LONDON, April 15: Could science fiction soon become reality?

In the 2004 film Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Jim Carrey’s character undergoes a memory-erasing procedure to forget his ex. While this concept seemed far-fetched at the time, advancements in technology are bringing us closer to the possibility of erasing or at least diminishing painful memories.

Dr. Jonathan Rasouli, a neurosurgeon at Northwell Staten Island University Hospital, points to three cutting-edge methods that are already being used to help people suffering from depression and PTSD by “muting” or “dampening” traumatic memories.

“TMS is like wireless jumper cables for your brain — but a lot more precise,” Dr. Rasouli explained.

TMS is a noninvasive treatment that uses magnetic fields (similar to those in an MRI) to stimulate specific parts of the brain, primarily targeting areas involved in mood regulation. The treatment involves placing a magnetic coil on the patient’s scalp, sending pulses to specific areas of the brain.

“It is mainly used for treatment-resistant depression, but researchers are also exploring its effects on memory recall, emotional processing, and addiction,” Rasouli said. While the theory is still in its early stages of testing, the goal is to target certain brain circuits to change the way people access their memories. In the future, it could potentially help individuals reshape memory associations—though, for now, this is expected to be limited to clinical settings rather than offering DIY memory deletion kits.

Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) functions as a “brain pacemaker” and is currently used to treat conditions like Parkinson’s disease, dystonia, epilepsy, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), and major depression. Small electrodes are implanted directly into specific areas of the brain, sending electrical impulses to regulate movement and mood.

“Some studies show that DBS can influence emotional memory, reward processing, and even reduce traumatic recall,” Rasouli shared. However, he emphasized that this research is still in its infancy. In theory, DBS could eventually be used to “mute” traumatic memories, but since it’s an invasive procedure, it’s unlikely to become a common outpatient treatment.

Propranolol, a beta-blocker medication typically prescribed for high blood pressure, has also shown potential in therapeutic settings. Researchers have found that it can “dampen the emotional ‘punch’ of memories,” making it useful for conditions like PTSD.

“This is probably the closest real-world counterpart to the Eternal Sunshine concept, but it doesn’t actually delete memories,” Rasouli clarified. Instead of erasing memories entirely, propranolol makes them feel less vivid or emotionally distressing.

“When taken before recalling a traumatic event, propranolol reduces the intensity of the emotional response, essentially ‘reconsolidating’ the memory with less emotional weight,” Rasouli explained. It has been used in experimental treatments for PTSD, anxiety, and phobias, offering a potential solution for those seeking relief from the emotional intensity of certain memories.

While none of these methods provide a way to completely erase memories like in science fiction, they represent real advancements in how we may one day be able to manage and reduce the emotional impact of painful memories.