60 Minutes segment: adrenaline reinforces memory?

[notyou]

Did anyone catch the 60 Minutes segment today about the neuro-physiology of memory and forgetting?

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/11/22/60minutes/main2205629.shtml

Apparently, Dr. Roger Pitman has discovered that adrenaline leads to increased memory recall, and that blocking adrenaline can cause memories to lessen or fade.

This finding could have lots of implication for files on this site. In my own experience, I've found that post-hypnotic blocks don't always hold. Often, something seemingly unrelated will trigger a blocked memory, and afterwards I'll suffer through some cognitive dissonance as my mind tries to block what I just remembered. During the process, I get confused, worried, and agitated. According to this study, this only reinforces the memories my subconscious is trying to block.

Many of the triggers here (TrigSlave, TrigWhore, etc.) tell you to forget things that happen while you have adrenaline coursing through your veins. Perhaps these blocks would be more effective if accidental recall made you extremely relaxed until you forgot again?

What do others think?

[whatthe75]

Did they say that increased levels of adrenaline increase the overall memory of people or just increases the recall of the event when the adrenaline was flowing?

[notyou]

According to the program, increased adrenaline during an event improves memory recall of that event drastically. The researcher made a point of mock-insulting the interviewer, saying that she'd remember this event better afterwards.

[whatthe75]

Well of course that would happen.

Any adrenaline producing event has a strong emotional reaction.

And any strong emotional event is something that people remember easier.

And they wasted energy and money on researching this.

[Phoenix-D]

Well of course that would happen.

Any adrenaline producing event has a strong emotional reaction.

And any strong emotional event is something that people remember easier.

And they wasted energy and money on researching this.

Nope, that's not how it works. The adrenaline itself produces the result- an injection of adrenaline helped remember a NON strongly emotional event.

[whatthe75]

When i said emotional i didnt actually mean emotion i just meant a strong body sensation - sorry i should have worded it better. Any strong body sensation would be easy to remember.Eg strong emotional state, rush of adrenaline, pain. On a more extreme level , a phobia.

Basically anchoring.