Behavioural memory reconsolidation of food and fear memories

Charlotte R. Flavell, David J. Barber and Jonathan L.C. Lee ()
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Charlotte R. Flavell: University of Birmingham, School of Psychology
David J. Barber: University of Birmingham, School of Psychology
Jonathan L.C. Lee: University of Birmingham, School of Psychology

Nature Communications, 2011, vol. 2, issue 1, 1-9

Abstract: Abstract The reactivation of a memory through retrieval can render it subject to disruption or modification through the process of memory reconsolidation. In both humans and rodents, briefly reactivating a fear memory results in effective erasure by subsequent extinction training. Here we show that a similar strategy is equally effective in the disruption of appetitive pavlovian cue–food memories. However, systemic administration of the NMDA receptor partial agonist D-cycloserine, under the same behavioural conditions, did not potentiate appetitive memory extinction, suggesting that reactivation does not enhance subsequent extinction learning. To confirm that reactivation followed by extinction reflects a behavioural analogue of memory reconsolidation, we show that prevention of contextual fear memory reactivation by the L-type voltage-gated calcium channel blocker nimodipine interferes with the amnestic outcome. Therefore, the reconsolidation process can be manipulated behaviourally to disrupt both aversive and appetitive memories.

Date: 2011
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:nat:natcom:v:2:y:2011:i:1:d:10.1038_ncomms1515

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DOI: 10.1038/ncomms1515

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