The article discussed the research finding from Barry Everitt's study on blocking memories related to drug taking
in rats.
The research group lead by Everitt conditioned the rats in their experiment with light and cocaine. Then they divided the rats into two groups and have one group of the rats injected with a drug to block the NMDA-type glutamate receptors, which is believed to be responsible for connecting drug related memories. The other group did not receive any treatment.
When the rats were put back into the experimental chamber where they learned the light and cocaine relation, the experimental group did not remember the light and cocaine association; whereas the non-treatment group persist in responding to try to get cocaine.
The authors suggested that by injecting the drug that blocks the memory of the association between light and drug, one can help rats to break the drug addition for up to four weeks.
This has implications for treatment of drug addition in humans. They suggested exposure therapy combined with the drug that disconnect the association of drug taking and its environmental cues (objects, people, environments) in the person memory will be more successful.