Scientists at SUNY Downstate Medical Center have discovered a molecular mechanism that maintains memories in the brain. In an article in Science magazine, they demonstrate that by inhibiting the molecule they can erase long-term memories, much as you might erase a computer disc.

Furthermore, erasing the memory from the brain does not prevent the ability to re-learn the memory, much as a cleaned computer disc may be re-used. This finding may some day have applications in treating chronic pain, post-traumatic stress disorder, and memory loss, among other conditions.

Source: PHYSORG
Found on: SpikedHumor

... and then forgot where they put it.

laugh

Looks interesting. Might have to read up on it a bit!

The guys at M.I.B. will following this one closely.....

This sort of thing raised an ethical quesetion in my head.

If it is generally considered unethical to take performance enhancing drugs for sporting events. Should it also be unethical to take performance enhancing drugs that boost your capacity to learn/recall and understand information, beyond your normal means for academic study such as Uni Exams, or for important exams such as the GAMSAT?

If not, then why should the use of steroids and other other drugs be frowned against in the sporting arena?

Aren't steroids adictive, dangerous and illegal anyway? If the drug that enhances your mental capacity is not in anyway harmful, I dont see how it could be a problem.

In saying that, I am an uneducated noob

Sporting events are about elite athletes pushing their bodies to the limits on an even competitive playing field, mainly for the entertainment of others. This notion of a competitive arena would become a farce if performance enhancing drugs were to be legalised (although as masking agents become more prevalent and effective, I get the sad impression that someday they will) due to the fact that the winner would no longer become the person who trained harder and sacrificed more, but who took the most drugs in the most effective way. This would destroy the very ideals that professional sport is based on.

Now assuming casa is correct, and these theoretical drugs that enhance your ability to process knowledge aren't addictive and have no adverse side effects (which I highly doubt) then why not permit them? Wouldn't they have a postive effect with the influx of doctors, teachers etc that they may produce? I know I wouldn't care if I was treated by a doctor, or taught something by a teacher that got to their position with help from these drugs, as long as they were just as good as the traditional kind.

But again, I highly doubt they can produce a perfect drug. When have they ever?

Aren't steroids adictive, dangerous and illegal anyway?

In saying that, I am an uneducated noob

You are correct in saying u are an uneducated noob.

Now assuming casa is correct, and these theoretical drugs that enhance your ability to process knowledge aren't addictive and have no adverse side effects (which I highly doubt) then why not permit them?

I can see it now, drug-tests before "Australia's Brainiest Big Brother Contestant"

Now assuming casa is correct, and these theoretical drugs that enhance your ability to process knowledge aren't addictive and have no adverse side effects (which I highly doubt) then why not permit them?

If they're expensive it will mean only the those who can afford them will have them (subsequently succeeding more in schools, setting higher curves that those not on the drug can't keep up with, putting those without them out of alot of jobs) and probably lead to a sci-fi esque segregation of society, rich vs. poor, that will result in our downfall.

If they're made completely non-expensive and without side effects to the point where everyone can take them and it will be an even playing field for society, then it's the next logical step in our evolution.

It will be interesting to see how it effects secret government issues. Say when you leave a job that was high security, or similar.

It could be good for security, but also very bad if used against peoples wills.

The medical benifits are fantastic though. Things like rape could be removed from a womans mind (they never truely recover), and other similar things where it's a mental thing holding them back.

Hell.. what about criminals? they say some is due to upbringing, will it be ethical to do a mind wipe and create a better person from it? It all gets interesting now.

good points light.. looking forward to all of this.

havnt they made a movie about this already? paycheck or something :/