Forgive and Forget: Study May Have Found Way to Erase Memories

People who graduate from rehabilitation of addiction to an illicit substance still face the cravings later on in life. There will always be moments of weakness or a desire to re-use the substance. The memories of substance abuse are triggered by the substance and the familiar surroundings in which the individual abused the substance. Scientists may have discovered a way to change that.

Forget the worst of it

Scientists have found a way to erase the specific memories of meth in mice. The Florida branch of the Scripps Research Institute, conducted a study to find if a substance could alter memories of drug abuse in the individual. In the journal, Molecular Psychology, one study reports, the discovery of a molecular compound known as non-muscle myosin IIB, or NMIIB, was found to erase the specific memory of meth from the brain in mice, without harming other memories. This process can help delete the trigger desire which leads to relapse.

Naturally, more research and tests are required before anything concrete could be used to treat human addicts, but there is potential. One of the authors in the study, Courtney Miller, Ph.D., explains the hope of using the NMIIB, "When the person is in-patient, they'd use this treatment once and it would target those drug-associated memories that could be triggers for them." If there is success in erasing the memories of drug use, patients could leave inpatient care with virtually no issue of relapse for the specific substance. Yet, inpatient care does much more than merely treats an individual for addiction.

Sets one on the Right Path

Inpatient treatment involves treating the addiction while building a safe atmosphere for the patient. "Residential rehabilitation center in Florida" is an example in which patients can receive treatment but also learn about how to move forward in life. The National Institute on Drug Abuse elaborates on its website, "Treatment is highly structured and can be confrontational at times, with activities designed to help residents examine damaging beliefs, self-concepts, and destructive patterns of behavior."

The hope is that the patient will learn from past mistakes and prepare to re-enter the world. With this new substance, a patient may be able to avoid the harmful memories that may cause relapse after treatment. However, this new discovery does not supersede the need for treatment through residential rehabilitation, since an individual can callous into an addiction with a variety of substances.