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A DRUG THAT COULD GIVE YOU PERFECT VISUAL MEMORY
By Annalee Newitz
io9.com
July 2 2009

http://io9.com/5306489/a-drug-that-could-give-you-perfect-visual-memory

Imagine if you could look at something once and remember it forever. You
would never have to ask for directions again. Now a group of scientists has
isolated a protein that mega-boosts your ability to remember what you see.

A group of Spanish researchers reported today in Science that they may have
stumbled upon a substance that could become the ultimate memory-enhancer.
The group was studying a poorly-understood region of the visual cortex. They
found that if they boosted production of a protein called RGS-14 in that
area of the visual cortex in mice, it dramatically affected the animals'
ability to remember objects they had seen.

Mice with the RGS-14 boost could remember objects they had seen for up to
two months. Ordinarily the same mice would only be able to remember these
objects for about an hour.

The researchers concluded that this region of the visual cortex, known as
layer six of region V2, is responsible for creating visual memories. When
the region is removed, mice can no longer remember any object they see.

If this protein boosts visual memory in humans, the implications are
staggering. In their paper, the researchers say that it could be used as a
memory-enhancer -- which seems like an understatement. What's particularly
intriguing is the fact that this protein works on visual memory only. So as
I mentioned earlier, it would be perfect for mapping. It would also be
useful for engineers and architects who need to hold a lot of visual images
in their minds at once. And it would also be a great drug for detectives and
spies.

Could it also be a way to gain photographic memory? For example, if I look
at a page of text will I remember the words perfectly? Or will I simply
remember how the page looked?

I can't see much of a downside for this potential drug, unless the act of
not forgetting what you see causes problems or trauma.

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Published by David Sunfellow
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