The pill that can take away your painful memories

Painful memories can be erased by taking a pill commonly used to treat high blood pressure.

Scientists who researched the drug - beta-blocker propranolol - claim it could lead to new ways of treating those suffering post-traumatic disorder or victims of terrorist attacks and natural disasters.

It works by altering memories so they are "reconsolidated" in the brain when they are recalled.

The Dutch researchers tested their theory on volunteers after artificially creating a fearful memory by associating pictures of spiders with a mild electric shock delivered to the wrists of the 60 participants.

When the volunteers were shown the spider pictures 24 hours later their "startle" response - a measure of fear - was assessed by testing eye-blink reactions.

Those given the drug before reactivation of the fearful memory were less startled.

Study leader Professor Merel Kindt, from the University of Amsterdam, said: "Millions of people suffer from emotional disorders and the relapse of fear, even after successful treatment."