Heart disease drug found to reduce racist attitudes

Eric Mack — Fri, 16 Mar 2012 05:14:53 GMT

Although racism is widely believed to be a learned behavior, findings from an Oxford University team suggest that taking a heart disease medication may also help mute subconscious racist attitudes in individuals. Researchers gave the drug propranolol to 18 subjects, and placebos to a control group of the same size. Those that received the drug scored markedly lower on a standard test that measures subconscious racial bias. Does this mean we could one day see a pill to counter racist tendencies?

Category: Wellness and Healthy Living, Body and Mind

Tags: Drugs, Brain, Propranolol, Oxford University

Memory surgery: common drug takes the panic out of traumatic memories

Loz Blain — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 03:56:52 GMT

February 17, 2009 Memory-induced panic attacks can be absolutely crippling for sufferers of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) - the suffocating, gripping fear associated with traumatic memories can destroy victims' careers, relationships and the normal functioning of their lives. But a team of Dutch clinical psychologists are developing an almost magical cure, using a single dose of a common and fairly harmless beta-blocking drug that seems to be able to separate the panic emotion from the factual elements of the memory - leaving patients with an apparently lasting ability to recall and talk about the traumatic incident without the usual devastating rush of fear.

Category: Wellness and Healthy Living, Body and Mind

Tags: Learning, Brain, Stress, Memory, Propranolol, Psychology, Neuroscience