On NPR’s Science Friday, December 11th, 2009, Ira Flatow interviews Elizabeth Phelps, Professor, Department of Psychology New York University. The podcast is short, only 12 minutes, and it is remarkably clear and informative.

To listen to the podcast, go to http://www.sciencefriday.com/program/archives/200912116, and clik the play button in the upper left hand corner under Listen.

Researchers report a non-invasive, drug-free technique to erase a bad memory in the human brain. Writing this week in the journal Nature, the researchers describe using a behavioral modification technique to remove a simple fear memory in people. The key appears to lie in when the technique is applied. Reactivating a memory, the team found, appears to open a “reconsolidation window,” a time-limited period during which the memory can be changed. We’ll talk with one of the team members about the finding, and how it may aid victims of trauma.

The current conventional talk-therapy for dealing with phobias and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is called Systematic Desensitization therapy or Extinguishment. This is the old get back up on the horse that threw you therapy. Dr Phelps says that the problem with this therapy is that it creates two memories–the original fear memory and a new one that is safe–and when faced with the stimulus (you see the horse) the two memories compete with each other causing further anxiety and tilting your brain towards choosing the fear memory.

The current consensus of memory is that each time you recall a memory you change it slightly. There is a window of time, called consolidation, where the new, revised memory is processed–tagged, sorted, labeled stored in the right place in the brain. When you recall the fear memory, and then create a new version of that memory during that consolidation window, this research shows that you can replace the original fear memory, instead of creating an extra, competing version of it. (That consolidation window opened, in this study, 10 minutes after recalling the original fear memory.

We can imagine therapies (versus meds) that could be created to do this. This is an example we can understand of how drug-free, non-invasive therapy might work.

Phobias and PTSD involve fear and trauma memories.

At HOP’s (Healthy Outcome Partnership) upcoming Mental Health Week (May 10th – 15th), we will have two or three speakers on PTSD. Listening to this podcast is a nice introduction to potential PTSD therapies.

I highly encourage you to listen to this short podcast.