1
|
Diehl MM, Moscarello JM, Trask S. Behavioral outputs and overlapping circuits between conditional fear and active avoidance. Neurobiol Learn Mem 2024; 213:107943. [PMID: 38821256 DOI: 10.1016/j.nlm.2024.107943] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2024] [Revised: 05/19/2024] [Accepted: 05/27/2024] [Indexed: 06/02/2024]
Abstract
Aversive learning can produce a wide variety of defensive behavioral responses depending on the circumstances, ranging from reactive responses like freezing to proactive avoidance responses. While most of this initial learning is behaviorally supported by an expectancy of an aversive outcome and neurally supported by activity within the basolateral amygdala, activity in other brain regions become necessary for the execution of defensive strategies that emerge in other aversive learning paradigms such as active avoidance. Here, we review the neural circuits that support both reactive and proactive defensive behaviors that are motivated by aversive learning, and identify commonalities between the neural substrates of these distinct (and often exclusive) behavioral strategies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Maria M Diehl
- Department of Psychological Sciences, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS, USA
| | | | - Sydney Trask
- Department of Psychological Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA; Purdue Institute for Integrative Neuroscience, West Lafayette, IN, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Smies CW, Bellfy L, Wright DS, Bennetts SS, Urban MW, Brunswick CA, Shu G, Kwapis JL. Pharmacological HDAC3 inhibition alters memory updating in young and old mice. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.05.08.593015. [PMID: 38766057 PMCID: PMC11100699 DOI: 10.1101/2024.05.08.593015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/22/2024]
Abstract
Long-term memories are not stored in a stable state but must be flexible and dynamic to maintain relevance in response to new information. Existing memories are thought to be updated through the process of reconsolidation, in which memory retrieval initiates destabilization and updating to incorporate new information. Memory updating is impaired in old age, yet little is known about the mechanisms that go awry. One potential mechanism is the repressive histone deacetylase 3 (HDAC3), which is a powerful negative regulator of memory formation that contributes to age-related impairments in memory formation. Here, we tested whether HDAC3 also contributes to age-related impairments in memory updating using the Objects in Updated Locations (OUL) paradigm. We show that blocking HDAC3 immediately after updating with the pharmacological inhibitor RGFP966 ameliorated age-related impairments in memory updating in 18-m.o. mice. Surprisingly, we found that post-update HDAC3 inhibition in young (3-m.o.) mice had no effect on memory updating but instead impaired memory for the original information, suggesting that the original and updated information may compete for expression at test and HDAC3 helps regulate which information is expressed. To test this idea, we next assessed whether HDAC3 inhibition would improve memory updating in young mice given a weak, subthreshold update. Consistent with our hypothesis, we found that HDAC3 blockade strengthened the subthreshold update without impairing memory for the original information, enabling balanced expression of the original and updated information. Together, this research suggests that HDAC3 may contribute to age-related impairments in memory updating and may regulate the strength of a memory update in young mice, shifting the balance between the original and updated information at test.
Collapse
|
3
|
Met Hoxha E, Robinson PK, Greer KM, Trask S. Generalization and discrimination of inhibitory avoidance differentially engage anterior and posterior retrosplenial subregions. Front Behav Neurosci 2024; 18:1327858. [PMID: 38304851 PMCID: PMC10832059 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2024.1327858] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2023] [Accepted: 01/05/2024] [Indexed: 02/03/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction In a variety of behavioral procedures animals will show selective fear responding in shock-associated contexts, but not in other contexts. However, several factors can lead to generalized fear behavior, where responding is no longer constrained to the conditioning context and will transfer to novel contexts. Methods Here, we assessed memory generalization using an inhibitory avoidance paradigm to determine if generalized avoidance behavior engages the retrosplenial cortex (RSC). Male and female Long Evans rats received inhibitory avoidance training prior to testing in the same context or a shifted context in two distinct rooms; one room that had fluorescent lighting (Light) and one that had red LED lighting (Dark). Results We found that animals tested in a light context maintained context-specificity; animals tested in the same context as training showed longer latencies to cross and animals tested in the shifted context showed shorter latencies to cross. However, animals tested in the dark generalized their avoidance behavior; animals tested in the same context and animals tested in the shifted context showed similarly-high latencies to cross. We next examined expression of the immediate early gene zif268 and perineuronal nets (PNNs) following testing and found that while activity in the basolateral amygdala corresponded with overall levels of avoidance behaviors, anterior RSC (aRSC) activity corresponded with learned avoidance generally, but posterior RSC (pRSC) activity seemed to correspond with generalized memory. PNN reduction in the RSC was associated with memory formation and retrieval, suggesting a role for PNNs in synaptic plasticity. Further, PNNs did not reduce in the RSC in animals who showed a generalized avoidance behavior, in line with their hypothesized role in memory consolidation. Discussion These findings suggest that there is differential engagement of retrosplenial subregions along the rostrocaudal axis to generalization and discrimination.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Erisa Met Hoxha
