Happiness is ... ability to forget

ONE of the secrets to being happy has been identified by scientists.

A key acid in the ‘memory’ region of our brain has been found to help suppress unwelcome thoughts.

Those with high levels of the Gaba chemical inhibitor who tried to block a certain memory succeeded better in forgetting it, Cambridge University researchers found.

It is reminiscent of the film Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, in which a couple erased their memories of each other after breaking up.

Researchers asked 24 people to learn pairs of unrelated words. Then they were given just one word on a screen, and asked to try to block all thoughts of the second they could not see. Brain scans showed the more successful volunteers used more Gaba. The results could eventually lead to a drug for those suffering repetitive dark thoughts, such as those with schizophrenia. The study is published in the journal Nature Communications.