How to manually change a memory: Steve Ramirez and Xu Liu at TEDxBoston

Steve Ramirez and Xu Liu shoot laser beams into the brains of living mice to activate and manipulate their memories. In a funny and -- perhaps -- unnerving talk from TEDxBoston, they explain the fundamental principles behind their experiments and broach the big questions that future advancements in this line of research may force us to answer.
When we close our eyes and think back to our childhood, to our first kiss, or to this morning's breakfast, our brains perform the remarkable task of mental time travel and thereby enrich our lives with memories. How does neural machinery give rise to something as seemingly ephemeral as memory? Recently, Hollywood inspired our imaginations by proposing that memories could be artificially triggered (think Total Recall), erased (think Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind), or even implanted (think Inception). Now, neuroscience has plucked these ideas from the tree of science fiction and grounded them in experimental reality. The catch: our subjects are the movie stars of the laboratory setting--rodents. This talk will introduce how revolutionary techniques from our lab have made it possible to isolate and manipulate specific memories at the level of single brain cells with just flickers of light, as well as the societal ramifications of doing so.
About TEDx
In the spirit of ideas worth spreading, TEDx is a program of local, self-organized events that bring people together to share a TED-like experience. At a TEDx event, TEDTalks video and live speakers combine to spark deep discussion and connection in a small group. These local, self-organized events are branded TEDx, where x = independently organized TED event. The TED Conference provides general guidance for the TEDx program, but individual TEDx events are self-organized.* (*Subject to certain rules and regulations)

[@melaniecascante6177]

Amazing presentation! I do believe this is what people that work with hypnosis therapy do. Maybe not changing the memory itself but changing your perception on a particular memory so you can process it emotionally and live with it differently in a positive way. I'd love to read more comments on this, it's really exciting!

[@jasonmatten2544]

This is incredible. Obviously this technology could be developed for more precise and extensive changes in memory, but in regard to their initial ideas of creating false memories (11:04), there are far simpler ways. Elizabeth Loftus (2003) identified methods that don't need viruses or lasers, just the use of consistent misinformation that cues inaccurate memory retrieval and encoding. Cognitive Psychology methods can reprogram an individual to believe and remember differently.

[@speedygonzales4707]

Great presentation and awesome content. these guys totally nailed it.

[@5crownsoutreach]

Who are the 7 people that "don't like" this? Geez. These guys know what they're doing and have done a great job presenting it.

[@t0XicC0des]

They r jealous koz they've not got brain cells. :D

[@asilusx24]

t0XicC0des Not got brain cells? Wtf?

[@asilusx24]

Im sure they don't like the topic.

[@kibz39]

I can understand why people wouldn't like this video. Even though the presenters were great, the topic is very controversial. Honestly this is not "ok" with me, and I don't think it is right to do; however I think that their progress is amazing and the work is very sophisticated and can go a lot further. It's interesting but I get a horribly sick feeling in my stomach as I watch this. So like I said I can understand why people wouldn't like it

[@ZenDou]

I'm guessing the "sick feeling" in your stomach doesn't have anything to do with the moral questions of how it's used, does it? Seeking knowledge and understanding (without harming subjects, of course) is paramount. It's irrational to fear progress and knowledge. However, we do need to be mindful about how the knowledge and power is wielded.

[@shineon7641]

Hi there Steve and Xu. Thank you both so much for sharing this information with all of us out here. Your topics are of particular interest to me, as I am trying to solve problems that I have in my own Brain related to Memory and am desperately trying to find a "Work Around" and/or Solution to these issues?! I have been diagnosed with "Frontotemporal Dementia" and my memory, the amount of "Working or Short Term Memory" that I have to work with is really bad and getting worse. I was wondering if we, Humanity, were far enough along to know whether both our "Conscious Memory" and our "Subconscious Memory" reside in the same Physical space in the Brain? Now, if they are NOT held in the same physical space, then my next question would be: Would it be possible, say through Hypnosis or ??? to train my brain to Use my "Subconscious Memory" as if it were "Conscious Memory? I'm just hoping that perhaps one portion of my Brain, used for different types of memory, might be less Damaged / Affected, and maybe I could use some undamaged part of my brain as if it were "Conscious Memory? Anyway, I'm grabbing at straws here, but I've got nothing else to brab onto, if you know what I mean? I hope I made some sort of sense here and Thank You for any and all assistance. Keep Smiling...