- Purdue University Department of Psychological Sciences, West Lafayette, IN, United States
| | - Payton K Robinson
- Purdue University Department of Psychological Sciences, West Lafayette, IN, United States
| | - Kaitlyn M Greer
- Purdue University Department of Psychological Sciences, West Lafayette, IN, United States
| | - Sydney Trask
- Purdue University Department of Psychological Sciences, West Lafayette, IN, United States
- Purdue University Institute for Integrative Neuroscience, West Lafayette, IN, United States
- Purdue University Center on Aging and the Life Course, West Lafayette, IN, United States
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Wang JH, Wu C, Lian YN, Cao XW, Wang ZY, Dong JJ, Wu Q, Liu L, Sun L, Chen W, Chen WJ, Zhang Z, Zhuo M, Li XY. Single-cell RNA sequencing uncovers the cell type-dependent transcriptomic changes in the retrosplenial cortex after peripheral nerve injury. Cell Rep 2023; 42:113551. [PMID: 38048224 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2023.113551] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2021] [Revised: 05/14/2023] [Accepted: 11/20/2023] [Indexed: 12/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The retrosplenial cortex (RSC) is a vital area for storing remote memory and has recently been found to undergo broad changes after peripheral nerve injury. However, little is known about the role of RSC in pain regulation. Here, we examine the involvement of RSC in the pain of mice with nerve injury. Notably, reducing the activities of calcium-/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase type II-positive splenial neurons chemogenetically increases paw withdrawal threshold and extends thermal withdrawal latency in mice with nerve injury. The single-cell or single-nucleus RNA-sequencing results predict enhanced excitatory synaptic transmissions in RSC induced by nerve injury. Local infusion of 1-naphthyl acetyl spermine into RSC to decrease the excitatory synaptic transmissions relieves pain and induces conditioned place preference. Our data indicate that RSC is critical for regulating physiological and neuropathic pain. The cell type-dependent transcriptomic information would help understand the molecular basis of neuropathic pain.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jing-Hua Wang
- Department of Psychiatry of the Fourth Affiliated Hospital, International Institutes of Medicine, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Yiwu, Zhejiang 322000, China; NHC and CAMS Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, MOE Frontier Science Center for Brain, Research and Brain-Machine Integration, School of Brain Science and Brain Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310058, China
| | - Cheng Wu
- Department of Psychiatry of the Fourth Affiliated Hospital, International Institutes of Medicine, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Yiwu, Zhejiang 322000, China; NHC and CAMS Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, MOE Frontier Science Center for Brain, Research and Brain-Machine Integration, School of Brain Science and Brain Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310058, China; Zhejiang University-University of Edinburgh Institute, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Haining, Zhejiang 314400, China; Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH8 9JU, UK
| | - Yan-Na Lian
- Department of Psychiatry of the Fourth Affiliated Hospital, International Institutes of Medicine, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Yiwu, Zhejiang 322000, China; NHC and CAMS Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, MOE Frontier Science Center for Brain, Research and Brain-Machine Integration, School of Brain Science and Brain Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310058, China
| | - Xiao-Wen Cao
- Department of Psychiatry of the Fourth Affiliated Hospital, International Institutes of Medicine, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Yiwu, Zhejiang 322000, China; NHC and CAMS Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, MOE Frontier Science Center for Brain, Research and Brain-Machine Integration, School of Brain Science and Brain Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310058, China
| | - Zi-Yue Wang
- NHC and CAMS Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, MOE Frontier Science Center for Brain, Research and Brain-Machine Integration, School of Brain Science and Brain Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310058, China
| | - Jia-Jun Dong
- Zhejiang University-University of Edinburgh Institute, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Haining, Zhejiang 314400, China
| | - Qin Wu
- Zhejiang University-University of Edinburgh Institute, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Haining, Zhejiang 314400, China
| | - Li Liu
- Core Facilities of the School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310058, China
| | - Li Sun
- NHC and CAMS Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, MOE Frontier Science Center for Brain, Research and Brain-Machine Integration, School of Brain Science and Brain Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310058, China
| | - Wei Chen
- Department of Psychiatry, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310016, China
| | - Wen-Juan Chen
- Department of Psychiatry, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310016, China
| | - Zhi Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Brain Functions and Diseases, School of Life Science, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui 230027, China
| | - Min Zhuo
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 1A8, Canada
| | - Xiang-Yao Li
- Department of Psychiatry of the Fourth Affiliated Hospital, International Institutes of Medicine, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Yiwu, Zhejiang 322000, China; NHC and CAMS Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, MOE Frontier Science Center for Brain, Research and Brain-Machine Integration, School of Brain Science and Brain Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310058, China; Zhejiang University-University of Edinburgh Institute, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Haining, Zhejiang 314400, China; Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH8 9JU, UK.
