imagine you could keep only one memory which one would it be your graduation
which one would it be your graduation
which one would it be your graduation day your wedding day or perhaps or some
day your wedding day or perhaps or some
day your wedding day or perhaps or some that one fine day when your favorite
that one fine day when your favorite
that one fine day when your favorite football team finally wins the league on
football team finally wins the league on
football team finally wins the league on the other hand if you could erase one
the other hand if you could erase one
the other hand if you could erase one memory which one would it be a bad
memory which one would it be a bad
memory which one would it be a bad breakup or some awfully embarrassing
breakup or some awfully embarrassing
breakup or some awfully embarrassing situation such as throwing up on your
situation such as throwing up on your
situation such as throwing up on your boyfriend after first meeting his
boyfriend after first meeting his
boyfriend after first meeting his parents for a dinner as in my case
well these and other memories define us
well these and other memories define us they give us sense of who we are in the
they give us sense of who we are in the
they give us sense of who we are in the world they give us our past as well as
world they give us our past as well as
world they give us our past as well as the future yet numerous neuropsychiatric
the future yet numerous neuropsychiatric
the future yet numerous neuropsychiatric disorders have been linked to some form
disorders have been linked to some form
disorders have been linked to some form of memory impairments such as amnesia
of memory impairments such as amnesia
of memory impairments such as amnesia Alzheimer’s disease schizophrenia
Alzheimer’s disease schizophrenia
Alzheimer’s disease schizophrenia depression post-traumatic stress
depression post-traumatic stress
depression post-traumatic stress disorder and many others it is therefore
disorder and many others it is therefore
disorder and many others it is therefore essential to study the ways in which we
essential to study the ways in which we
essential to study the ways in which we can improve these memory deficits
can improve these memory deficits
can improve these memory deficits associated with these conditions but can
associated with these conditions but can
associated with these conditions but can we can we somehow enhance the wanted
we can we somehow enhance the wanted
we can we somehow enhance the wanted memories and perhaps delete the ones we
memories and perhaps delete the ones we
memories and perhaps delete the ones we don’t actually want well in science
don’t actually want well in science
don’t actually want well in science fiction we can in the Matrix movie the
fiction we can in the Matrix movie the
fiction we can in the Matrix movie the main protagonist proclaimed I know
main protagonist proclaimed I know
main protagonist proclaimed I know cumaru after a brief session of a lot of
cumaru after a brief session of a lot of
cumaru after a brief session of a lot of uploading the martial art skills onto
uploading the martial art skills onto
uploading the martial art skills onto his brain in another movie Eternal
his brain in another movie Eternal
his brain in another movie Eternal Sunshine of the spotless mind the main
Sunshine of the spotless mind the main
Sunshine of the spotless mind the main protagonists decided to completely erase
protagonists decided to completely erase
protagonists decided to completely erase the memory of their ex-partner it is a
the memory of their ex-partner it is a
the memory of their ex-partner it is a very exciting idea to think that we will
very exciting idea to think that we will
very exciting idea to think that we will be able to manipulate our memories in
be able to manipulate our memories in
be able to manipulate our memories in the future in such a way but can we is
the future in such a way but can we is
the future in such a way but can we is our science as good can we as does the
our science as good can we as does the
our science as good can we as does the knowledge of our brain reach so far as
knowledge of our brain reach so far as
knowledge of our brain reach so far as to being able to identify a specific
to being able to identify a specific
to being able to identify a specific memory and then edited according to how
memory and then edited according to how
memory and then edited according to how we want it well
we want it well
we want it well some scientists including me believe
some scientists including me believe
some scientists including me believe that something as commonplace as sleep
that something as commonplace as sleep
that something as commonplace as sleep could be the key to enhancing our memory
could be the key to enhancing our memory
could be the key to enhancing our memory and that’s because sleep has been shown
and that’s because sleep has been shown
and that’s because sleep has been shown to play an important role in the
to play an important role in the
to play an important role in the consolidation or saving of our memories
consolidation or saving of our memories
consolidation or saving of our memories an especially slow wave sleep has been
an especially slow wave sleep has been
an especially slow wave sleep has been shown to play an important role in this
shown to play an important role in this
shown to play an important role in this process but before I move on to tell you
process but before I move on to tell you
process but before I move on to tell you more about slow-wave sleep and
more about slow-wave sleep and
more about slow-wave sleep and consolidation and how we can use these
consolidation and how we can use these
consolidation and how we can use these to enhance and change our memories
to enhance and change our memories
to enhance and change our memories I’ll just firstly tell you what we
I’ll just firstly tell you what we
I’ll just firstly tell you what we actually how we actually get information
actually how we actually get information
actually how we actually get information about our sleep we are interested in
about our sleep we are interested in
about our sleep we are interested in brain activity electrical brain activity
brain activity electrical brain activity
brain activity electrical brain activity and we study this we find out
and we study this we find out
and we study this we find out information about our brains activity by
information about our brains activity by
