Memory Manipulation & Implantation of Memories
With the advancement of technological innovations and our understanding of the human brain and memory, questions regarding whether or not we can - or should - manipulate stored memories have been frequently studied upon. Among the general populace, it is often believed that if we were able to intentionally manipulate one’s memories and replace them with fabricated ones, we would be able to answer the most complex questions that have existed for centuries due to the intricate makeup of the human brain. “Memory Manipulation” - through memory re-consolidation - is the act of previously-stored memory being recalled and modified before being restored again, thanks to its instability (Lázaro-Muñoz and Diaz-Mataix). Intentional memory manipulation surely entails a fair share of potential benefits, however, we can’t overlook the detriments that, in the end, outweigh said benefits. Due to possible ethical concerns (Conway 26), the human brain being fragile (Spears and Bendor), and memory manipulation research being hard to replicate (Lázaro-Muñoz and Diaz-Mataix) we can surely determine that intentional memory manipulation and the implantation of memories is a detriment to society.
Although memory manipulation turns out to be a detriment to society, its possible benefits should still be mentioned and further researched, taking into consideration the detriments that are to be elaborated upon. Per the report published by Lázaro-Muñoz and Diaz-Mataix, it can be inferred that memory manipulation, through memory reconsolidation, can be used to reduce possible PTSD symptoms in patients. Furthermore, Spiers and Bendor state that “Enhancing memory in patients afflicted with diseases such as Alzheimer’s dementia opens a pathway to a substantially increased quality of life.” (Spiers and Bendor). Observing such promising research is undeniably heartening, nonetheless, the fact that memory manipulation’s detriments are still as prominent, remains unchanged.
When assessing whether or not memory manipulation is a beneficial or detrimental technology, there is a key concept about the human brain that has to be stated. The reason why memory manipulation is possible in the first place is because the human brain is composed in a way that it can be manipulated and its memories can be fabricated similar to how a toddler can reshape a piece of play dough. Due to this fact, memories can be manipulated and/or fabricated, but the aforementioned play dough-esque nature of the human brain means that it is fragile and a possible error during the application of re-consolidation therapy can damage it irreparably (Conway 1). Additionally, although it has been stated that memory manipulation can be used as treatment for several mental ailments, unfortunately, it is not possible to make such claims with near-perfect certainty. In their report Lázaro-Muñoz and Diaz-Mataix state that previous scientists who have tried to replicate the findings of Elsey and Kindt (who had written an extensive report on memory manipulation through memory re-consolidation and their findings) have unfortunately not been able to replicate what Elsey and Kindt had stated regarding the treatment of PTSD patients. Moreover, it has been stated that there is no significant difference in regards to the reduction of PTSD symptoms between patients who have been treated with memory re-consolidation and the test group, which were not subject to any treatment (Lázaro-Muñoz and Diaz-Mataix). This gives rise to questions that ask whether or not, memory manipulation is even a worthwhile effort if it won’t make so much of a difference, and is hard to replicate.
Another setback when it comes to the implementation of memory manipulation comes from the ethical perspective. It is known that for a medical practice to be approved in the science of medicine, it has to go through a rigorous vetting process that involves many experts in the medical field (Rägo). As a result, for a technological approach as ripe as memory manipulation to be approved as “medically safe to implement” it too has to be tested on a large-scale. The test group has to include patients - or in this case consenting experimental subjects - that range in largely differing ages, ethnicities, medical and psychological backgrounds. However, this large-scale experimentation has not been possible due to the fact that medical professionals are concerned as to if and how they would be able to find consenting adults that would allow for the “probing” of their memories for the sake of scientific advancement (Conway 26). In addition to not being able to find said test group, psychiatrists can not say with a promising amount of certainty that the test subjects won’t be harmed in the process of said memory manipulation and that it won’t cause them to relive their possible traumatic experiences again and again due to used pharmacological agents (Spiers and Bendor).
It is an undeniable fact that humans have been, and always will be striving for better and better treatments for their physical and psychological “deformities” that have occurred throughout their existence and continue to bother them to this day. In this day and age where a relatively simple hindrance such as someone having to wear glasses can affect their day to day dealings, it would be foolish for us to say that although not visible from the outside, most of the time, psychological complications won’t be having similar or more detrimental consequences. As humankind continues to develop and further better its understanding of how itself works, it will strive to find more intricate solutions to previously described ailments. Surely, due to the outlined drawbacks, memory manipulation turns out to be more of a detriment to society. Nevertheless, this does not mean that we should stop trying to improve it and bring it up to a point where it is not only medically safe to use but is able to even better address the aforementioned psychological complications. In the end, we must not forget that Rome wasn’t built in a day.
Works Cited
Conway, Martin A. Recovered Memories and False Memories. Oxford University Press, 2004.
Lázaro-Muñoz, Gabriel, and Lorenzo Diaz-Mataix. Manipulating Human Memory Through Reconsolidation: Stones Left Unturned. AJOB Neuroscience, U.S. National Library of Medicine, 2016, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5365236/. Accessed 25 March 2021.
Rägo, Lembit. Regulation, Norms and Standards for Medical Products. World Health Organization, 23 Nov. 2015.
Spiers, Hugo J, and Daniel Bendor. Enhance, Delete, Incept: Manipulating Hippocampus-Dependent Memories. June 2014, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4058530/. Accessed 25 March 2021.
