There is strong evidence that reactivation of a memory returns it to a labile state, initiating a restabilization process termed reconsolidation, which allows for updating of the memory. In this study we investigated reactivation-dependent updating using a new positively motivated spatial task in rodents that was designed specifically to model a human list-learning paradigm. On Day 1, rats were trained to run to three feeders (List 1) for rewards. On Day 2, rats were trained to run to three different feeders (List 2) in either the same (Reminder condition) or a different (No Reminder condition) experimental context than on Day 1. On Day 3, rats were cued to recall List 1. Rats in the Reminder condition made significantly more visits to List 2 feeders (intrusions) during List 1 recall than rats in the No Reminder condition, indicating that the reminder triggered reactivation and allowed integration of List 2 items into List 1. This reminder effect was selective for the reactivated List 1 memory, as no intrusions occurred when List 2 was recalled on Day 3. No intrusions occurred when retrieval took place in a different context from the one used at encoding, indicating that the expression of the updated memory is dependent upon the retrieval context. Finally, the level of intrusions was highest when retrieval took place immediately after List 2 learning, and generally declined when retrieval occurred 1 -4 h later, indicating that the List 2 memory competed with short-term retrieval of List 1. These results demonstrate the dynamic nature of memory over time and the impact of environmental context at different stages of memory processing.Memories do not remain stable once acquired but, rather, change dynamically over one's lifetime. There is now strong evidence that reactivation of a memory (remembering) returns it to a labile state for a time, initiating a restabilization process that can allow for updating of the memory. This restabilization process, termed "reconsolidation," has been found to occur across a wide range of species and memory paradigms (Tronson and Taylor 2007; Nader and Einarsson 2010).There is evidence in both humans and animals that new information available when a memory is reactivated can modify that memory as a consequence of reconsolidation. In a human procedural memory study, brief rehearsal of a consolidated fingertapping sequence prior to learning a new sequence resulted in impairment of the original memory when subjects were tested 24 h later (Walker et al. 2003). Critically, no impairment was observed if the original sequence was not rehearsed prior to learning the new sequence, indicating that reactivation affected the memory for the original sequence in such a way that subsequent learning could disrupt it.It has recently been demonstrated in humans that reconsolidation can also be a constructive process, serving to update memories with new information . In this study, participants learned a list (List 1) of 20 objects on Day 1. On Day 2, the Reminder group was asked to recall the genera...
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