Anesthetize your memory

April 14, 2008

You might soon be able to anesthetize your bad memories away. The University of California scientists found that sevoflurane gas stopped patients remembering “emotive” images. This gas interferes with the signals in the brain which effectively ‘numbs’ the bad memories. Unfortunately the research only shows a numbing for memories after the drug so there is no conclusive evidence on pre-existing memories, good thing or a bad thing? One doctor said “If a patient is having an uncomfortable or distressing procedure but not a general anaesthetic, sedative drugs not only make them more relaxed, but help them not to remember it afterwards” and later he said that it was “unlikely that anaesthetic drugs could interfere with memories that had already been formed”. But is “unlikely” a risk your willing to take?

Posted in Health- illnesses