Lost Memories Retrieved by Light

Memory recall has been made possible via the illumination of neurons in the human brain.

It was previously thought that memory loss, which is the normal result in afflictions such as amnesia, was permanent and could not be reversed. The reason was that those parts of the brain that held the memories stored within their depths were in such a bad state of disrepair that they could not lend the thought centers of the brain access to those memories. 

But now this theory has been trashed. By shedding light on the particular brain cells or neurons, these memories can be accessed. The procedure is termed optogenetics and it has been employed with a lot of success in mice. Thus it seems that even if the parts of the brain holding the STM (short term memory) and LTM (long term memory) are damaged, not all is lost.

Those treasured memories that make life worth living can be recovered and retrieved. While in the past it was thought that memory was all about databases in the brain, now it appears to be the case that memory loss is just a retrieval glitch. This finding holds revolutionary implications for the future.   

Whether it is amnesia due to a traumatic blow to the head or Alzheimers due to the prions in the brain, the light at the end of the tunnel has been seen. Since now we know that nerve damage and not storage issues are at stake, memory loss /4/be treatable in the days that lie ahead.

The re-connection of the nerve endings and links via optogenetics is the wave of the future. It will indeed be a godsend for the as-yet incurable group of diseases that include within their purview: dementia, amnesia and Alzheimers. Science has once again proved that it comes to the rescue of humanity in the nick of time.  

The study published in the Science magazine.