ERASING AND IMPLANTING HUMAN

MEMORY

ABSTRACT:
This project describes how to utilize the memory formation mechanism
discovered in recent years together with optogenetics, a technology used
to manipulate human brain cells, to cure Post-traumatic stress
Disorder(PTSD)

It has been discovered that memory is stored in brain cells called neurons
that physically reside together, rather than scattered throughout the brain.
Such groups of brain cells are called engrams, referring to where memory is
stored. As a result, it is possible to target an engram. We can manipulate
them in such a way that people can forget specific memories either
temporarily or permanently. Since only specific brain cells related to specific
memories are targeted, all the other memories are intact. However, that
isn’t the best part. We can plant good memories into the human brain as
well!
The above are achieved via optogenetics, a technology using light to control
neurons, the brain cells responsible for processing and transmitting
information. The process starts with identification of the neurons
associated with a particular engram that is responsible for a specific piece
of memory. Then, light sensitive opsins are inserted into the engram,
turning the neurons in that area light sensitive. After that, fiber optics or
micro LEDs are implanted to target the light sensitive neurons. The light is
controlled by a microchip to turn on or off those neurons to manipulate
memory.

ERASING A MEMORY

For forgetting a specific memory, the light is activated to control the

neurons that release certain chemicals, such as alpha-CaM kinase II, that
erase memories. Alternatively, the light can also be used to deactivate
neurons responsible for memory storage, preventing the memory from
being recalled.

IMPLANTING A MEMORY
For implanting good memories, the process is more complicated. The
subject is prepared with memories of good feelings, such as a delicious
dinner being served. Later, the subject is put in another environment, such
as the dirty small room where his poor family lives. The light is then turned
on to recall the good feeling in this environment, effectively creating the
false memory that the good feeling took place in this environment. As a
result, the subject likes this environment
After the traumatic memory is removed, and the good memory is
implanted, the PTSD patients are able to escape from the previous event,
and restore their life.

PTSD {Post-Traumatic-stress disorder}

Fear triggers many split-second reactions in the body to prepare to defend

against the incoming danger or to avoid it. This “fight-or-flight” response is a
normal and healthy reaction meant to protect a person from harm. But in
post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), this reaction has altered or
damaged. People who have PTSD experience fear and stress even after the
danger has passed for a very long time. It interferes with everyday life,
because these
people cannot stop the recollection of the horrifying memories that
happened.
Most people who see traumatic events don’t develop PTSD, but
nonetheless, PTSD develops after an event that involved harm or the threat
of harm. The person who develops PTSD could be a victim or witness of the
terrifying event, but the person will experience the event over and over.
Currently, the main treatments are to visit a psychologist or counselor to
help the brain “get over” the event, or to go to a psychiatrist to take some
medication to help alleviate the stress. There are many other therapies such
as art therapy to relieve stress indirectly.

SYMPTOMS :
Symptoms of PTSD may include re-living the event, avoidance of things that
remind you of the traumatic event, negative changes toward beliefs and
attitudes, and feeling keyed up.
As shown in the diagram here, many have experienced trauma. About 60%
of men and 50% of women experience at least one traumatic event. Of
those who do, about 8% of men and 20% of women will develop PTSD. For
some events, like combat and sexual assault, more people develop PTSD.
3.5 % of adults are estimated to be suffering from post-traumatic stress
disorder (PTSD) over the course of a given year. About 7 or 8 out of every
100 people (or 7-8% of the population) will have PTSD at some point in
their lives. About 8 million adults have PTSD during a given year
A new effective treatment would mark a milestone for mental-health and
well-being.

THE CAUSES
Studying parts of the brain involved in dealing with fear and stress helps
researchers to better understand possible causes of PTSD. One such brain
structure is the amygdala, known for its role in emotion, learning, and
memory. The amygdala appears to be active in fear acquisition, or learning
to fear an event (such as touching a hot stove), as well as in the early stages
of fear extinction, or learning not to fear. Another such brain structure is the
hippocampus. The hippocampus is important for forming memories, but in
people with PTSD, the hippocampus has a significantly lower volume.
Stathmin { Stathmin is the founding member of a family of proteins that play critically
important roles in the regulation of the microtubule cytoskeleton } is necessary for
the creation of fear memories. Some people have more stathmin in the
brain than others, and thus are more prone to PTSD. GRP is another
signaling chemical in the brain released during emotional events. A lack of
GRP may result in less capability to cope with the traumatic event.
Serotonin also plays
a role in the happiness of the person. If serotonin levels are low, then the
person is more likely to develop PTSD.
Storing fear extinction memories and dampening the original fear response
appears to involve the prefrontal cortex area of the brain, involved in tasks
such as decision-making, problem-solving, and judgment. Certain areas of
the prefrontal cortex play slightly different roles.

HOW MEMORY WORKS

The term “engram” is used to describe where memory is stored. There are
many engrams in different regions of the brain, each used for a different
purpose. For instance, the amygdala is responsible for fear memories and
the interpositus nucleus is responsible for conditioned stimulus.
Through experiments in mice, researchers discovered that neurons
associated with memory can be boosted with a protein called CREB, and
memories can be erased with a protein called alpha-CaM kinase II. Also,
those neurons can be activated to form false memory.

