Potentiation of the GABAergic activity within the Basolateral Amygdala prevents the stress-induced resistance to the engagement of labilization/reconsolidation process.

ESPEJO PJ; ORTIZ V; MARTIJENA ID; MOLINA VA

Buenos Aires

Congreso; 2nd FALAN CONGRESS; 2016

Federation of Latin American and Caribbean Neuroscience Societies

Reconsolidation is the process by which memory is stabilized after a retrieval-induced labile state. This whole process can result in memory updating, strengthening or even interference with pharmacological agents. However, this dynamic property seems to be restricted in several conditions such as in remote or strong memories, or those retrieved for a short period of time. Previous studies showed that stress prior to a contextual fear learning induced resistance to the interfering effect of Midazolam (MDZ) when applied after retrieval. Furthermore, it is known that stress leads to reduced GABAergic transmission in Basolateral Amygdala (BLA), promoting LTP and fear memory formation. Interestingly, some of these effects can be prevented by de administration of MDZ before this traumatic event. Therefore, this study was aimed to evaluate if MDZ intra-BLA prior to stress prevented the resistance to memory interference after the retrieval. As expected, local infusion of MDZ prevented the generating of a memory insensitive to MDZ interference. Additionally, this effect was also observed when Propranolol, another interfering agent, was applied. Moreover, this phenomenon is not observed when both drugs were administered without reactivation. These results demonstrate that GABAergic signaling in the BLA at the moment of memory encoding modulates the further engagement of labilization/reconsolidation process, and therefore, the susceptibility of memory to be interfered after reminder.