information about our brains activity by placing electrodes on our scalp as you
placing electrodes on our scalp as you
placing electrodes on our scalp as you can see me on the picture of Ed my work
can see me on the picture of Ed my work
can see me on the picture of Ed my work actually and brain activity during the
actually and brain activity during the
actually and brain activity during the sleep and during wake there are very two
sleep and during wake there are very two
sleep and during wake there are very two different things really in the waking
different things really in the waking
different things really in the waking State our brains are very active and the
State our brains are very active and the
State our brains are very active and the whole and the activity is kind of
whole and the activity is kind of
whole and the activity is kind of chaotic and all over the place but then
chaotic and all over the place but then
chaotic and all over the place but then during sleep everything just kind of
during sleep everything just kind of
during sleep everything just kind of slows down and the whole rein plays the
slows down and the whole rein plays the
slows down and the whole rein plays the same slow tune and during this slow wave
same slow tune and during this slow wave
same slow tune and during this slow wave sleep the consolidation happens and and
sleep the consolidation happens and and
sleep the consolidation happens and and the consolidation is important because
the consolidation is important because
the consolidation is important because it allows for transfer of memories from
it allows for transfer of memories from
it allows for transfer of memories from the short-term stores in the brain into
the short-term stores in the brain into
the short-term stores in the brain into the long-term stores of the brain and to
the long-term stores of the brain and to
the long-term stores of the brain and to better explain the process of the memory
better explain the process of the memory
better explain the process of the memory transfer from one area of the brain to
transfer from one area of the brain to
transfer from one area of the brain to another I’ll give you an example a
another I’ll give you an example a
another I’ll give you an example a metaphor sort of consider your post
metaphor sort of consider your post
metaphor sort of consider your post office in order for you to receive a
office in order for you to receive a
office in order for you to receive a letter from your post office the post
letter from your post office the post
letter from your post office the post will firstly temporarily hold your
will firstly temporarily hold your
will firstly temporarily hold your letter in some kind of temporary storage
letter in some kind of temporary storage
letter in some kind of temporary storage facility and in parallel in our brains
facility and in parallel in our brains
facility and in parallel in our brains this temporary storage facility is an
this temporary storage facility is an
this temporary storage facility is an area called hippocampus it’s a
area called hippocampus it’s a
area called hippocampus it’s a Tinie see your shape structure essential
Tinie see your shape structure essential
Tinie see your shape structure essential for the memory processes and their your
for the memory processes and their your
for the memory processes and their your letter is received selected and sent
letter is received selected and sent
letter is received selected and sent somewhere to your home address in the
somewhere to your home address in the
somewhere to your home address in the wider brain where the information is
wider brain where the information is
wider brain where the information is stored for long term use interestingly
stored for long term use interestingly
stored for long term use interestingly this process of memory transfer from one
this process of memory transfer from one
this process of memory transfer from one area to another it’s easier during your
area to another it’s easier during your
area to another it’s easier during your sleep there’s less traffic on the
sleep there’s less traffic on the
sleep there’s less traffic on the streets of your brain and the post
streets of your brain and the post
streets of your brain and the post office does not receive any new
office does not receive any new
office does not receive any new information in this time point and
information in this time point and
information in this time point and interestingly in the last 10 years or so
interestingly in the last 10 years or so
interestingly in the last 10 years or so researchers managed to actually tap onto
researchers managed to actually tap onto
researchers managed to actually tap onto this process of memory transfer from one
this process of memory transfer from one
this process of memory transfer from one area to another they were able to change
area to another they were able to change
area to another they were able to change the mode of transportation of this post
the mode of transportation of this post
the mode of transportation of this post from the regular mode and make it more
from the regular mode and make it more
from the regular mode and make it more into a Ferrari like process to make the
into a Ferrari like process to make the
into a Ferrari like process to make the process more efficient and they do this
process more efficient and they do this
process more efficient and they do this using several techniques such as
using several techniques such as
using several techniques such as acoustic stimulation or or factory
acoustic stimulation or or factory
acoustic stimulation or or factory stimulation and now let’s finish with
stimulation and now let’s finish with
stimulation and now let’s finish with the post office metaphor and I’ll tell
the post office metaphor and I’ll tell
the post office metaphor and I’ll tell you more about these two techniques my
you more about these two techniques my
you more about these two techniques my favorite part so first let’s start with
favorite part so first let’s start with
favorite part so first let’s start with the first one olfactory stimulation just
the first one olfactory stimulation just
the first one olfactory stimulation just imagine you are visiting the sleep
imagine you are visiting the sleep
imagine you are visiting the sleep laboratory for an experiment as a
laboratory for an experiment as a
laboratory for an experiment as a volunteer the researcher will give you a
volunteer the researcher will give you a
volunteer the researcher will give you a task testing our memory such as Lister
