A new drug-free therapy wipes away fearful memories in rats and humans. The simple treatment might eventually help patients with post-traumatic stress disorder, say researchers.

Unfortunately, this is not a therapy yet, and researchers don't claim to have the ability to wipe out one's memories. Rather, they think they've found a way to prevent certain memories from reconsolidating.

Despite proof of principle experiments in rats and humans, Monfils says researchers should proceed with caution in applying the new findings to treating PTSD or other anxiety disorders. Some people's reconsolidation windows may be longer than others, and people respond differently to stressful situations.
"I'm a simple rat researcher. I'm in no way going to suggest that I'm going to step in and tell clinicians how they should treat their patients," she says.
Journal reference: Science (DOI: 10.1126/science.1167975)

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