[@ilikehumans1096]

I have OCD that has been making me miserable and anxious all my life. I hope this technology works to stop my re-occurring thoughts.

[@PartyCatDisco]

Look at the website Coherencetherapy(dot)org. They said they have successfully cured it using this exact process. (minus light)

[@sanjidasunbi3156]

@@PartyCatDisco can you please tell me more?I have been researching for months i wanna forget things if it takes all my memory I am willing to

[@milkboysg4595]

not only for ocd,it also can use for ptsd,depression and substance abuse.this can be a very promising future for mental illness patient

[@yahwehskingdom4077]

People dont understand this how are brains are

[@arpitpandey9389]

@@sanjidasunbi3156 bro really the future time to be erase your tromatic memories can i talk to you bro how it is possible

[@jbilotta]

Fascinating. I can only imagine how provocative it would be to tailor all memories to be positive, yet though experience good/bad is where our personal development blooms (emotional intelligence). I think this technology could be beneficial to those who suffer serious trauma yet where is the proverbial line in the sand/ethics, etc.

[@MaxLohMusic]

QUESTION: Are they really "stimulating a memory", or are they just "stimulating the cells that comprised the experience of the shock", thereby simulating an electric shock in real time? Seems to me more like the latter, but maybe they are essentially the same?

[@upplsuckimcool16]

this was what I wondered.... the hippacampus is not onyl used for memory is it?

[@bikerusl]

***** I had some doubts about their methods as well. But all the insults you are writing detract from that point.

[@ugotabeeonurhed]

***** Even if it is not the case they still need further funding to find out the truth. Regardless of me defending them I don't like diving into this part of science. It is like finding out how to make an atomic/nuclear bomb.. not the greatest thing science has done for humanity.

[@iteachpsychology]

the modifying memory part seems to be just a case of conditioning. from blue to red with charge and then sending back to the blue box, it's association.. it doesnt mean the mice has false memory of the blue box.

[@namename8207]

I went to this video cuz I wanted to know how they will tell you that changing your memories is a good thing.

[@synsam12345]

This is awesome! I really enjoyed this video, and it made me think about the possibilities of the future!

[@snootsnooterton2089]

WOW!!! I was so surprised at just how underwhelmed the audience was. These guys are incredible.

[@rayaqin]

I would have liked to see if the mouse reacted the same way to the laser beams on it's head when no brain cells are marked. Because to a mouse that headgear lighting up is scary in itself imo.

[@user-sl6gn1ss8p]

I think there was a control group for that

[@Zeno-Sama0111]

I came here after reading Blake Crouch's Recursion.

[@judojustim]

OUR MINDS CAN FIGHT BACK!!!!

[@LynxVita]

What makes them belive it's an actual memory and not just the sensation of fear?

[@Parralyzed]

+LynxVita My guess would be that brain cells, responsible for memory formation of the relevant kind were targeted, rather than, fear inducing cells of, say, the amygdala

[@MrWongWey]

Because they are neuroscientists?

[@e.t.464]

Mr. Asian sensation up there rocking his asian style english. Gotta love it.

[@zes7215]

no such thing as x style eng x or gottax or not, except u, speak, can speak any by any nmw and any can be perfx

[@coco-bz3kp]

He’s so cute

[@vmwindustries]

Old age memory loss is your keywords for funding

[@MaxLohMusic]

How safe is this technology for human trials? I want to participate. We'd get so much more information from human trials because a mouse can only freeze or do mousey things whereas a human can say "I was able to relive the memory a bit, but the sound was distorted and the red coat was actually black for some reason"

[@jamieshelley6079]

Most humans can only do mousy things :3

[@user-sl6gn1ss8p]

as far as I know these mice are genetically engineered

[@bharatnagalia5255]

harold and kumar !! :P

[@NoDrizzyBBL]

Har har har

[@slushtech6669]

I think we should look at the good in what this can do. Smoking is the brains need for nicotine, the brain craves it once you start smoking long enough. So a memory must be connected to this, take the memory section of the brain of a none smoker and let them smoke a cigarette, at first this will have a negative memory attached to it. Take this memory and use it to replace the memory of someone who smokes and the brain switches off the need to want to smoke. Use this for many addictions.