task testing our memory such as Lister
task testing our memory such as Lister you’ll have to memorize a list of words
you’ll have to memorize a list of words
you’ll have to memorize a list of words and after during then during some parts
and after during then during some parts
and after during then during some parts of the task during some trials you will
of the task during some trials you will
of the task during some trials you will be presented with a certain fragrance
be presented with a certain fragrance
be presented with a certain fragrance such as smell of rose and after you’re
such as smell of rose and after you’re
such as smell of rose and after you’re finished with this learning part you’re
finished with this learning part you’re
finished with this learning part you’re just loved to go to bed and sleep and
just loved to go to bed and sleep and
just loved to go to bed and sleep and then at some point during the night
then at some point during the night
then at some point during the night you’ll be presented with the same smell
you’ll be presented with the same smell
you’ll be presented with the same smell again and this effectively causes your
again and this effectively causes your
again and this effectively causes your brain to react in a way which replace
brain to react in a way which replace
brain to react in a way which replace the same activation patterns which it
the same activation patterns which it
the same activation patterns which it had during the previous learning session
had during the previous learning session
had during the previous learning session and in the morning you’re more likely to
and in the morning you’re more likely to
and in the morning you’re more likely to remember more information than if the
remember more information than if the
remember more information than if the if the smell was not presented to you at
if the smell was not presented to you at
if the smell was not presented to you at night and this type of technique is
night and this type of technique is
night and this type of technique is termed as targeted memory reactivation
termed as targeted memory reactivation
termed as targeted memory reactivation because your memories are artificially
because your memories are artificially
because your memories are artificially reactivated by these cues or factory
reactivated by these cues or factory
reactivated by these cues or factory cues during the night and the second
cues during the night and the second
cues during the night and the second type of technique works very very much
type of technique works very very much
type of technique works very very much on the same principle except now the
on the same principle except now the
on the same principle except now the olfactory cues are substituted with the
olfactory cues are substituted with the
olfactory cues are substituted with the sound cues such as this one and in more
sound cues such as this one and in more
sound cues such as this one and in more recent years scientists advanced this
recent years scientists advanced this
recent years scientists advanced this technique even further and they show
technique even further and they show
technique even further and they show that we actually don’t need to use any
that we actually don’t need to use any
that we actually don’t need to use any cues during the learning part it’s
cues during the learning part it’s
cues during the learning part it’s enough if we use cues such as this one
in exactly two moments of the slow-wave
in exactly two moments of the slow-wave sleep and if we do this effectively this
sleep and if we do this effectively this
sleep and if we do this effectively this causes your brainwaves to be more
causes your brainwaves to be more
causes your brainwaves to be more efficient again and overall in the
efficient again and overall in the
efficient again and overall in the morning you’re more likely to remember
morning you’re more likely to remember
morning you’re more likely to remember about 10% more information and
about 10% more information and
about 10% more information and interestingly this was shown to work
interestingly this was shown to work
interestingly this was shown to work even in older population where people
even in older population where people
even in older population where people are more likely to remember about 26%
are more likely to remember about 26%
are more likely to remember about 26% more words then if the sons were not
more words then if the sons were not
more words then if the sons were not presented to them this is very
presented to them this is very
presented to them this is very encouraging news because many of us will
encouraging news because many of us will
encouraging news because many of us will experience some form of memory loss as
experience some form of memory loss as
experience some form of memory loss as we age and so this form of sleeping
we age and so this form of sleeping
we age and so this form of sleeping therapy might be just what our brains
therapy might be just what our brains
therapy might be just what our brains need to keep those memories alive so
need to keep those memories alive so
need to keep those memories alive so this acoustic stimulation and olfactory
this acoustic stimulation and olfactory
this acoustic stimulation and olfactory stimulation they work on our memories in
stimulation they work on our memories in
stimulation they work on our memories in general they enhance our memory in
general they enhance our memory in
general they enhance our memory in general and actually we’re still quite
general and actually we’re still quite
general and actually we’re still quite far from being able to identify a
far from being able to identify a
far from being able to identify a specific memory in our brain and then be
specific memory in our brain and then be
specific memory in our brain and then be able to edit it and part of the problem
able to edit it and part of the problem
able to edit it and part of the problem is that we actually don’t know where
is that we actually don’t know where
is that we actually don’t know where these memories are localized exactly
these memories are localized exactly
these memories are localized exactly they are probably distributed across the
they are probably distributed across the
they are probably distributed across the whole brain but in animal research we
whole brain but in animal research we
whole brain but in animal research we see some advances already for example in
see some advances already for example in
