The reconsolidation hypothesis states that a consolidated memory could again become unstable and susceptible to facilitation or impairment for a discrete period of time after a reminder presentation. The phenomenon has been demonstrated in very diverse species and types of memory, including the human procedural memory of a motor skill task but not the human declarative one. Here we provide evidence for both consolidation and reconsolidation in a paired-associate learning (i.e., learning an association between a cue syllable and the respective response syllable). Subjects were given two training sessions with a 24-h interval on distinct verbal material, and afterward, they received at testing two successive retrievals corresponding to the first and second learning, respectively. Two main results are noted. First, the first acquired memory was impaired when a reminder was presented 5 min before the second training (reconsolidation), and also when the second training was given 5 min instead of 24 h after the first one (consolidation). Second, the first retrieval proved to influence negatively on the later one (the retrieval-induced forgetting [RIF] effect), and we used the absence of this RIF effect as a very indicator of the target memory impairment. We consider the demonstration of reconsolidation in human declarative memory as backing the universality of this phenomenon and having potential clinical relevance. On the other hand, we discuss the possibility of using the human declarative memory as a model to address several key topics of the reconsolidation hypothesis.

Although a putative role has been attributed to inflammation in the pathogenesis of depressive disorders, the relationship of prostaglandins, known mediators of inflammation, and depression has not been elucidated. Clomipramine is an antidepressive drug with a pro-depressive paradoxical effect in adult rats when administrated neonatally. Using this effect as a model of depression, we investigated the differential expression of the cyclooxygenase (COX-2) gene in rat brains. Rats injected neonatally with clomipramine showed depressive-like symptoms in adulthood, as well as decreased levels of the brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and a quantitative differential expression of the COX-2 gene (Real Time PCR) and protein (immunohistochemistry) in the hippocampus. As evidenced, the relationship between a key enzyme in the prostaglandin synthesis and biological and behavioral depression-like changes opens an interesting line of investigation regarding the molecular bases of depression and its potential treatment through immunomodulatory drugs.

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Introduction: Pandemics pose a major challenge for public health preparedness, requiring a coordinated international response and the development of solid containment plans. An early and accurate identification of high-risk patients in the course of the actual COVID-19 pandemic is vital for planning and for making proper use of available resources. Objective: The purpose of this study was to identify the key variables to create a predictive model that could be used effectively for triage. Method: A narrative literature review of 651 articles was conducted to assess clinical, laboratory and imaging findings of COVID-19 confirmed cases. After screening, 10 articles met the inclusion criteria and a list of suggested variables was gathered. A modified Delphi process analysis was performed to consult experts in order to generate a final list of variables for the creation of the predictive model. Results: The modified Delphi process analysis identified 44 predictive variables that were used for building a severity prediction score, the COVID-19 Severity Index. Conclusion: Specifically designed for current COVID-19 pandemic, COVID-19 Severity Index could be used as a reliable tool for strategic planning, organization and administration of resources by easily identifying hospitalized patients with higher risk of transfer to Intensive Care Unit (ICU).