Internal states and modulation of the expression of a neutral verbal memory.

LISA GUIZZARDI ; P. N. FERNÁNDEZ LARROSA; F. MAZA; A. DELORENZI

Congreso; SAN2022 Meeting; 2022

Incorporating the Wagner’s Affective Extension of Sometimes Opposing Processes model, our current working hypothesis posits that the development of internal states are determinants of the behavioral expression of reactivated memories. During consolidation and reconsolidation, endogenous neuromodulators activated by concurrent experiences may control the likelihood that memories will guide future behaviors. Recent results show the first evidence of the Hypothesis in verbal memories (Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test, RAVLT). Administration of a cold pressor stress (CPS) specifically during reconsolidation impaired long-term memory expression. Actually, an increase in arousal was revealed in the testing session when CPS was administered concurrently with reconsolidation. It follows from those results that it will be necessary to assess whether the internal state (high arousal) is a determinant in the effects that CPS has on changes in LTM expression. We postulate that the induction of positive internal states prior to evaluation will reverse the impairing effect induced by the CPS. Here, firstly, we consider to a) test the induction of a positive emotional state via the presentation of selected IAPS (International Affective Picture System) photos and b) evaluate whether such induction modulates the short-term expression of RALVT memory. For this purpose, we have developed a protocol in PsychoPy designed to incorporate the induction of emotional states into the RALVT paradigm.