Looking for neural correlates of a reconsolidated decalrative memory. An fMRI study

CECILIA FORCATO; PEDREIRA ME; LUZ BAVASSI; GABRIELA DE PINO; RODRIGO FERNANDEZ; MIRTA VILLARREAL

Buenos Aires

Congreso; 2nd Falan Congress; 2016

SAN

The experience shows that memories are dynamic rather than static. The presentation of an specific reminder can destabilize a consolidated memory, becoming labile and vulnerable to amnesic agents. This labilization process followed by a re-stabilization phase is known as reconsolidation. The reconsolidation process is key to modify old memories, it allows to update or strengthen the original content. Moreover, a reconsolidated memory is more persistent than a retrained one. So, going through this process leaves a footprint in the original trace. We hypothesize that the retrieval of a memory that has crossed the labilization-reconsolidation process requires less effort than a memory that has only been trained. In this line, we developed a declarative task that included three reminders conditions (the first triggers reconsolidation process, one that retrained the original memory and finally a no reminder condition). We acquired the hemodynamical response during the testing session and performed a connectivity analysis. Our results demonstrate that the retrained condition has higher level of activity and a bigger network than the others conditions. Although the reconsolidated and the no reminder condition show networks with similar parameters, the first one has the minimum "shortest path". This findings indicates that the evocation of a memory that went through the labilization-reconsolidation process require less energy consumption meaning an optimal work.