REMEMBERING:
For short term memories, a protein called Kinase A is produced. However,
sometimes, Kinase A is produced in such abundance that it causes MAPK,
another protein, to be produced. MAPK causes a protein called CREB to be
produced. CREB is essential for forming long-term memories.
FORGETTING:
Evolution of human beings allows people to forget things because the
quality of life rests with the selective erasure of memory. Recent research
suggests that fear memories can be near instantly erased and that specific
proteins have significant powers to abolish them. This happens through
production of a protein called alpha-CaM kinase II. Scientists have found
that this protein can be used for selective deletion of fear memories in
mice.

FALSE MEMORY:
People are found to have false memory too. For example, in many court
cases, defendants were found guilty based on testimony from witnesses
who were sure of their recollections, but DNA evidence proved otherwise.
Researchers in MIT found that by reactivating neurons associated with a
particular memory, false memory could be planted into the brains of mice.

IMPLANTING MEMORY
Specific memories, such as a visit to a friend, are saved in interconnected
neurons called an engram. When that memory is being recalled, the engram
becomes active. On the other hand, when those exact neurons are
reactivated in someone else’s head, another person can experience that
memory.
Also, memories are interlinked. For example, if somebody walks on a quiet
street every day, that environment is stored in the person’s memory. If that
person is robbed on that street one day, the terrible experience is linked to
the memory of that street. Hence, the next time the person walks on the
same street, that person will feel unease.
Based on the theory above, a group of neuroscientists in MIT let by Nobel
Laureate Susumu Tonegawa successfully implanted false memories in
mice’s brain.

Tonegawa and his group first put a mouse in a chamber. While the mouse is
memorizing the chamber, they marked the mouse’s engram in the
hippocampus with a special protein called ChR2. Now they know which
neurons in the engram is involved for memorizing the chamber. Those
neurons are marked in white dots as shown in the picture.
Next, they put the mouse in a second chamber that is very different from
the first chamber. Simultaneously, Tonegawa and his group activated the
neurons marked in the previous step with a technology called optogenetics.
We will talk about optogenetics in a separate section. This technology
allows people to use light to activate specific neurons being targeted. While
those neurons are activated, the mouse recalls the environment in the first
chamber, even though they are physically in the second chamber. At the
same time, the mouse is electrocuted. This caused a memory of fear to be
stored in the mouse’s memory.
Now, the mouse is placed back into chamber 1, where they never actually
experienced an electrical shock before. The mouse froze, as if it were
electrocuted in Chamber 2. The false memory was successfully implanted
into the mouse’s brain!

IMPLICATIONS
The technology proposed here brings health back to patients suffering from
PTSD. They can now choose what memory to forget, and what memory to
implant. It provides fairness to the people who were not lucky enough to
experience the happy life other people did. They can have a chance to
choose a better memory, and a better life. Large expenses spent on caring
for and helping cure PTSD patients can be saved. Furthermore, those people
are willing back to school or the workplace, allowing them to contribute to
society.
However, there are always two sides to a coin, and this solution is no
exception. An instantly thought of one will be the fear of mind control.
This technique provides a free pass to an apocalypse where everyone’s
brains are enslaved. When this technology is employed for illegal
purposes, people’s
memory can be wiped out for illegal motives, and fake memories leading
to criminal activities can be injected.
This will also lead to a lot of debatable topics. For example, if a person has
any wrongdoing based on his manipulated memory, who is to be
responsible? Who is responsible to make the final decision on which part of
the memory shall be erased? Who is responsible for the consequences of
the new memories being implanted? If the technology is defective, creating
unwanted effects on the user’s memory and causing unwanted behaviors,
who takes the responsibility? Do parents have the right to decide whether
their children should forget certain things, and remember certain fake
memories instead?
Essentially, we have to ask ourselves a very fundamental question: do we
wish for the human being’s mind to be programmable like a computer? Is
it
a positive or negative thing to have such technology available?

THANK YOU
BY: K.I.VARSHINI

Reference
1. Anastasiades, Christoph. "How to Build a Responsive HTML5 Website - a Step by Step
Tutorial." Lingulocom How to Build a HTML5 Website from Scratch Part 1 Comments. Lingulo,
11 May 2013. Web. 5 Apr. 2014.
2. "Brain Trust." Discover Mar. 2009: n. pag. Web.

3. "Building a Better Brain." Discover Apr. 2012: n. pag. Web.

4. Costandi, Moheb. "Where Are Old Memories Stored in the Brain?" Scientific American Global
RSS. Scientific American, 10 Feb. 2009. Web. 10 Apr. 2014.
5. Even, Dan. "Israeli Researchers Manage to Erase the Memories of Mice - National."
Haaretz.com. Haaretz, 18 June 2013. Web. 10 Apr. 2014.
6. sciencefairprojects.com 2015