Beta-blockers tackle memories of horror

摘要

Could a common drug be able to extinguish the trauma associated with horrific memories? A group of US psychiatrists thinks it can. They claim that beta-blockers, which are widely used to treat high blood pressure and heart problems, interfere with the way that the brain stores memories. Administer these drugs at the right time, the psychiatrists suggest, and sufferers of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) could snuff out the periods of panic that blight their lives. The idea is timely, yet controversial. Studies of terrorist attacks suggest that the recent bombings in London and Egypt will cause a spike in the number of cases of PTSD (see 'The long-term toll of terrorism'). Treatments such as counselling have limited success, so alternatives are welcome. But some mental-health experts say that the treatment could be abused, perhaps by military commanders who want soldiers to become desensitized to terrible acts.