A Northwestern University study has revealed the answer to retrieving 'unconscious' traumatic memories.
The study observed that when the extra-synaptic GABA receptors were activated with the drug, they changed the way the stressful event was encoded as in the drug-induced state, the brain used completely different molecular pathways and neuronal circuits to store the memory.
Dr. Jelena Radulovic, professor at Northwestern University said that as per their findings there are multiple pathways to store fear-inducing memories, which could eventually lead to new treatments for patients with psychiatric disorders for whom conscious access of traumatic memories is necessary for the recovery.
The researchers explained that the best way to access the memories in state-dependent system was to return the brain to the same state of consciousness as when the memory was encoded.
The study is published in the journal Nature Neuroscience.
