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Key found to scary memory
By Liang Yiwen |
January 6, 2010, Wednesday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
SHANGHAI Fudan University's scientists have found a protein in the brain that plays an important role in the formation of people's darkest memories.
The protein, beta-arrestin-2, provides clues for new drugs that might cure psychological trauma and mental disease caused by wars and disasters, school officials said yesterday.
The findings were published by "Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences and Nature China" last month.
A team led by Ma Lan, a professor at Fudan University's Institutes of Brian Science, did tests on lab rats before they came to the conclusion.
The researchers first gave rats an electric shock as they played a sound. Then they played the sound without the shock and observed whether rats showed fear.
Normal rats were afraid of the sound, while rats whose fear factor had been removed showed no fear.
Scientists believe the protein plays a key role in the formation of horrible memory. Drugs that depress the function of the protein might help people forget big disasters.
Memory is a complicated process that involves acquiring, maintenance, consolidating and re-consolidating.
The protein, beta-arrestin-2, provides clues for new drugs that might cure psychological trauma and mental disease caused by wars and disasters, school officials said yesterday.
The findings were published by "Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences and Nature China" last month.
A team led by Ma Lan, a professor at Fudan University's Institutes of Brian Science, did tests on lab rats before they came to the conclusion.
The researchers first gave rats an electric shock as they played a sound. Then they played the sound without the shock and observed whether rats showed fear.
Normal rats were afraid of the sound, while rats whose fear factor had been removed showed no fear.
Scientists believe the protein plays a key role in the formation of horrible memory. Drugs that depress the function of the protein might help people forget big disasters.
Memory is a complicated process that involves acquiring, maintenance, consolidating and re-consolidating.
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