To test the effectiveness of the drug, researchers created bad memories by giving mice electric shocks while a loud noise was played. Over time, the creatures learned to associate the sound with the shock, and hearing the noise alone was enough to make them freeze. But when they were given a drug called brain-derived neurotrophic factor, or BDNF, they lost their fear.
為了測試此種藥物的效果,研究人員制造噪音,同時電擊小白鼠,以此制造小白鼠的“痛苦記憶”。一段時間后,光是聽到噪音就足以讓這些小動物們害怕到“僵住”。但是當給他們使用一種含有腦源性神經營養(yǎng)因子的藥物后,恐懼消失了。
BDNF is naturally produced in the brain, and experiments showed that rats with a shortage of the compound struggled to overwrite bad memories. Failure to overwrite fear is thought to contribute to many psychological problems.
據(jù)了解,腦源性神經營養(yǎng)因子是大腦產生的一種物質,實驗表明缺乏這種物質的小白鼠很難消除“痛苦回憶”。而不能消除痛苦則會導致許多心理疾病。