NMDA receptors are critical for unleashing consolidated auditory fear memories.
Memories are dynamic and can change when recalled. The process that returns memories to a labile state during remembering is unclear. We found that the presence of NMDA, but not AMPA, receptor antagonists in the amygdala prior to recall prevented the consolidated fear memory from returning to a labile state. These findings suggest that NMDA receptors in the amygdala are critical for transforming a memory from a fixed to a labile state.
Ben Mamou
Cyrinne
C
Psychology Department, McGill University, 1205 Dr. Penfield Avenue, Montreal, Quebec H3A 1B1, Canada.
Gamache
Karine
K
Nader
Karim
K
D000161:Acoustic Stimulation / Q000379:methods; D000679:Amygdala / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D000818:Animals; D000841:Anisomycin / Q000494:pharmacology; D001362:Avoidance Learning / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects; D003214:Conditioning, Classical / Q000187:drug effects; D018691:Excitatory Amino Acid Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D005239:Fear; D008297:Male; D008568:Memory / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D011500:Protein Synthesis Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D016194:Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate / Q000502:physiology*; D013997:Time Factors
D018691:Excitatory Amino Acid Antagonists; D011500:Protein Synthesis Inhibitors; D016194:Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate; D000841:Anisomycin