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Ferrara NC, Kwapis JL, Trask S. Memory retrieval, reconsolidation, and extinction: Exploring the boundary conditions of post-conditioning cue exposure. Front Synaptic Neurosci 2023; 15:1146665. [PMID: 36937567 PMCID: PMC10017482 DOI: 10.3389/fnsyn.2023.1146665] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2023] [Accepted: 02/17/2023] [Indexed: 03/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Following fear conditioning, behavior can be reduced by giving many CS-alone presentations in a process known as extinction or by presenting a few CS-alone presentations and interfering with subsequent memory reconsolidation. While the two share procedural similarities, both the behavioral outcomes and the neurobiological underpinnings are distinct. Here we review the neural and behavioral mechanisms that produce these separate behavioral reductions, as well as some factors that determine whether or not a retrieval-dependent reconsolidation process or an extinction process will be in effect.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nicole C. Ferrara
- Discipline of Physiology and Biophysics, Rosalind Franklin University, North Chicago, IL, United States
- Center for Neurobiology of Stress Resilience and Psychiatric Disorders, Rosalind Franklin University, North Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Janine L. Kwapis
- Department of Biology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, United States
| | - Sydney Trask
- Department of Psychological Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, United States
- Purdue Institute for Integrative Neuroscience, West Lafayette, IN, United States
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
|
7
|
Jardine KH, Huff AE, Wideman CE, McGraw SD, Winters BD. The evidence for and against reactivation-induced memory updating in humans and nonhuman animals. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2022; 136:104598. [PMID: 35247380 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2022.104598] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2021] [Revised: 02/28/2022] [Accepted: 03/01/2022] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Systematic investigation of reactivation-induced memory updating began in the 1960s, and a wave of research in this area followed the seminal articulation of "reconsolidation" theory in the early 2000s. Myriad studies indicate that memory reactivation can cause previously consolidated memories to become labile and sensitive to weakening, strengthening, or other forms of modification. However, from its nascent period to the present, the field has been beset by inconsistencies in researchers' abilities to replicate seemingly established effects. Here we review these many studies, synthesizing the human and nonhuman animal literature, and suggest that these failures-to-replicate reflect a highly complex and delicately balanced memory modification system, the substrates of which must be finely tuned to enable adaptive memory updating while limiting maladaptive, inaccurate modifications. A systematic approach to the entire body of evidence, integrating positive and null findings, will yield a comprehensive understanding of the complex and dynamic nature of long-term memory storage and the potential for harnessing modification processes to treat mental disorders driven by pervasive maladaptive memories.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kristen H Jardine
- Department of Psychology and Collaborative Neuroscience Program, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada
| | - A Ethan Huff
- Department of Psychology and Collaborative Neuroscience Program, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada
| | - Cassidy E Wideman
- Department of Psychology and Collaborative Neuroscience Program, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada
| | - Shelby D McGraw
- Department of Psychology and Collaborative Neuroscience Program, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada
| | - Boyer D Winters
- Department of Psychology and Collaborative Neuroscience Program, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada.