[@junitafitnessjourney8927]

May I be the test subject?

[@Marie-rs1lu]

That naturally happens after some time, when it's not fresh anymore and replaced by better memory. No desire for closure or revenge helps.

[@pauloteixeira763]

the only thing that i don´t like in this is the fact of using animals. I don´t care if it is only a mouse. It´s a living being. I don´t know about this experiment in particular but alot of them are painfull to the animals.

[@GHOST8799]

This is so awesome

[@digital1ministry911]

Yeah....... I dunno guys.... I'm from Missouri, and you 're gonna have to provide A LOT more than just your little video clip to get me to believe that you've actually been able to pinpoint a specific memory in that rodent! That light trigger may have caused that mouse to freeze, but you may have simply frightened him... moreover, how do you determine exactly how many engramic impressions that mouse has in his lifetime?? Let's say you actually DID trigger a "fear memory" as you say... How can you PROVE that it was the specific "fear memory" associated with the previous box??? I think you'd better go back to your question; "did that just work"?? You're not being very honest with yourselves if you are taking the observation of "freezing" as unequivocal proof that you've succeeded in targeting a specific memory here... Sorry, you get a D- (dee minus) for your science fair project, and your jumping to conclusions without having any real factual basis...

[@StoneOfThor]

I don't quite understand. Doesn't their experiment just prove that if you zap a mouse with a laser beam, it hurts?

[@akhiy5384]

I have PTSD .can I benefit from this .im asking cause there is no update about it

[@luisaodograndao3590]

Is there a possibility that there could exist a psychospritual or alternate memory that is now exactly physically present, or memories from previous or future lives, etc etc etc...

[@samlee443]

10 years , and no any new researchs , so sad

[@MyFirstBandOfficial]

this will be an amazingly great thing for humanity. Awe, the human brain is a fallible machine, that we are everyday getting closer and closer to fixing.

[@junitafitnessjourney8927]

How can you improve my memory, need to now please

[@oliviajames4129]

Reminds me of the movie Vanilla Sky.

[@StargazingTwilan]

Dude this is the fucking end of humanity

[@Noonstance]

It's pretty weird how blithely they talk about screwing with the fundimentals corner stones of morality. I suspect their notion of morality simply doesn't detect this as any kind of threat. Perhaps they could go modify that...

[@junitafitnessjourney8927]

Hey I am currently studying to become a Radiation and Protection Monitor and never had any science on school and I need to remember nuclides, processes in detail,alpha beta,wave length, equations, graphs and how to draw them,maths and formulas.How in the world will I ever remember all of it ever,can you help

[@grandpaobvious]

The only way I know is to make up your own problems using the information you are trying to learn, and solve them.

[@ftffighter]

Human experimental trial patent right here!!!!

[@carinnecaraceni1818]

Wicked fascinoma, in other words..... awesome

[@digital111x]

This.Is.Amazing.

[@violetrain1869]

Creating technology for mind control....... thanks geniuses.

[@meghangrine4962]

Casual,not casual... My bad

[@rudrapandey7192]

@@meghangrine4962 lmao

[@alokprakash6492]

Memory Editor! Cool technology!

[@underconstruct2024]

He just shook her hand, in front of me.

[@LoesungFeuer5]

Könnte man die Erinnerungen von Menschen mit PTBS abschalten so das sie wieder gesund wären? Would it be possible to cure PTSD on that way?

[@CaptBobAbbott]

+LoesungFeuer5 As a disabled vet with PTSD, I am very very intrigued by the answer to this question.

[@harmony3395]

Governments and the military may already know this!

[@bringdetroitback]

I think like something that is harmful to the body can be surgical removed...its peolle who have had tramatic events who cant function or e joy life because of tramatic events....i understand some people, these thoughts make the person....butnif i could keep the things i learned then i would be up for this

[@morlanius]

so basically the setup for this is merely the ability to introduce a compound to the body at the right time ... easy enough .. and light triggering it, well .. microwaves, x-rays etc are all also light ... this is dangerous stuff.

