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Would You Erase a Painful Memory, if You Could?

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On the left is a professional headshot of a hispanic man who is smiling, has short dark hair, and is wearing black glasses. On the right is an image of the front of a book titled "How to Change a Memory."
(photo credit: Janice Checchio)

Airdate: Monday, December 8 at 10 AM

In groundbreaking experiments with mice, Boston University neuroscientist Steve Ramirez has succeeded in turning memories on and off, even implanting new ones. He says that someday we’ll be able to do the same in humans. But should we? We talk to Ramirez about the ethical dilemma and the personal experience that caused him to consider erasing his own memory. His new book is “How to Change a Memory: One Neuroscientist’s Quest to Alter the Past.”

Guests:

Steve Ramirez, Associate Professor of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Boston University

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