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Trask S, Fournier DI. Examining a role for the retrosplenial cortex in age-related memory impairment. Neurobiol Learn Mem 2022; 189:107601. [PMID: 35202816 DOI: 10.1016/j.nlm.2022.107601] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2021] [Revised: 02/06/2022] [Accepted: 02/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Aging is often characterized by changes in the ability to form and accurately recall episodic memories, and this is especially evident in neuropsychiatric conditions including Alzheimer's disease and dementia. Memory impairments and cognitive decline associated with aging mirror the impairments observed following damage to the retrosplenial cortex, suggesting that this region might be important for continued cognitive function throughout the lifespan. Here, we review lines of evidence demonstrating that degeneration of the retrosplenial cortex is critically involved in age-related memory impairment and suggest that preservation of function in this region as part of a larger circuit that supports memory maintenance will decrease the deleterious effects of aging on memory processing.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sydney Trask
- Department of Psychological Sciences, Purdue University, United States.
| | | |
Collapse
|
9
|
Trask S, Ferrara NC, Grisales K, Helmstetter FJ. Optogenetic inhibition of either the anterior or posterior retrosplenial cortex disrupts retrieval of a trace, but not delay, fear memory. Neurobiol Learn Mem 2021; 185:107530. [PMID: 34592468 PMCID: PMC8595712 DOI: 10.1016/j.nlm.2021.107530] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2021] [Revised: 09/03/2021] [Accepted: 09/24/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Previous work investigating the role of the retrosplenial cortex (RSC) in memory formation has demonstrated that its contributions are not uniform throughout the rostro-caudal axis. While the anterior region was necessary for encoding CS information in a trace conditioning procedure, the posterior retrosplenial cortex was needed to encode contextual information. Using the same behavioral procedure, we tested if there was a similar dissociation during memory retrieval. First, we found that memory retrieval following trace conditioning results in increased neural activity in both the anterior and posterior retrosplenial cortex, measured using the immediate early gene zif268. Similar increases were not found in either RSC subregion using a delay conditioning task. We then found that optogenetic inhibition of neural activity in either subregion impairs retrieval of a trace, but not delay, memory. Together these results add to a growing literature showing a role for the retrosplenial cortex in memory formation and retention. Further, they suggest that following formation, memory storage becomes distributed to a wider network than is needed for its initial consolidation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sydney Trask
- The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Department of Psychology, United States
| | - Nicole C Ferrara
- The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Department of Psychology, United States
| | - Kevin Grisales
- The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Department of Psychology, United States
| | - Fred J Helmstetter
- The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Department of Psychology, United States.
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Urban MW, Lo C, Bodinayake KK, Brunswick CA, Murakami S, Heimann AC, Kwapis JL. The circadian clock gene Per1 modulates context fear memory formation within the retrosplenial cortex in a sex-specific manner. Neurobiol Learn Mem 2021; 185:107535. [PMID: 34624524 PMCID: PMC8595856 DOI: 10.1016/j.nlm.2021.107535] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2021] [Revised: 09/27/2021] [Accepted: 09/30/2021] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
Context memory formation is a complex process that requires transcription in many subregions of the brain including the dorsal hippocampus and retrosplenial cortex. One critical gene necessary for memory formation is the circadian gene Period1 (Per1), which has been shown to function in the dorsal hippocampus to modulate spatial memory in addition to its well-documented role in regulating the diurnal clock within the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN). We recently found that alterations in Per1 expression in the dorsal hippocampus can modulate spatial memory formation, with reduced hippocampal Per1 impairing memory and overexpression of Per1 ameliorating age-related impairments in spatial memory. Whether Per1 similarly functions within other memory-relevant brain regions is currently unknown. Here, to test whether Per1 is a general mechanism that modulates memory across the brain, we tested the role of Per1 in the retrosplenial cortex (RSC), a brain region necessary for context memory formation. First, we demonstrate that context fear conditioning drives a transient increase in Per1 mRNA expression within the anterior RSC that peaks 60 m after training. Next, using HSV-CRISPRi-mediated knockdown of Per1, we show that reducing Per1 within the anterior RSC before context fear acquisition impairs memory in both male and female mice. In contrast, overexpressing Per1 with either HSV-CRISPRa or HSV-Per1 before context fear acquisition drives a sex-specific memory impairment; males show impaired context fear memory whereas females are not affected by Per1 overexpression. Finally, as Per1 levels are known to rhythmically oscillate across the day/night cycle, we tested the possibility that Per1 overexpression might have different effects on memory depending on the time of day. In contrast to the impairment in memory we observed during the daytime, Per1 overexpression has no effect on context fear memory during the night in either male or female mice. Together, our results indicate that Per1 modulates memory in the anterior retrosplenial cortex in addition to its documented role in regulating memory within the dorsal hippocampus, although this role may differ between males and females.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mark W Urban
- Department of Biology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
| | - Chenyu Lo
- Department of Biology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
| | - Kasuni K Bodinayake
