JCEM：科学家发现抑制不良记忆药物

2011-06-13 15:11 · wind

摘要：加拿大蒙特利尔大学人类压力研究中心的科学科研人员最新研究发现，甲吡酮——一种改变人体内可的现抑松水平的药物，可以有效抑制人类陈旧的良记不良记忆达若干天或者更长时间，同时不对其它良性记忆产生任何影响。忆药科学家们以前只知道，科学可的现抑松这种人体内的应激激素可以影响新记忆的形成和缓解不良情绪，但记忆

摘要：加拿大蒙特利尔大学人类压力研究中心的良记科研人员最新研究发现，甲吡酮——一种改变人体内可的忆药松水平的药物，可以有效抑制人类陈旧的科学不良记忆达若干天或者更长时间，同时不对其它良性记忆产生任何影响。现抑科学家们以前只知道，良记可的忆药松这种人体内的应激激素可以影响新记忆的形成和缓解不良情绪，但记忆一旦形成则不再发挥作用。科学

该研究项目的现抑主管，Marie-France Marin博士说，良记这个发现让医务工作者对于记忆施加更多人为影响，使创伤后压力失调综合症（PTSD）患者将来得到治愈成为可能。

PTSD是人在躯体受到伤害（比如参加过战争的士兵、受到性侵害的人等）后产生的一种严重心理疾患，症状包括焦虑、抑郁、做恶梦，严重的甚至导致自残或者自杀。目前临床上用于治疗PTSD的主要方法包括心理辅导，或者服用抗抑郁、抗精神病、β-阻体一类的药物。

相关研究发表在《临床内分泌学与代谢期刊》（Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism）上。

生物探索推荐英文原文摘要：

Metyrapone Administration Reduces the Strength of an Emotional Memory Trace in a Long-Lasting Manner

Abstract

Context:It has recently been demonstrated that the process of memory retrieval serves as a reactivation mechanism whereby the memory trace that is reactivated during retrieval is once again sensitive to modifications by environmental or pharmacological manipulations. Recent studies have shown that glucocorticoids (GCs) have the capacity to modulate the process of memory retrieval. This suggests that GCs could be an interesting avenue to investigate with regard to reduction of emotional memory.

Objective: The current study assessed whether a pharmacological decrease in GC levels, induced by metyrapone, a potent inhibitor of GC secretion, would affect retrieval of emotional and neutral information in an acute and/or long-lasting manner.

Design, Setting, Participants, and Intervention:To do so, 1× 750 mg dose of metyrapone, 2× 750 mg dose of metyrapone, or placebo was administered to young normal participants 3 d after the encoding of a slide show having neutral and emotional segments. The experiment took place in a university and a hospital setting.

Main Outcome Measure: Memory performance was assessed after treatment and 4 d later.

Results: Results showed that retrieval of emotional information was acutely impaired in the double-dose metyrapone group and that this effect was still present 4 d later, when GC levels were not different between groups.

Conclusions: These results show that decreasing GC levels via metyrapone administration is an efficient way to reduce the strength of an emotional memory in a long-lasting manner.