SXC.HU, KIMBERLY VOHSENPeople may be able to reimagine and reduce the power of fearful memories while they sleep, according to a study published today (September 22) in Nature Neuroscience. First, researchers conditioned study participants to fear certain pictures and smells. They then repeatedly exposed participants to the fear-associated odors while they napped. These participants later showed diminished fear of pairs of odors and images that had previously scared them. They also reported no memories of having been exposed to the smells while they slept.
Sheena Josselyn, who studies neuroscience and mental health at The Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto, said study’s setup was novel, and could set the stage for diminishing unwanted memories in the clinic. “You can learn something new while you’re sleeping,” said Josselyn, who was not a part of the study. “The brain isn’t turned off.”
Jan Born, a neuroscientist at the University of Tübingen in Germany who was not involved in the study, said the results were surprising and exciting. “What is unexpected is the reactivation of the memory by presenting the odor context during sleep . . . in fact leads to an extinction process rather than enhancing the learned, classically conditioned fear response.”
The study’s authors were inspired by extensive research showing ...