- Department of Biology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
| | - Chad A Brunswick
- Department of Biology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
| | - Shoko Murakami
- Department of Biology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
| | - Ashley C Heimann
- Department of Biology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
| | - Janine L Kwapis
- Department of Biology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Wright DS, Bodinayake KK, Kwapis JL. Investigating Memory Updating in Mice Using the Objects in Updated Locations Task. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2020; 91:e87. [PMID: 31985896 DOI: 10.1002/cpns.87] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
In the laboratory, memory is typically studied as a de novo experience, in which a naïve animal is exposed to a discrete learning event that is markedly different from its past experiences. Most real-world memories, however, are updates-modifications or additions-to existing memories. This is particularly true in the aging, experienced brain. To better understand memory updating, we have developed a new behavioral paradigm called the objects in updated locations (OUL) task. OUL relies on hippocampus-dependent spatial learning and has the advantage of being able to test both the original memory and the updated information in a single test session. Further, OUL relies on incidental learning that avoids unnecessary stress that might hinder the performance of aging animals. In OUL, animals first learn the location of two identical objects in a familiar context. This memory is then updated by moving one object to a new location. Finally, to assess the animals' memory for the original and the updated information, all animals are given a test session in which they are exposed to four copies of the object: two in the original training locations, one in the updated location, and one in a novel location. By comparing exploration of the novel location to the familiar locations, we can infer whether the animal remembers the original and updated object locations. OUL is a simple but powerful task that could provide new insights into the cellular, circuit-level, and molecular mechanisms that support memory updating. © 2020 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Destiny S Wright
- Department of Biology, Center for Molecular Investigation of Neurological Disorders (CMIND), Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania
| | - Kasuni K Bodinayake
- Department of Biology, Center for Molecular Investigation of Neurological Disorders (CMIND), Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania
| | - Janine L Kwapis
- Department of Biology, Center for Molecular Investigation of Neurological Disorders (CMIND), Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Molecular Mechanisms of Reconsolidation-Dependent Memory Updating. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21186580. [PMID: 32916796 PMCID: PMC7555418 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21186580] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2020] [Revised: 09/06/2020] [Accepted: 09/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Memory is not a stable record of experience, but instead is an ongoing process that allows existing memories to be modified with new information through a reconsolidation-dependent updating process. For a previously stable memory to be updated, the memory must first become labile through a process called destabilization. Destabilization is a protein degradation-dependent process that occurs when new information is presented. Following destabilization, a memory becomes stable again through a protein synthesis-dependent process called restabilization. Much work remains to fully characterize the mechanisms that underlie both destabilization and subsequent restabilization, however. In this article, we briefly review the discovery of reconsolidation as a potential mechanism for memory updating. We then discuss the behavioral paradigms that have been used to identify the molecular mechanisms of reconsolidation-dependent memory updating. Finally, we outline what is known about the molecular mechanisms that support the memory updating process. Understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying reconsolidation-dependent memory updating is an important step toward leveraging this process in a therapeutic setting to modify maladaptive memories and to improve memory when it fails.
Collapse
|
13
|
Trask S, Dulka BN, Helmstetter FJ. Age-Related Memory Impairment Is Associated with Increased zif268 Protein Accumulation and Decreased Rpt6 Phosphorylation. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:E5352. [PMID: 32731408 PMCID: PMC7432048 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21155352] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2020] [Revised: 07/23/2020] [Accepted: 07/25/2020] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Aging is associated with cognitive decline, including impairments in the ability to accurately form and recall memories. Some behavioral and brain changes associated with aging are evident as early as middle age, making the understanding of associated neurobiological mechanisms essential to aid in efforts aimed at slowing cognitive decline throughout the lifespan. Here, we found that both 15-month-old and 22-month-old rats showed impaired memory recall following trace fear conditioning. This behavioral deficit was accompanied by increased zif268 protein accumulation relative to 3-month-old animals in the medial prefrontal cortex, the dorsal and ventral hippocampi, the anterior and posterior retrosplenial cortices, the lateral amygdala, and the ventrolateral periaqueductal gray. Elevated zif268 protein levels corresponded with decreases in phosphorylation of the Rpt6 proteasome regulatory subunit, which is indicative of decreased engagement of activity-driven protein degradation. Together, these results identify several brain regions differentially impacted by aging and suggest that the accumulation of proteins associated with memory retrieval, through reduced proteolytic activity, is associated with age-related impairments in memory retention.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Fred J. Helmstetter
- Department of Psychology, The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, P.O. Box 413, Milwaukee, WI 53201, USA; (S.T.); (B.N.D.)
