RESUMO
Systems consolidation has been described as a time-dependent reorganization process involving the neocortical and hippocampal networks underlying memory storage and retrieval. Previous studies of our lab were able to demonstrate that systems consolidation is a dynamic process, rather than a merely passive, time-dependent phenomenon. Here, we studied the influence of sequential learning in contextual fear conditioning (CFC) with different training intensities in the time-course of hippocampal dependency and contextual specificity. We found that sequential learning with high-intensity shocks during CFC induces generalization of the first learning (context A) and maintains contextual specificity of the second learning (context B) 15 days after acquisition. Moreover, subsequent experiences reorganize brain structures involved in retrieval, accelerating the involvement of cortical structures and diminishing the hippocampal participation. Exposure to original context before novelty seems to only induce context specificity in hippocampal-dependent memories. We propose that systems consolidation could be considered a potential biological mechanism for reducing possible interferences between similar memory traces. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Assuntos
Condicionamento Psicológico/fisiologia , Medo/fisiologia , Consolidação da Memória/fisiologia , Animais , Cateteres de Demora , Condicionamento Psicológico/efeitos dos fármacos , Eletrochoque , Medo/efeitos dos fármacos , Reação de Congelamento Cataléptica/efeitos dos fármacos , Reação de Congelamento Cataléptica/fisiologia , Agonistas de Receptores de GABA-A/farmacologia , Giro do Cíngulo/efeitos dos fármacos , Giro do Cíngulo/fisiologia , Hipocampo/efeitos dos fármacos , Hipocampo/fisiologia , Masculino , Consolidação da Memória/efeitos dos fármacos , Muscimol/farmacologia , Testes Neuropsicológicos , Distribuição Aleatória , Ratos Wistar , Receptores de GABA-A/metabolismo , Fatores de Tempo , Transferência de Experiência/efeitos dos fármacos , Transferência de Experiência/fisiologiaRESUMO
Activity in the rodent prelimbic (PL) cortex contributes to consolidation, retrieval and reconsolidation of learned fear. The PL cortex is considered homologous to the primate dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (dACC). In patients with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), the dACC is often reported to be hyperactive after acquisition and/or around the retrieval of the traumatic memory. It is still unknown, however, whether there is a relationship between altered dACC functioning at these time points and PTSD-associated behavioral outcomes, such as fear overgeneralization. The present study sought to investigate this matter by associating contextual fear conditioning with bilateral and selective activation of PL cortex N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) glutamate receptors with NMDA (0.03-0.3nmol) while the learned fear was being consolidated, retrieved or reconsolidated. We report that this pharmacological intervention induced generalized fear expression and/or extinction deficits in animals subjected to a strong contextual fear conditioning protocol when conducted post-acquisition, pre-retrieval or post-retrieval. These results suggest that newly acquired and reactivated fear memories undergo abnormal consolidation or reconsolidation after PL cortex NMDA receptor activation. The consolidation or reconsolidation of a contextual fear memory trace induced by a weak fear training protocol was also potentiated by PL cortex NMDA receptor activation. Altogether, the present findings connect altered PL cortex activity with changes in specificity and/or intensity of a contextual fear memory, which might shed light on the PTSD neurobiology and related behavioral outcomes.