Researchers Implant False Memories Into Mice Brains

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By Dhiya Kuriakose2013-08-04 16:57:17 UTC

Researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology have found a way to insert false memories into the brains of mice.

In the experiment, researchers implanted memories that caused the mice to fear an event that didn't actually happen. The MIT researchers call the process “incepting," in a nod to the recent film, Inception, though it has nothing to do with dreams.

See also: Maintain Your Memory With Brain Fitness Games

The experiment consisted of two zones for the mice to explore. A mouse was taken to "Area B," where the floor delivered small electric shocks. Scientists then modified the memory so that the shocks would be associated with "Area A" through a memory modification process called optogenetics (more on that gene-modifying process here).

As a result, the mice would not move around in Area A, for fear of the shocks.

The process isn't ready for human testing yet but, for now, there are mice in an MIT lab that have a bunch of memories they never created, thanks to this research into how neurons store memories.

For more, take a look at the video above. The full research paper, published in the magazine Science, is available here.

Image: Dan McKay

Topics: Apps and Software, memories, MIT, Tech