Open AccessNeuropsin‐dependent and ‐independent behavioral tagging
Author(s) -
Suzuki Yuka,
Yoda Yuya,
Ishikawa Yasuyuki
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
neuropsychopharmacology reports
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.661
H-Index - 13
ISSN - 2574-173X
DOI - 10.1002/npr2.12177
Subject(s) - memory consolidation , hippocampus , novelty , neuroscience , long term memory , short term memory , term (time) , psychology , computer science , cognitive psychology , cognition , working memory , social psychology , physics , quantum mechanics
Aim The consolidation of short‐term memories into long‐term memories is promoted by associations with novel environmental stimuli. This phenomenon is known as behavioral tagging. Neuropsin, a plasticity‐related serine protease in the hippocampus and amygdala, is involved in memory formation. This study investigated how neuropsin affects associative long‐term memory. Methods Short‐term and long‐term memory were assessed in control and neuropsin‐deficient mice by investigating their performance in inhibitory avoidance and spatial object recognition tasks. The effect of exposure to novelty on the conversion of short‐term memory to associative long‐term memory was also examined. Results The consolidation of task‐related short‐term memories into long‐term memories was facilitated by exposing the animals to a novel environment 1 hour before training. However, this long‐term memory conversion was impaired in neuropsin‐deficient mice performing the inhibitory avoidance task but not the spatial object recognition task. Conclusion Behavioral tagging occurs via neuropsin‐dependent and neuropsin‐independent processes for different behavioral tasks.