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Rewarding information presented during reactivation attenuates fear memory: Methylphenidate and fear memory updating. Neuropharmacology 2020; 171:108107. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2020.108107] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2019] [Revised: 04/07/2020] [Accepted: 04/12/2020] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
|
15
|
Kwapis JL, Alaghband Y, Keiser AA, Dong TN, Michael CM, Rhee D, Shu G, Dang RT, Matheos DP, Wood MA. Aging mice show impaired memory updating in the novel OUL updating paradigm. Neuropsychopharmacology 2020; 45:337-346. [PMID: 31202213 PMCID: PMC6901557 DOI: 10.1038/s41386-019-0438-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2019] [Revised: 05/31/2019] [Accepted: 06/07/2019] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Memories do not persist in a permanent, static state but instead must be dynamically modified in response to new information. Although new memory formation is typically studied in a laboratory setting, most real-world associations are modifications to existing memories, particularly in the aging, experienced brain. To date, the field has lacked a simple behavioral paradigm that can measure whether original and updated information is remembered in a single test session. To address this gap, we have developed a novel memory updating paradigm, called the Objects in Updated Locations (OUL) task that is capable of assessing memory updating in a non-stressful task that is appropriate for both young and old rodents. We first show that young mice successfully remember both the original memory and the updated information in OUL. Next, we demonstrate that intrahippocampal infusion of the protein synthesis inhibitor anisomycin disrupts both the updated information and the original memory at test, suggesting that memory updating in OUL engages the original memory. To verify this, we used the Arc CatFISH technique to show that the OUL update session reactivates a largely overlapping set of neurons as the original memory. Finally, using OUL, we show that memory updating is impaired in aging, 18-m.o. mice. Together, these results demonstrate that hippocampal memory updating is impaired with aging and establish that the OUL paradigm is an effective, sensitive method of assessing memory updating in rodents.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Janine L Kwapis
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Center for the Neurobiology of Learning and Memory, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA.
- Department of Biology, Center for Molecular Investigation of Neurological Disorders (CMIND), Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802, USA.
| | - Yasaman Alaghband
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Center for the Neurobiology of Learning and Memory, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA
| | - Ashley A Keiser
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Center for the Neurobiology of Learning and Memory, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA
| | - Tri N Dong
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Center for the Neurobiology of Learning and Memory, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA
| | - Christina M Michael
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Center for the Neurobiology of Learning and Memory, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA
| | - Diane Rhee
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Center for the Neurobiology of Learning and Memory, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA
| | - Guanhua Shu
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Center for the Neurobiology of Learning and Memory, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA
| | - Richard T Dang
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Center for the Neurobiology of Learning and Memory, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA
| | - Dina P Matheos
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Center for the Neurobiology of Learning and Memory, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA
| | - Marcelo A Wood
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Center for the Neurobiology of Learning and Memory, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Zhang L, Chen X, Sindreu C, Lu S, Storm DR, Zweifel LS, Xia Z. Dynamics of a hippocampal neuronal ensemble encoding trace fear memory revealed by in vivo Ca2+ imaging. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0219152. [PMID: 31269057 PMCID: PMC6608968 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0219152] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2019] [Accepted: 06/17/2019] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Although the biochemical signaling events in area CA1 of the hippocampus underlying memory acquisition, consolidation, retrieval, and extinction have been extensively studied, little is known about the activity dynamics of hippocampal neurons in CA1 during Pavlovian fear conditioning. Here, we use fiber-optic confocal microscopy coupled with the calcium indicator GCaMP6m to monitor neuron activity in freely moving mice during trace fear conditioning. We show that the activity of a group of CA1 neurons increases not only after the stimulus presentations, but also during the stimulus-free trace period when the conditioned mice exhibit a high level of freezing behavior. Therefore, we designate these cells “trace cells”. Interestingly, the activity of the trace cells increases in response to the conditioned stimuli during memory retrieval but diminishes during memory extinction. Importantly, the dynamics of neuron activity exhibit a high degree of correlation with the freezing behavior of the mice, suggesting that a neuronal ensemble responsible for encoding the trace fear memory is repeatedly reactivated during memory retrieval and later extinguished during memory extinction.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Liang Zhang