[@bikerusl]

How do they know shooting a laser into your brain doesn't cause you to freeze because - you are getting a laser shot in your brain? Doesn't seem like very good evidence for a memory. A memory is something you don't forget. Like the solution to a maze. A fear response from a memory or a fear response from brain lasers? Seems like a very bad proof. I suppose if these guys have legitimate awards there must be more to it. Erasing a fear "memory" would be a more logical proof of concept.

[@CaptBobAbbott]

+bikerusl Around 14:20 they discuss doing just that, converting a fear memory into a pleasure memory. And as these guys are real scientists and not just Internet ones, they likely had to have a control group in the very beginning to prove that shooting a laser into the brain did not jack up the mice.

[@meryemmery4510]

what about alzheimer and memory loss ( some memories ) so losing memory or some memories really exist

[@bikerusl]

+pntrbob I would say he mentions, rather than discusses, that idea. I feel quite skeptical about this presentation. I don't think we get real science on the Internet in videos like this - nor from newsmedia reports of a certain study. I'm not sure what a "real scientist" is but real science is rarely so sensational or definite in it's conclusions. You could well say I'm just youtube commentator and my skepticism lacks rigour. Guilty as charged. Still, on this sensational unmoderated, unqualified venue, I've a right to call BS on something that really offers very little qualification or proof - and even the underlying concept is pretty hard to support logically. People made all sorts of fantastic "scientific" claims about electrodes in the brain many decades ago. Turns out a lot of that was doing damage and unethical. Some was real advancement in understanding but a LOT less than sometimes claimed. SSRIs - the famous mood altering drugs, have a Sciency sounding acronym "Selective Seratonin Reuptake Inhibitors" however that term is a marketing term really. We don't actually know how it works. We certainly don't understand it as selective - but that sure makes it sound like we know. In the real world doctors ask patients to try these drugs out and see how they feel. They don't know why it works for one person and not another. Brains are very complicated. I doubt lasers are all that more refined than the wires inserted years ago. I'm glad there are ethical standards that limit most of this to small mammals instead of people. Our ethical standards are a more sure sign of human progress, in my opinion. (And you can take that how you may - maybe it's a pretty small advance) I get frustrated by the hype about utopian technology in forums like this. We should all just sit back and consume, our benevolent owners will "innovate" a happy future without any more need for the dirtiness of democracy. Apologies for the fatalism.

[@garrethbyrne374]

bikerusl read their paper "Optogenetic stimulation of a hippocampal engram activates fear memory recall" published in the most prestigious journal in the world and you will realise the truly robust experimentation that has gone into demonstrating these phenomena.

[@j0hnd0e13]

In a way, isn't this just a more scientific and neurological view of preconditioning? It does explains the biological part behind this, but I feel like this idea already exists in the field of psychology

[@LifeForUndead]

Hmmm another answer I was looking for. WHY YOU NO COME SOONER!!!

[@upplsuckimcool16]

There are more humane ways than shocking the feet I think... like color coded mouse mazes?

[@TheseEyesGod]

upplsuckimcool16 I quite agree with you. Kinda freaks me out that these guys are so calm & cool without a care in the world while creating *real misery* for these little guys. Nasty, just heartless - & thoughtless.

[@gorkyd7912]

It has to be a clearly measurable response that's repeatable in any individual. Mice individuals may not all respond to color coded mazes the same way.

[@drhenner]

Am I the only person that thinks this is just as scary as it is cool? Applying this to things like Alzheimer's disease or dementia is great. But changing bad memories / good memories is not good. Although bad memories seem bad they are NOT bad! They are good. They help us react wisely to REAL situations rather than reacting to a false memory.

[@meryemmery4510]

no they are not good . especially if you suffer from phobias and trauma it's terrible

[@richnin]

anytime i see something like this I can't help but think about Deus Ex: Human Revolution... it scares the shmish outta me... but of course all the POSITIVE applications are promising... when he says "we can potentially remove unwanted memories" I automatically thought --- yeah, a person can remove unwanted memories of their own or somebody's memories unwanted by another person" ::GASP::

[@goshapopov3393]

What if the mice aren't "imagining" their experience in the other box but the same emotions?

