False memories incepted into mice in new study

Scientists have successfully implanted false memories into the brains of mice through the manipulation of neurons. A new study, performed at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), has found that the brains of mice can be manipulated into creating false memories and associations. It is hoped that the knowledge garnered from this study could help to understand how the human brain can 'remember' things that have not taken place.

False-memory syndrome is a phenomenon that can occur within humans, in which a memory of an experience or event that did not occur is created. These inaccurate recollections have been a constant problem when it comes to witness testimonies in court cases. People can become utterly convinced that something happened, even though DNA and other forms of definitive evidence show that it did not.

The research was published in the journal 'Science' and details how optic fibres were used to create memories with genetically engineered mice in a laboratory. Researchers implanted optic fibres into the hippocampus within the brains of the mice and delivered pulses of light. This technique - called optogenetics - uses light to make individual neurons respond, which in this case created false memories.

The mice were genetically engineered to have a photosensitive pigment in their brains. This means that when the mice are stimulated with certain types of light, they are able to recover actual memory. This photosensitivity enabled the researchers to study the connections throughout the memory cells within the mice's brains.

The light pulses were used to stimulate both actual and false memory. Memories were created by associating the real memory with a small electric shock, thus manipulating the mice to want to remember the false information. It was found that the connections made within the memory cells were almost exactly the same when recalling a false memory as they were when remembering true experiences. This has suggested that physical aspects could contribute to false-memory syndrome.