see some advances already for example in genetically modified mice
genetically modified mice
genetically modified mice using light beam researchers were able
using light beam researchers were able
using light beam researchers were able to effectively turn on and off a mouse’s
to effectively turn on and off a mouse’s
to effectively turn on and off a mouse’s fear memory at their will and of course
fear memory at their will and of course
fear memory at their will and of course this research is valuable and intriguing
this research is valuable and intriguing
this research is valuable and intriguing but we cannot directly apply it to
but we cannot directly apply it to
but we cannot directly apply it to humans it would be kind of difficult to
humans it would be kind of difficult to
humans it would be kind of difficult to genetically modify them and then change
genetically modify them and then change
genetically modify them and then change their memories so we will have to come
their memories so we will have to come
their memories so we will have to come up with new and different techniques of
up with new and different techniques of
up with new and different techniques of how we can actually attain this but even
how we can actually attain this but even
how we can actually attain this but even if we reach this goal and I able to
if we reach this goal and I able to
if we reach this goal and I able to select that one memory which we want to
select that one memory which we want to
select that one memory which we want to raise or improve should we try to do it
when I put my researcher side away for a
when I put my researcher side away for a moment I must I must admit that I’m
moment I must I must admit that I’m
moment I must I must admit that I’m actually a little afraid of this
actually a little afraid of this
actually a little afraid of this technology because inevitably it brings
technology because inevitably it brings
technology because inevitably it brings important ethical considerations as we
important ethical considerations as we
important ethical considerations as we humans are very good at misusing the
humans are very good at misusing the
humans are very good at misusing the potential of new technologies should we
potential of new technologies should we
potential of new technologies should we even try to attain it and a good example
even try to attain it and a good example
even try to attain it and a good example of how the memory manipulation
of how the memory manipulation
of how the memory manipulation technology can be misused was shown in
technology can be misused was shown in
technology can be misused was shown in another movie in Total Recall there the
another movie in Total Recall there the
another movie in Total Recall there the protagonist had his memory completely
protagonist had his memory completely
protagonist had his memory completely replaced was given a new name but the
replaced was given a new name but the
replaced was given a new name but the changes in his memory that took total
changes in his memory that took total
changes in his memory that took total confusion of himself in the end he
confusion of himself in the end he
confusion of himself in the end he simply did not know who he was so does
simply did not know who he was so does
simply did not know who he was so does that mean that we should give up on this
that mean that we should give up on this
that mean that we should give up on this technology completely well I don’t think
technology completely well I don’t think
technology completely well I don’t think so
so
so despite the possible risks I still
despite the possible risks I still
despite the possible risks I still believe that the benefits may outweigh
believe that the benefits may outweigh
believe that the benefits may outweigh the costs especially if we can create a
the costs especially if we can create a
the costs especially if we can create a set of clear ethical boundaries of this
set of clear ethical boundaries of this
set of clear ethical boundaries of this technology I envision a future where
technology I envision a future where
technology I envision a future where you’ll be may able to make an
you’ll be may able to make an
you’ll be may able to make an appointment at sleep and memory clinic
appointment at sleep and memory clinic
appointment at sleep and memory clinic and for example if you might decide
and for example if you might decide
and for example if you might decide never to forget a face of a deceased
never to forget a face of a deceased
never to forget a face of a deceased loved one if you are a war veteran or a
loved one if you are a war veteran or a
loved one if you are a war veteran or a rape victim you might decide to forget
rape victim you might decide to forget
rape victim you might decide to forget your horrible experience
your horrible experience
your horrible experience and erase the trauma completely or if
and erase the trauma completely or if
and erase the trauma completely or if you are recently diagnosed with
you are recently diagnosed with
you are recently diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease you may wish to
Alzheimer’s disease you may wish to
Alzheimer’s disease you may wish to update your memories repeatedly to delay
update your memories repeatedly to delay
update your memories repeatedly to delay the progression of the disorder in order
the progression of the disorder in order
the progression of the disorder in order to keep your past to keep yourself so
to keep your past to keep yourself so
to keep your past to keep yourself so the goal of this talk was to introduce
the goal of this talk was to introduce
the goal of this talk was to introduce you to the idea that science is slowly
you to the idea that science is slowly
you to the idea that science is slowly converging with science fiction India in
converging with science fiction India in
converging with science fiction India in the area of manipulate memory
the area of manipulate memory
the area of manipulate memory manipulations and I sincerely hope that
manipulations and I sincerely hope that
manipulations and I sincerely hope that our signs will eventually catch up with
our signs will eventually catch up with
our signs will eventually catch up with science fiction and that our lives and
science fiction and that our lives and
science fiction and that our lives and memories will be improved by our
memories will be improved by our
memories will be improved by our favorite thing sleep
”
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