[@asilusx24]

They really have no idea if it worked or if the light interrupted another part of the mouses brain rendering it static like it was. I don't understand why they where so sure.

[@hodanfarah8682]

exactly , the didn't run to the corner

[@upplsuckimcool16]

I'm sure they didn't present the entire study... if othat is all they did then it would never have been reviewed by anyone. there has to be a control group and two test groups.

[@ellerylittlefield6143]

Terrifying darkside...

[@kristophernewcomb]

Zap a mouse brain and the mouse freezes. Huh.

[@hodanfarah8682]

they will probably receive offers from military?to do..............

[@halil232j]

is it possible that the mice are scared of the light?

[@MrTolly]

No, the mice do not physically "see" the light. You can kind of imagine it like somebody shining a torch to the back of your head - you'll have no idea it's there. The light penetrates the brain and activates the rhodopsin channels (originating from algae or something similar) which were artificially placed on the neuron by the virus they mentioned. This channel essentially lets sodium into the cell whenever it senses light. Sodium entering the channel mimicks an action potential (a brain signal firing).

[@Kre8or333]

Am I the only one who has no sound on this vid? Other ones work fine, this one... nothing

[@Animation445]

ya me to : (

[@sheeva1118]

ethical ramifications of mind control... didn't we see this coming and has been in so many movies and even cartoons

[@mbforex]

It contains a massive error. The perception is or to say different is that they transferred memory. What if what they transferred is a chemical reaction which can exist independent from what we call memory. Or are you all saying that when I transfer a memory the Mouse can now eat with a spoon and fork or reflect on memory itself ???? This world is the world were packing is sold the goal is quite obvious if you can see it. One thing is for sure ..he is trying to make sure he does not get dumped again by a girl friend. I guess he is planing to get a clone and inject her memory of the good times and relive it every day. But that is trying to play GOD and you already wrong in what you believe you have transferred in the first place. WOE WOE WOE. Even a dog builds saliva when you train him with a bell when feeding him. They are playing with the shadow believing they are playing with the light which makes the shadow.

[@rdonoian]

10:32 Eliot

[@RADHRADHU]

yes it all depends of triggering agents...when one can do on his own...yes that is what the indian rishis talk about mind control...sure if science is going to make it possible for everyone...god bless him....it is going tobe a crazy world...

[@SteamPunkPhysics]

Aliens could benefit from this research. Apparently they haven't quite mastered the delete yet...

[@est.019gz7]

You you could program someone subliminaly and then turn on the behavior you programmed into them?

[@griggiorouge]

just like the videogame remember me

[@xyze97]

Love this talk, very entertain the way that they presented themselves. About the subject I cannot opine on it because I don't have any knowledge about it.

[@synsam12345]

The laser beam didn't hurt the mouse.

[@tsjepe420]

won't take long before this project falls into gouverment hands and corrupt this beautifull project

[@maphewU6]

I volunteer to donate my body and mind to science

[@skullpirate360]

I feel sorry for the asian guy, he seems really nervous.

[@Rodrigo-ge5wy]

They both seem asian...

[@meryemmery4510]

amazing i want to forget my phobia :( :( :(

[@martby126]

try hypnosis and EMDR

[@jautrsezis]

creepy

[@quadrivium333]

Good content but their attempts at humor are horrible.

[@Black8White]

This is a horrible waste of human resources, nothing good can come from this research.

[@skylerlandale1437]

I hate inhumane animal experiments. this is gross.

[@meryemmery4510]

lol !! then dont take meds

[@lawrencesibusiso741]

funny Chinese guy.

[@lawrencesibusiso741]

what do you mean 'was'?

[@Parralyzed]

+Arun Thomas That's so sad

[@zes7215]

lol, no such thing as f or unf about it, idiotic sht, just u r unfunny

[@pauloteixeira763]

And controlling our memories isn´t a bit creepy... like mind control? I don´t care how smart this looks... it´s morals or ethics are questionable. The worst TED i´ve saw.