There have been several instances where researchers found drugs that when applied to certain areas of the brain, usually the amygdala, have relative success in being able to erase some memories.
These neurons were targeted by using replication-defective herpes simplex virus (HSV) to increase cyclic adenosine monophosphate response element-binding protein (CREB) in them.
[6] There are several different types of possible patients that have the potential to draw great benefit from the selective memory erasure; these include people with drug addiction, or posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
These potential patients have unwanted memories that can be absolutely devastating to their daily lives and cause them to not be able to function properly.
Amnesia can be used as a treatment for patients who have experienced psychological trauma or for medical procedures where full anesthesia is not an option.
With an increasing belief that memories are largely supported by functional and structural plasticity deriving from F-actin polymerization in postsynaptic dendritic spines at excitatory synapses.
These results also show that the actin cytoskeleton may be a promising target for selective disruption of unwanted long-term memories.
Studies have started to investigate the possibility of using distinct toxins along with biotechnology that allows the researchers to see which areas of the brain are being used during the reward learning process of making a memory to destroy target neurons.
[24] Due to the lack of understanding of the brain this technique of destroying neurons may have a much larger effect on the patient than just the removal of the intended memories.
[25] A way of selectively erasing memories may be possible through optogenetics, a type of gene therapy that targets specific neurons.
In 2017, researchers at Stanford demonstrated a technique for observing hundreds of neurons firing in the brain of a live mouse, in real time, and have linked that activity to long-term information storage.
By using a virus to trigger production of a light-sensitive protein in neurons linked to a fear, they could erase the memory by weakening the pathways using light.
[29][30] The measurement issue is compounded by the fact that memory processes are dynamic and may not always manifest in single locations or in static and easily identifiable changes detectable by current technologies.
Michael Davis, researcher at Emory University, argues that complete erasure can only be confidently concluded if all of the biological events that occurred when the memory was formed revert to their original status.
Davis contends that because making these measurements in a complex organism is implausible, the concept of complete memory erasure (what he deems "strong form of forgetting") is not useful scientifically.
Remembering and learning from past mistakes is crucial in the emotional development of a person and helps to ensure they do not repeat previous errors.
Some worry that if soldiers can go into battle knowing that the memories created during that time period can simply be erased they may not uphold military morale and standards.
Several works by Philip K. Dick are about memory erasure, including "Paycheck", "We Can Remember It for You Wholesale" (which served as the inspiration for Total Recall).