Local researchers say they have found a biochemical pathway in the brain that could eventually lead to a drug that would help people block their worst nightmares and fears.
Whether Neo from the Matrix films would think that's a good thing is anybody's guess, but people who take the pill could be able to forget their fear of heights or flying -- or cure your panic attacks -- by taking a pill. Researchers at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies in La Jolla said the discovery could eventually help scientists develop drugs to treat disorders like post-traumatic stress disorder.
The process is called unlearning, according to Stephen F. Heinemann, PhD.
"Most studies focus on learning, but the unlearning process is much less understood, said Heinemann, who led the study. "Most people agree that failure to unlearn is a hallmark of post-traumatic stress disorders, and if we had a drug that affects this gene, it could help soldiers coming back from the war to unlearn their fear memories."
