Demarcating the boundary conditions of memory reconsolidation: An unsuccessful replication

Abstract

Disrupting memory reconsolidation provides an opportunity to abruptly reduce the behavioural expression of fear memories with long-lasting effects. The success of a reconsolidation intervention is, however, not guaranteed as it strongly depends on the destabilization of the memory. Identifying the necessary conditions to trigger destabilization remains one of the critical challenges in the field. We aimed to replicate a study from our lab, showing that the occurrence of a prediction error (PE) during reactivation is necessary but not sufficient for destabilization. We tested the effectiveness of a reactivation procedure consisting of a single PE, compared to two control groups receiving no or multiple PEs. All participants received propranolol immediately after reactivation and were tested for fear retention 24 h later. In contrast to the original results, we found no evidence for a reconsolidation effect in the single PE group, but a straightforward interpretation of these results is complicated by the lack of differential fear retention in the control groups. Our results corroborate other failed reconsolidation studies and exemplify the complexity of experimentally investigating this process in humans. Thorough investigation of the interaction between learning and memory reactivation is essential to understand the inconsistencies in the literature and to improve reconsolidation interventions.

Preventing fear return in humans: Music-based intervention during reactivation-extinction paradigm

“…Nevertheless, some studies also failed to show the effect of memory reconsolidation [ 17 , 27 , 28 ]. The inconsistency in successfully replicating the memory reconsolidation reactivation paradigm might be due to boundary conditions [ 29 ]. Boundary conditions refer to circumstances that can either exhilarate or oppress a process [ 29 ].…”

“…The inconsistency in successfully replicating the memory reconsolidation reactivation paradigm might be due to boundary conditions [ 29 ]. Boundary conditions refer to circumstances that can either exhilarate or oppress a process [ 29 ]. In the context of memory reconsolidation, boundary conditions refer to the factors that influence whether a particular memory will undergo reconsolidation and the extent to which it can be modified.…”

Behavioural reconsolidation interference not observed in a within-subjects design

“…These studies typically find that the reconsolidation process of the original fear memory is impaired, thereby interrupting fear response mechanisms. However, there is also evidence that pharmacological reconsolidation interference is not always obtained both in animals 8 and humans 9 , 10 , and it has been shown that there is a publication bias in the literature towards presenting evidence of reconsolidation interference 11 .…”

Rethinking Memory Impairments: Retrieval Failure

“…This led to the proposal of socalled 'boundary conditions' which were defined as "physiological, environmental or psychological situations in which memory that normally would reconsolidate does not"(Nader & Hardt, 2009, page 228;Duvarci, Ben Mamou, & Nader, 2006). Furthermore, whilst establishing the generality and limits of cue-dependent amnesia, recent studies have sometimes failed to replicate pharmacological (e.g.,Luyten, Schnell, Schroyens, & Beckers, 2021;Schroyens, Alfei, Schnell, Luyten, & Beckers, 2019;Schroyens, Beckers, & Kindt, 2017;Stemerding, Stibbe, van Ast, & Kindt, 2022) and non-pharmacological induction of cue-dependent amnesia (e.g.,Chan, Leung, Westbrook, & McNally, 2010;Jaswetz, de Voogd, Becker, & Roelofs, 2022;Luyten & Beckers, 2017) in both humans and non-human animals. This has inspired further discussions regarding potential 'boundary conditions' that might affect the reliability and efficacy of these procedures (for reviews, see…”