Scientists at the University of California have found that small amounts of anesthetic gas can stop painful memories forming (BBC report). Woop-te-do. We already knew this.
While research into all manner of drugs can tell us a lot about the formation and recall of human memories, simply finding that a drug can inhibit painful memories in the manner this study did is entirely useless. Firstly, the researchers state the study was done to look at how people’s memories are repressed during surgery. The study did not do this: it simply showed that memories were repressed - as we already knew - it did not suggest either a mechanism how this occurs or, more importantly, why it sometimes fails.
Secondly, the study does nothing to advance our knowledge of helping people deal with painful or traumatic memories - since the drug has to be taken whilst the event is taking place to be effective.
Standard talk therapy or hypnosis would seem to be far more practical.
We know almost nothing about the brain. We need to know most, more work needs to be done and is being done. Pointless ’studies’ such as this do nothing but pad people’s resumes. What a waste.
