:35 PM

    I lol’d.

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    Mute Daniel Wilson
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    Jun 8th 2014, 3:15 AM

    If only these scientists spent less time sciencing and more time praying to God for their sins

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    Mute Ailbhe O'Nolan
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    Jun 8th 2014, 10:14 AM

    Hoping Mr Fantastic is bring sarcastic….

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    Mute Monika Smulska
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    Jun 8th 2014, 10:56 AM

    Poor rats!!!!!!! Waste of science and animals life’s!!!!!!! I suggest experiment on pedophiles!!!!! Not innocent animals!!!!!!!

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    Mute Pedro deluvio
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    Jun 9th 2014, 12:44 AM

    !!!!!!!!!!

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    Mute Frank Reynolds
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    Jun 8th 2014, 8:15 AM

    Very interesting Peter. Could you please give us an idea of what you do eat and drink?

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