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Neuroscientists plant false memories in the brain

Jango

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The phenomenon of false memory has been well-documented: In many court cases, defendants have been found guilty based on testimony from witnesses and victims who were sure of their recollections, but DNA evidence later overturned the conviction.

In a step toward understanding how these faulty memories arise, MIT neuroscientists have shown that they can plant false memories in the brains of mice. They also found that many of the neurological traces of these memories are identical in nature to those of authentic memories.

“Whether it’s a false or genuine memory, the brain’s neural mechanism underlying the recall of the memory is the same,” says Susumu Tonegawa, the Picower Professor of Biology and Neuroscience and senior author of a paper describing the findings in the July 25 edition of Science.

Neuroscientists plant false memories in the brain - MIT News Office

This is definitely Total Recall-ish. The artificial insemination of memories is a new form of gaslighting.
 
These sources use the optogenetic method as illustrated here:

http://www.debatepolitics.com/science-and-technology/168620-brain-control-optogenetics.html

Another method uses acetylcoline (the neurotransmitter involved in memory) and inner brain stimulation of the cortex, all this classically conditioned with a sound tune. Later the rodents showed higher respiration when among all the tunes the same tune that was used in the experiment was presented.

References:

Kim, D., Pare, D., & Nair, S.S. (2013). Assignment of model amygdala neurons to the fear memory trace depends on competitive synaptic interactions. Journal of Neuroscience, 33 (36): 14354 DOI: 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.2430-13.2013; Retrieved from: Scientists create new memories by directly changing the brain .
 
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