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by isomorphic 412 days ago
This line in the article is horrifying:

> The researchers were surprised that when they activated VTA dopaminergic inputs into the aBLA they could reinstate fear even without any new foot shocks, impairing fear extinction.

That... seems like the first step in being able to literally induce fear without having to bother with pesky things like finding the subject's triggers. Although I suppose if one has direct access to the subject's amygdala, the point is somewhat moot.

Still, it's sort of like a reverse wirehead.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wirehead_(science_fiction)

1 comments

I feel like this would deprive the FSB/ICE/law-enforcement officials of their entire motivation for taking pride in their jobs. Automate the paperwork, yes, but let the psychopaths have their fun!
Torture is ineffective for information recovery.

Those organizations do it because they want to, not because it works.