Scientists from the Medical College of Georgia and East China Normal University in Shanghai posed an experiment that erased memory from a mouse's brain. The experiment involved genetically engineering a mouse and used chemicals to block with a cavity alpha-CaMKII, a protein that is involved in storing and memorizing information. The scientists placed mice in a chamber, played a sound and then shock the mice's feet, they recognized the sound and learned to freeze when they heard the sound. The researchers then altered the protein, the mice had forgotten to freeze when they heard the sound. The removal of memory is only to the portion of the memory that was erased.
This experiment is an example of hypothesis-based science because the scientists made observations and used deductive reasoning to create an experiment and draw conclusions. This discovery may later lead to remove certain memories from a person's brain that may be causing them trauma or pain. It could also remove a piece of information from drug addicts that would eventually cause them to return to drugs.
Author: Tina Hesman Saey
Title: Altering a protein wipes out shocking memory in mouse brain
Journal: Science News
Date Published: November 22, 2008
Page: 8
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