SCIENTISTS JUST MADE YOUR MEMORIES COMPLETELY CUSTOMIZABLE Imagine being able to turn memories up or down like it has a volume knob. That’s basically what scientists just did. Using CRISPR, they edited a gene called Arc in memory-storing neurons inside the brain. When they turned it off, mice couldn’t form memories. When they turned it on, memories got sharper, even days after they were formed. The wild part? These changes were reversible. The same mouse could forget something, then remember it again later, just by flipping the genetic switch. Arc controls how neurons connect, and this experiment showed that editing just one gene’s "on/off switch" can control how strong a memory is. It’s the first proof that memories can be dialed up or erased by editing how a gene works, without changing the gene itself. This could lead to new ways to treat PTSD, addiction, or memory loss, or even let you forget that embarrassing thing you did in 7th grade. Source: Neuroscience News