DALLAS: Nova’s latest documentary premieres this week in the U.S., and it’s a keeper. Called “Memory Hackers,” the one-hour doc chronicles cutting-edge research into the nature of human memory.
The documentary profiles several different research programs in which scientists manipulate, suppress or even implant false memories in the human brain. It sounds like science fiction, but emerging techniques in neurochemistry, psychology and computer science are intersecting to create some unprecedented techniques.
For instance, “Nova” profiles the case of 12-year-old Jake Hausler, who has been diagnosed with the exceedingly rare brain condition known as Highly Superior Autobiographical Memory (HSAM). Jake can recall in detail nearly everything he has experienced since age 8, but his brain lacks the capacity to distinguish important memories from trivial ones.
Researchers are looking into various memory suppression techniques to help Jake, as well as those who suffer from afflictions like post-traumatic stress disorder.