Sir, would you like a false memory?
False vacation memories, anyone?
Anyone remembers the company Rekall in the 1990 sci-fi film Total Recall which runs a business of implanting false memories of vacation in its customers? While the film is set in 2084 and we are in 2020 today, it does look like we are not too far away from that future, given recent advances in the field of memory manipulation.
In a recent study, researchers trained mice to be afraid of the scent from cherry blossoms by associating the cherry blossom scent to a foot shock. To be more precise, the mice were trained to be afraid of the chemical compound acetophenone (which forms the basis of the cherry blossom scent).
To cut a long story short, using a technique called optogenetics, light was delivered to the brain via surgically implanted optic fibers in order to activate olfactory nerves which are sensitive to acetophenone. By pairing electrical foot shocks with this light-induced nerve stimulation, the mice were taught to associate both experiences.
When the mice were tested with other scents involved, the animals turned out to avoid the cherry blossom scent.
For more information on this experiment, I would suggest watching this TED talk given by Steve Ramirez and Xu Liu at TEDxBoston.
“Planting False Memories Are Bad!”
What does this all mean for us and does this now then raise ethical questions? “Planting false memories are bad!” would be an obvious and natural reaction to this new development. However, one could consider the potential positive implications that arises from such a scientific advancement.
How false memories can help
Imagine a person with a severe case of alcohol disorder. Perhaps planting a false memory or two reminding him that alcohol made him really really sick could help him wean off his reliance on alcohol. That would be helpful, wouldn’t it?
Alternatively, from a nutritional perspective, can science now help you further with living a healthier life? How about a nice new memory of an enjoyable moment having some fresh vegetables? That could ensure some of us get a healthy dose of vegetables in our diet.
Education to the masses?
No more long nights memorising multiplication tables or obscure formulas. Bring the science far enough, who knows, you could literally download a whole primary education syllabus into your mind. Massive time savings right there.
So What is Next?
It is not just about implanting false memories. Removing of memories, extending shelf life of positive memories are other ways which we can manipulate our memories.
Of course, considering the implications as well as the criteria for people who should receive these treatments will require early thought too (as with most huge leaps in scientific advances).
Thinking back, Dolly the Sheep was the first successfully animal cloning experiment back in 1996 but many years on now, society is still grappling with the potential implications (ethical or otherwise) of human cloning.
Where can i sign up for this?
If you are jumping off your seat now and considering where is the nearest clinic to get a quick “memory fix”, I have bad news for you.
Unless you are up for having your skull sliced open and having coloured light shining directly on your brain, any commercialisation of this field of science will require finding a non-invasive method of implanting or altering memories in our brains.
According to a National Geographic article, potential non-invasive methods include using infrared waves or injested/injected chemicals to perform the memory manipulation treatment. However, such methods are likely to be decades away from actual widespread usage.
While there is much hope for the future of memory manipulation techniques, I suppose the students of today will just have to sit still and be content with memorising reams and reams of information, until the future described in Total Recall becomes a reality.
