Drug to erase aspects of a traumatic memory?

Could we have the potential to “erase” the fear from a traumatic memory soon? Would this relieve PTSD, or cause more problems?

Last month, Science Express published research done by Dr. Richard Huganir and colleagues at Johns Hopkins University suggesting we may be able to manipulate fear-based memories. Laboratory rats were conditioned to fear a tone that was paired with an electric shock. The scientists found calcium permeable proteins, labeled AMPARS, formed in the amygdala for a day or two in the brains of the mice after the shock. The scientists administered a drug to some of the mice to keep their brain flooded with AMPARS longer than 48 hours. These mice retained fearful responses long after the shock, while the mice without the drug gradually appeared to forget the tone had been associated with a shock. The scientists believe this will lead them to develop drugs to manipulate AMPARS to reduce fear-conditioned responses.

However, many folks have voiced ethical concerns, worried this research suggests that scientists are attempting to erase memories. For example, Katie Farinholt, executive director of NAMI in Maryland and Paul Root Wolpe, director of the Center for Ethics at Emory University, opined that “erasing” an aspect of a memory could significantly alter a person’s personality and history. Yet Dr. Huganir clarified that blocking AMPAR’s just eliminates the strong emotions attached to a memory. The process won’t erase the memory entirely.

But, I suspect PTSD and developmental trauma disorders are more than a set of fear-conditioned memories. All sorts of learning takes place when we experience something terrifying or overwhelming. Say you were bitten by a chihuahua as a kid and had avoided them for years until you had this drug administered. Now you may no longer fear chihuahuas, but you still don’t trust your mother who let the darn thing bite you. Yet, now you don’t remember why you don’t trust your mother.

I don’t know if it would work that way, I’m just thinking we can’t control all the neural circuits that get activated around a traumatic memory. Apparently Dr. Huganir believes this too. He sees this research and any potential drug development as an adjunct to trauma therapy, not a replacement. After all, Dr. Huganir notes many behavior and trauma therapies are attempting to do the same thing he is doing. Manipulate memories. Decondition fear responses. Clear negative associations. What’s the difference?

I do appreciate Dr. Huganir’s work. He seems to be very level-headed about what he is doing and is not promising miracles. Honestly, the media seems to be jumping to more conclusions about the potential of this research than Huganir and his colleagues.

What are your thoughts? Do you think there are advantages to having drugs that can manipulate proteins involved in fear-based memories? What concerns you about it?  As always, I would love to hear your thoughts!