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
| | - Xuanmao Chen
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
| | - Carlos Sindreu
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
| | - Song Lu
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
| | - Daniel R. Storm
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
| | - Larry S. Zweifel
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
| | - Zhengui Xia
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Millon EM, Chang HYM, Shors TJ. Stressful Life Memories Relate to Ruminative Thoughts in Women With Sexual Violence History, Irrespective of PTSD. Front Psychiatry 2018; 9:311. [PMID: 30233419 PMCID: PMC6134204 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2018.00311] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2017] [Accepted: 06/22/2018] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
More than one in every four women in the world experience sexual violence (SV) in their lifetime, most often as teenagers and young adults. These traumatic experiences leave memories in the brain, which are difficult if not impossible to forget. We asked whether women with SV history experience stronger memories of their most stressful life event than women without SV history and if so, whether strength relates to ruminative and trauma-related thoughts. Using the Autobiographical Memory Questionnaire (AMQ), women with SV history (n = 64) reported this memory as especially strong (p < 0.001), remembering more sensory and contextual details, compared to women without SV history (n = 119). They further considered the event a significant part of their personal life story. The strength of the memory was highly correlated with posttraumatic cognitions and ruminative thoughts, as well as symptoms of depression and anxiety (p's < 0.001, n = 183). A third (33%) of the women with SV history were diagnosed with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), but PTSD alone did not account for the increase in memory strength (p's < 0.001). These data suggest that the experience of SV increases the strength of stressful autobiographical memories, which are then reexperienced in everyday life during posttraumatic and ruminative thoughts. We propose that the repeated rehearsal of vivid stressful life memories generates more trauma memories in the brain, making the experience of SV even more difficult to forget.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Tracey J. Shors
- Behavioral and Systems Neuroscience, Department of Psychology, Center for Collaborative Neuroscience, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ, United States
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
EZH2 Methyltransferase Activity Controls Pten Expression and mTOR Signaling during Fear Memory Reconsolidation. J Neurosci 2018; 38:7635-7648. [PMID: 30030400 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.0538-18.2018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2018] [Revised: 06/20/2018] [Accepted: 07/07/2018] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Memory retrieval induces a transient period of increased transcriptional and translational regulation in neurons called reconsolidation, which is regulated by the protein kinase B (AKT)-mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathway. However, it is currently unknown how activation of the AKT-mTOR pathway is regulated during the reconsolidation process. Here, we found that in male rats retrieval of a contextual fear memory transiently increased Enhancer of Zeste Homolog 2 (EZH2) levels along with increased histone H3 lysine 27 trimethylation (H3K27me3) levels, which correlated with decreased levels of phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN), a potent inhibitor of AKT-mTOR-dependent signaling in the hippocampus. Further experiments found increased H3K27me3 levels and DNA methylation across the Pten promoter and coding regions, indicating transcriptional silencing of the Pten gene. Pten H3K27me3 levels did not change following training or after the retrieval of a remote (old) fear memory, suggesting that this mechanism of Pten repression was specific to the reconsolidation of a new memory. In vivo siRNA-mediated knockdown of Ezh2 in the hippocampus abolished retrieval-induced increases in H3K27me3 and prevented decreases in PTEN levels. Ezh2 knockdown attenuated increases in the phosphorylation of AKT and mTOR following retrieval, which could be restored by simultaneously reducing Pten, suggesting that H3K27me3 regulates AKT-mTOR phosphorylation via repression of Pten Consistent with these results, knockdown of Ezh2 in area CA1 before retrieval impaired memory on later tests. Collectively, these results suggest that EZH2-mediated H3K27me3 plays a critical role in the repression of Pten transcription necessary for AKT-mTOR activation and memory reconsolidation following retrieval.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Understanding how critical translation pathways, like mTOR-mediated protein synthesis, are regulated during the memory storage process is necessary for improving memory impairments. This study tests whether mTOR activation is coupled to epigenetic mechanisms in the hippocampus following the retrieval of a contextual fear memory. Specifically, this study evaluates the role of epigenetic modifications in the form of histone methylation in downstream mTOR translational control during learning-dependent synaptic plasticity in neurons. Considering the broad implications of transcriptional and translational mechanisms in synaptic plasticity, psychiatric, and neurological and neurodegenerative disorders, these data are of interest to the neuroscience community due to the robust and specific regulation of mTOR signaling we found to be dependent on repressive histone methylation.
