It’s been a while since I posted. I’ve had some distractions that may or may not become fodder for content here. Suffice it to say, I’m glad to catch up on a few things that have interested me during my absence.
The first subject I wanted to cover was an article I read in the New York Times about neurology. Benedict Carey penned a feature back in April about some researchers who have uncovered molecules that may be responsible for activating memories in our brains. As an account planner type, I am curious about the catalysts these scientists have revealed.
Up to this point, researchers (and philosophers) have believed that experiences are imprinted on our brain cells and the cells can collaborate later to recall the event. Carey has a great way of describing this:
…brain cells activated by an experience keep one another on biological speed-dial, like a group of people joined in common witness of some striking event. Call on one and word quickly goes out to the larger network of cells, each apparently adding some detail, sight, sound, smell. The brain appears to retain a memory by growing thicker, or more efficient, communication lines between these cells.
Apparently, Dr. Todd C. Sacktor and André A. Fenton have identified a substance, called PKMzeta, that clusters on the outskirts of our synapses and connects the memory dots for the cells in our heads. In an experiment, Sacktor and Fenton were able to block this molecule in mice which caused the animals to forget lessons learned just the day before.
Are we on the verge of being able to control our memory? How soon will you be able to stop by your local Walgreens and pick up a pill to enhance what you remember?
Before you go rent a copy of Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Carey dedicates time in the article to highlighting ethical concerns already being raised by this finding. As with any scientific advancement, it can be used for good or for evil. I wouldn’t want to ever risk losing the recollection of the birth of my two children, but could I deny the possiblity of helping someone stave off dimentia?
And what impact will this field of study mean for marketing? Can we draw any parallels between the chain of connected brain cells and the way customers recall our brands? Is there a way to enhance these connections? To improve consumer engagement through understanding these chemical connections?
What do you think?
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