Psychologists find repeatable way to unlock fears without drugs
This looks like an important discovery in psychology:
In an exciting breakthrough for psychological science, researchers in the United States have demonstrated a drug-free way to prevent the return of a learned fear. Similar memory modification effects have been observed before, but these experiments have involved drugs such as the beta-blocker propranolol. It's hoped the new drug-free procedure will lead to improved therapeutic techniques for people with phobias or intrusive traumatic memories.
Basically, there is a very high success rate for "unlearning" a fear if the fear is recalled 10 minutes prior to a training session in which the fear stimulus does not result in the feared outcome. The amygdala essentially allows feelings surrounding the trauma to be forgotten even though the memory of the experience persists.
-- Duane
