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Memories are often tie in with emotions , and these belief can exchange through Modern experience and over clip . Now , using light , scientist have been able to pull wires computer mouse brainpower cells and twist the animate being ' horrendous storage into glad one , according to a new study .
computer storage are encode in groups of neurons that are activated together or in specific pattern , but it is thought that neuron in different psyche regions encodedifferent aspect of a memoryof an result . For example , the stead where an event occurred and the emotion associate with it may be stored in different places .
Image shows a magnified part of a mouse’s brain where an optic fiber is inserted to switch neurons on and off.
In the fresh written report , research worker examined whether it is potential to selectively change one part of a memory — the emotion attached to it . They made male mouse form fearful memories by giving them painful electrical jar , or form pleasant memories by allow the animal interact with female black eye . [ Why You block : 5 unknown Facts About Memory ]
Later , using lighter to check the action of neuron ( a method acting forebode optogenetics ) , the researchers evoked the direful memories every time the mice went to a certain street corner of their cage , which conduct the mice to avoid that corner . In mice that had formed pleasant storage , the research worker used those storage to make a sure corner look attractive to the rodents .
In the last dance step , to repeal the tie between a place and an emotion , the investigator evoked only the " place " part of the fearful memories , while letting the shiner interact with distaff counterpart . As a resultant , the mice were no longer afraid of that specific corner of the cage .
The researchers were also able-bodied to do the reverse , and turn positively charged memories to horrific unity , according to the study published today ( Aug. 27 ) in the journal Nature .
Shaping memory fragments
It is well - known thatmemories are capable to change , and may even get slimly rewritten each time we recall them during a new experience , studies suggest .
However , scientist do not whole understand the wit mechanisms that enable memory to change and that even provide us to feel different emotions about those memories . Elucidating these mechanisms could help scientists one day develop new therapies for condition such as depression andpost - traumatic stress upset .
In the novel study , the researcher looked at neurons in a brain structure called the hippocampus , which is thought to encode the context of memories , such as where an case materialize . The researchers also looked at nerve cell in another brain structure , the corpus amygdaloideum , which is believe to encode emotions .
The mouse in the study were genetically engineered to make give chase their retentiveness easy . As the animals ' dread or pleasant computer storage were formed , a easy - sensitive protein was verbalise in the neurons that encoded the newfangled memory . This way , the researchers were able to chase these neurons , and later on use light to reactivate the store those brain cellular phone held .
The new experiment work because the scientist undertake the contextual and aroused aspects of the memory separately . When the researchers activated theneurons in the hippocampus , it kindle the contextual part of the memory , while unexampled events the mouse was get rewrote the emotional part of the memory . This led to a new store of the same blank space but with a different emotional affiliation , the researchers say .
expect at the cells under the microscope , the researchers confirmed that the kinship between the memory - holding neurons in the genus Hippocampus and those in the corpus amygdaloideum was change after the scientists ' manipulations , suggesting that the connection between the two brain regions is indeed malleable .
The Modern experiments followed previous study by the same researchers last year , in which theyimplanted put on memories in black eye . In those studies , the research worker trip neuron to make mouse commend a old experience as the animals were undergoing a new and different experience . This made mouse form a memory of the mixture of the two experiences , which in real life story had never happened .
