I’m a neuroscientist who works on memory manipulation. My work helps me recover from addiction

I’m a neuroscientist who works on memory manipulation. My work helps me recover from addiction

“Sobriety didn’t restore the old version of me; it allowed me to build a new one from the driftwood of the past,” neuroscientist Steve Ramirez writes, invoking the ship of Theseus.

Philosophers once asked whether a ship that has every plank replaced while journeying through uncertain waters remains the same vessel. Neuroscience offers a layered answer: yes — and not entirely. The human brain transforms similarly, piece by piece, neuron by neuron. New cells emerge, others die, synapses reconnect, and yet our perception of identity seems constant.

To Ramirez, this idea transcends metaphor. It mirrors his lived experience. At Boston University, his research explores how networks of brain cells create, store, and even alter memories. His team demonstrated that activating positive memories in mice can reduce stress and depression, showing the brain’s potential to reshape emotional states.

Personally, Ramirez’s greatest experiment unfolded within himself. After years of alcohol dependence that corroded his mental stability, he chose to harness his brain’s capacity for change toward growth, recovery, and hope. In biology, transformation is never an exception—it is the brain’s natural design.

Author’s Summary

Neuroscientist Steve Ramirez reflects on addiction and healing through the lens of memory science, showing how the brain’s ability to rebuild itself can guide recovery and renewal.

more

STAT STAT — 2025-11-05

More News