Collapse
|
19
|
Pollack GA, Bezek JL, Lee SH, Scarlata MJ, Weingast LT, Bergstrom HC. Cued fear memory generalization increases over time. Learn Mem 2018; 25:298-308. [PMID: 29907637 PMCID: PMC6004064 DOI: 10.1101/lm.047555.118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2018] [Accepted: 04/13/2018] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
Fear memory is a highly stable and durable form of memory, even over vast (remote) time frames. Nevertheless, some elements of fear memory can be forgotten, resulting in generalization. The purpose of this study is to determine how cued fear memory generalizes over time and measure underlying patterns of cortico-amygdala synaptic plasticity. We established generalization gradients at recent (1-d) and remote (30-d) retention intervals following auditory cued fear conditioning in adult male C57BL/6 mice. Results revealed a flattening of the generalization gradient (increased generalization) that was dissociated from contextual fear generalization, indicating a specific influence of time on cued fear memory performance. This effect reversed after a brief exposure to the novel stimulus soon after learning. Measurements from cortico-amygdala imaging of the activity-regulated cytoskeletal Arc/arg 3.1 (Arc) protein using immunohistochemistry after cued fear memory retrieval revealed a stable pattern of Arc expression in the dorsolateral amygdala, but temporally dynamic expression in the cortex. Over time, increased fear memory generalization was associated with a reduction in Arc expression in the agranular insular and infralimbic cortices while discrimination learning was associated with increased Arc expression in the prelimbic cortex. These data identify the dorsolateral amygdala, medial prefrontal, and insular cortices as loci for synaptic plasticity underlying cued fear memory generalization over time.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Gabrielle A Pollack
- Department of Psychological Science, Program in Neuroscience and Behavior, Vassar College, Poughkeepsie, New York 12604 USA
| | - Jessica L Bezek
- Department of Psychological Science, Program in Neuroscience and Behavior, Vassar College, Poughkeepsie, New York 12604 USA
| | - Serena H Lee
- Department of Psychological Science, Program in Neuroscience and Behavior, Vassar College, Poughkeepsie, New York 12604 USA
| | - Miranda J Scarlata
- Department of Psychological Science, Program in Neuroscience and Behavior, Vassar College, Poughkeepsie, New York 12604 USA
| | - Leah T Weingast
- Department of Psychological Science, Program in Neuroscience and Behavior, Vassar College, Poughkeepsie, New York 12604 USA
| | - Hadley C Bergstrom
- Department of Psychological Science, Program in Neuroscience and Behavior, Vassar College, Poughkeepsie, New York 12604 USA
| |
Collapse
|
20
|
Putting fear in context: Elucidating the role of the retrosplenial cortex in context discrimination in rats. Neurobiol Learn Mem 2017; 148:50-59. [PMID: 29294384 DOI: 10.1016/j.nlm.2017.12.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2017] [Revised: 12/15/2017] [Accepted: 12/29/2017] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
The retrosplenial cortex (RSC), which receives visuo-spatial sensory input and interacts with numerous hippocampal memory system structures, has a well-established role in contextual learning and memory. While it has been demonstrated that RSC function is necessary to learn to recognize a single environment that is directly paired with an aversive event, the role of the RSC in discriminating between two different contexts remains largely unknown. To address this, first order (Experiment 1) and higher order (Experiment 2) fear conditioning paradigms were conducted with sham and RSC-lesioned rats. In Experiment 1 rats were exposed to one context in which shock was delivered and to a second, distinct context without shock. Their ability to discriminate between the contexts was assessed during a re-exposure test. In a second experiment, a new cohort of RSC-lesioned rats was exposed to two contexts made distinct through visual, olfactory and auditory stimuli. In a subsequent conditioning phase, the salience of one of the auditory stimuli was paired to an aversive footshock while the other was not. Similar to Experiment 1, freezing behavior was analyzed upon re-exposure to the contexts in the absence of both the auditory cue and the footshock. The results revealed that RSC is not necessary for rats to use contextual information to successfully discriminate between two contexts under the relatively simple demands involved in this first order conditioning paradigm but that context discrimination is impaired when the processing of complex and/or ambiguous contextual stimuli is required to select appropriate behavioral responses.
Collapse
|