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Beta-blocker 'erases' unpleasant memories

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Beta-blocker 'erases' unpleasant memories

Dutch scientists claim to have shown that the beta-blocker propranolol can "erase" unpleasant memories - a discovery which "opens up new avenues for providing a long-term cure for patients with emotional disorders".

Professor Merel Kindt and his team from the University of Amsterdam first subjected human volunteers to a "fear acquisition" process - that of causing them to associate pictures of spiders with a mild electric shock delivered to their wrists.

A day later, the volunteers were divided into two groups, once of which was given propranolol and the other placebo pills. All then underwent "memory reactivation" by enjoying the spider pictures for a second time. The team measured the "conditioned fear response" to the images by testing how the subjects reacted to a sudden loud noise - indicated by their "eyeblink startle reflex", aka "startle response"...

read more @ The Register.

Even forgetting the idea of losing memories, would you trust a medication that has its name ending on "lol"?

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23 comments

#1

sbf (not verified) Mon, 16 Feb 2009 - 18:13

Now this is an interesting research study because it has good implications.

YouEven forgetting the idea of losing memories, would you trust a medication that has its name ending on "lol"?

:|

#3

Seraphim Mon, 16 Feb 2009 - 18:52

YouIt's called propranolol.

But there is still the problem of not being able to "learn" from your negative experiences - are they not the ones that build character?

Sometimes certain memories are soo painful that it has a negative affect on your day to day life. To a point where you might even stop living... or even to the extreme where you become depressed or in some cases even suicidal.

Although working through negative experiences is supposedly character building but not everyone is capable of working through it. In which case such a treatment might offer a solution.

#6

You Mon, 16 Feb 2009 - 19:00

Same subject from the beeb:

Heart pill to banish bad memories

Scientists believe a common heart medicine may be able to banish fearful memories from the mind.

The Dutch investigators believe beta-blocker drugs could help people suffering from the emotional after effects of traumatic experiences.

They believe the drug alters how memories are recalled after carrying out the study of 60 people, Nature Neuroscience reports.

But British experts questioned the ethics of tampering with the mind.

Paul Farmer, chief executive of mental health charity Mind, said he was concerned about the "fundamentally pharmacological" approach to people with problems such as phobias and anxiety...

read more @ BBC News

#7

You Mon, 16 Feb 2009 - 19:01

NoorGod does not burden any soul with more than it can bear

but what about enough to make it uncomfortable?

Would life be a test if things worked out and there were no hard feelings, no pushing people to their absolute limits?

Would you actually want that to happen?

#14

TPOS Mon, 16 Feb 2009 - 19:11

"On no soul doth Allah place a burden greater than it can bear. It gets every good that it earns and it suffers every ill that it earns. (Pray): "Our Lord! condemn us not if we forget or fall into error; our Lord! Lay not on us a burden like that which Thou didst lay on those before us; Our Lord! lay not on us a burden greater than we have strength to bear. Blot out our sins and grant us forgiveness. Have mercy on us. Thou art our Protector; help us against those who stand against faith." (Surah Baqara Verse 286)

#20

Noor Tue, 17 Feb 2009 - 05:08

You

NoorGod does not burden any soul with more than it can bear

but what about enough to make it uncomfortable?

but they can cope, Allah has that knowledge. being uncomfortable and not coping are two extremes.

youWould life be a test if things worked out and there were no hard feelings, no pushing people to their absolute limits?

well if everything is hunky dory then no? Allahu alam, people are tested in different ways, some are being tested but don't no. you may see something as little but another person may see it as a big test.

youWould you actually want that to happen?

life would be boring then huh.

if a person has everything, would they turn to Allah swt more than a person who doesn't have everything?

nabi adam (as) had everything in jannah, God put him on earth? why? so he would turn to Him and ask from Him. God loves the ones that turn to Him.

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