Some researchers are working with combat veterans, car-accident survivors and rape victims to replace their memories with less fear-filled ones using a familiar hypertension drug. Other scientists are studying whether behavioral therapy can one day be used to modify memories of people who react with fear to common anxiety-producing events. A person bitten by a dog as a child, for instance, might be able to overcome a canine phobia if the old memory can be replaced with a less scary one.
这个团队中，部分研究者利用一种大家所熟知的高血压药物将退伍军人、车祸幸存者、强奸受害人脑中的可怕记忆替换成相对不那么恐怖的内容。其他科研人员则在研究行为疗法是否可以修正某些人的记忆，这些人会因日常生活中一些习以为常的事件产生恐惧情绪。比如，一个人在小时候被狗咬过，假使能将他这段记忆换成相对不那么可怕的事情，也许就可以帮助他克服犬恐惧症。