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Learning and memory

Shaky memories in indelible ink

Nature Reviews Neuroscience volume 1, pages 6–7 (2000)Cite this article

Nader et al. trained a group of rats to fear a tone by pairing itwith an electric shock. After experiencing both stimuli together, rats tendto freeze in panic the next time they hear the tone alone. As the amygdalais known to be crucial in this form of memory, the authors infused the protein-synthesisinhibitor anisomycin directly into this brain structure at different timesduring the experiment. They observed that if they administered the inhibitorjust after the retrieval of the memory (that is, immediately after the ratsfroze), their conditioned fear was erased — the following time the ratsheard the tone they behaved as if they had never been exposed to the shockin the first place. This effect of anisomycin was observed only if the memorywas actually retrieved. If the rats were not given the tone as a reminder,then the inhibitor was ineffective and the rats continued to freeze to theauditory stimulus.

The idea that stable memories can return to a labile state has pervadedthe field of learning and memory gradually over the years. Early observationsfrom experimental psychologists and from neurobiologists had already indicatedthat retrieval is a dynamic process during which new information merges withand modifies the representation of the past. The findings of Nader et al. have built upon those observations by tapping for the first time directlyonto the brain site where the memory trace is thought to be stored. Althoughthe actual mechanism whereby anisomycin exerts its action remains to be elucidated,the possibility of selectively erasing a memory by eliciting its recollectionhas profound implications. It will be of immediate interest to find out whetherdeclarative memory tasks are equally susceptible to the withering action ofretrieval.

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References

ORIGINAL RESEARCH PAPER

  1. Nader, K. et al. Fear memories require proteinsynthesis in the amygdala for reconsolidation of retrieval. Nature 406, 722—726 (2000).

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REVIEWS

  1. Sara, S.J. .Retrieval and reconsolidation: toward a neurobiologyof remembering. Learn. Mem. 7, 73—84 (2000).

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  2. McGaugh, J. L. et al. Memory — a century of consolidation. Science 287, 7248—251 (2000).

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NEWS AND VIEWS

  1. Dudai, Y. . The shaky trace Nature 406, 686—687 (2000).

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FURTHER READING

  1. LeDoux, J. E. . Emotion circuits in the brain. Annu. Rev. Neurosci. 23, 155—184 (2000).

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Authors
  1. Juan Carlos López
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López, J. Shaky memories in indelible ink. Nat Rev Neurosci 1, 6–7 (2000). https://doi.org/10.1038/35036171

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