1 August 2002

Neurobiology: Lest we remember

The gradual fading of unpleasant memories is an important part of memory processing, but the underlying mechanism is largely unknown. Now cannabinoid receptors and endogenous cannabinoids, long known to be present in the central nervous system, are shown to have an important role in diminishing unpleasant memories. This memory extinction is a distinct step, using a different mechanism from those involved in memory acquisition and consolidation. This suggests that the endogenous cannabinoid system could provide a target for treating diseases associated with the retention of unpleasant memories, including post-traumatic stress disorder and phobias.

The endogenous cannabinoid system controls extinction of aversive memories
GIOVANNI MARSICANO, CARSTEN T. WOTJAK, SHAHNAZ C. AZAD, TIZIANA BISOGNO, GERHARD RAMMES, MARIA GRAZIA CASCIO, HEIKE HERMANN, JIANRONG TANG, CLEMENTINE HOFMANN, WALTER ZIEGLGÄNSBERGER, VINCENZO DI MARZO & BEAT LUTZ
Nature 418, 530–534 (2002); doi:10.1038/nature00839
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Neurobiology: Never fear, cannabinoids are here
PANKAJ SAH
Although we understand how fearful memories are stored in the brain, how they are extinguished remains a mystery. The answers may lie with the cannabinoid compounds our bodies produce.
Nature 418, 488–489 (2002); doi:10.1038/418488b
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Innate cannabis chemical erases fear