Interesting question asked at the end of this article? Can someone have too good a memory. Or are scientists just undoing part of the curse of the fall?
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http://www.thestar.com/News/article/200271

Unlocking a door to memory

McGill discovery of protein link offers hope to people with Alzheimer's
Apr 06, 2007 04:30 AM
Joseph Hall
Health reporter

In the high school English class staple Flowers for Algernon, a mentally challenged janitor attains intellectual genius after undergoing the same therapy that created a super-smart laboratory mouse.

Now, research out of Montreal's McGill University may offer something akin to the real-life version of the book, with a new rodent study that holds out the possibility for significantly improved memory storage in humans afflicted with ailments such as Alzheimer's disease.

"We are not going to be able to cure Alzheimer's itself," says McGill biochemist Mauro Costa-Mattioli, one of the paper's two lead authors. "But we hope that the memory impairment associated with Alzheimer's can be rescued ... (and) we can extend their memory."

The study will appear today in the journal Cell.

Costa-Mattioli says the McGill team is already seeking a chemical compound that would mimic the actions of a gene alteration they created in lab mice that vastly improved ability to store long-term memories.

"I am confident ... that this is an excellent candidate for (a memory) drug discovery."

The researchers mutated a gene in mice responsible for blocking memory storage. The same gene in humans may prevent brains from becoming overburdened with trivial information, Costa-Mattioli says.

For example, a vacation memory of a beautiful seascape would be great to treasure, "but you wouldn't (want to) be able to remember what time you had lunch the day (you saw it)."

The gene was altered in the McGill mice so that a critical protein product – known as eIF2a – would not accept the attachment of phosphate molecules.

By preventing this "phosphorylation," memory storage survived and long-term memory was enhanced.

During a water maze test, for example, the genetically altered mice could recall the location of a hidden platform with much less practice than the normal animals.

Translating this accelerated rodent learning into human terms would mean, for example, that a person might have to go through a textbook three or four times to learn the content.

"But for the (altered subject), if they go only once through, they will get it."

Costa-Mattioli says the genetic modifications done on mice can't be replicated on humans. But his team is searching for a synthetic molecule that would mimic the same phosphate blocking results on the human version of the eIF2a protein.

"Basically ... this protein is a bad guy. It's a memory repressor when (phosphate molecules are added)," Costa-Mattioli says. "When you decrease that ... you can have memory."

In this case, any medicinal compound would likely inactivate a chemical in the human brain that facilitates the addition of phosphates to the eIF2a protein.

Dr. Jack Diamond, scientific director of the Alzheimer Society of Canada, says the research could eventually lead to a memory drug.

"It is very interesting. Anything that you could manipulate memory by is of interest."

Both Diamond and Costa-Mattioli caution that any medication coming from the study is years away from human trials.

It would likely be targeted at people with organic memory problems associated with old age or Alzheimer's, and not for normally functioning people.

"There's an ethical issue," Costa-Mattioli says.

"People wonder how much (memory) is too much."

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Interesting question? Can someone have too good a memory. Or are scientists just undoing part of the curse of the fall?

I must be really cursed because my memory is shot...Now my husbands memory is exemplary...It's no plumbline...In fact...there are many things l'd rather forget.

But what a great temptation...To remember.

I try hard to search the pages of the past but just draw a blank...Yet my husband can remember where when and what road we turned on back in 1973..Go figure.

I think about the wisdom of Solomon...Maybe a gene to? Everything is God given. Right brain left brain. Each have their own specialties. We want both. We'll get it someday.

My preference would be to selectively turn on and turn off memory enhancement so as to save the memories that I would care for most.

But then again I think I'd end up like my e-mail inboxes and save everything

I do throw away the spam!

I personally think that the curse cannot be removed by medicine, only moved around Its called side effects.
C

That pill wouldn't work for me, because I would forget to take it...

QUOTE(Adonaicole @ Apr 6 2007, 11:56 AM) [snapback]108393[/snapback]

That pill wouldn't work for me, because I would forget to take it...

Yes Don I am right there with you!

Your Friend in Christ,
Val

Messiahisocming

I would love to have an excellent memory, but i'm not so sure about the ethical implications.

Haha. Very true.

Oh so true for me!

I suppose they cound invent a pill to remember not to forget to take them????

What was the original post about again?

QUOTE(ducktapehero @ Apr 9 2007, 05:25 PM) [snapback]108860[/snapback]

What was the original post about again?

You are crazy guy! I have missed your humor around here!



Your Friend in Christ,
Val

Messiahiscoming