Ramirez et al

In the Ramirez et al paper this week, we see yet another fascinating application for the use of optogenetics in neuroscience research. I think it was really smart to use the technique the way in which they did. It was hard to completely understand the paradigm at first, but it was worth struggling through it to eventually see just how cool it is. I also found the specific technique of labeling the neurons in the hippocampus to be particularly interesting because I had never seen this use for doxycycline before.

I often forget that memory distortion and illusions are as common as they are because as a species we like to claim the least amount of flaws about ourselves as possible. In reality, it is so easy to incorporate misinformation into memory from the various sources of information all around us. I wonder how many of my own memories are false, but I am especially curious about those in people who have problems with irrational thinking.

It was stated in the Ramirez et al discussion section that there hasn’t been luck thus far in locating the specific areas in which false memories are generated in humans, but once it is I believe that better models of treatments for PTSD could shortly follow. There will need to be a lot of oversee and care if testing ever reaches the human level because I predict that this technique has the potential to be very powerful, both in positive and negative ways.

In the very last sentence of the paper, the trisynaptic circuit is mentioned. This circuit is comprised of CA1 cells, CA3 cells, and granule cells. Most of these experiments compared activity between CA1 and granule cells in the DG (dentate gyrus) but CA3 cells were never looked at. I may be missing the reason why, but I feel like they should have been examined as well if they’re part of this circuit.