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Reactivation with a simple exposure to the experimental environment is sufficient to induce reconsolidation requiring protein synthesis in the hippocampal CA3 region in mice
Author(s) -
Artinian Julien,
Jaeger Xavier De,
Fellini Laetitia,
Saint Blanquat Paul de,
Roullet Pascal
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
hippocampus
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.767
H-Index - 155
eISSN - 1098-1063
pISSN - 1050-9631
DOI - 10.1002/hipo.20256
Subject(s) - anisomycin , memory consolidation , engram , neuroscience , hippocampal formation , psychology , hippocampus , protein synthesis inhibitor , protein biosynthesis , chemistry , biochemistry , cycloheximide
Our understanding of the memory reconsolidation process is at an earlier stage than that of consolidation. For example, it is unclear if, as for memory consolidation, reconsolidation of a memory trace necessitates protein synthesis. In fact, conflicting results appear in the literature and this discrepancy may be due to differences in the experimental reactivation procedure. Here, we addressed the question of whether protein synthesis in the CA3 hippocampal region is crucial in memory consolidation and reconsolidation of allocentric knowledge after reactivation in different experimental conditions in the Morris water maze. We showed (1) that an injection of the protein synthesis inhibitor anisomycin in the CA3 region during consolidation or after a single reactivation trial disrupted performance and (2) that protein synthesis is required even after a simple contextual reactivation without any learning trial and independently of the presence of the reinforcement. This work demonstrates that a simple exposure to the spatial environment is sufficient to reactivate the memory trace, to make it labile, and that reconsolidation of this trace requires de novo protein synthesis. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.