title: Reconsolidation of long-term memory in Aplysia.
abstract: When an animal is reminded of a prior experience and shortly afterward treated with a protein synthesis inhibitor, the consolidated memory for the experience can be disrupted; by contrast, protein synthesis inhibition without prior reminding commonly does not disrupt long-term memory [1-3]. Such results imply that the reminding triggers reconsolidation of the memory. Here, we asked whether the behavioral and synaptic changes associated with the memory for long-term sensitization (LTS) of the siphon-withdrawal reflex in the marine snail Aplysia californica [4, 5] could undergo reconsolidation. In support of this idea, we found that when sensitized animals were given abbreviated reminder sensitization training 48-96 hr after the original sensitization training, followed by treatment with the protein synthesis inhibitor anisomycin, LTS was disrupted. We also found that long-term (≥ 24 hr) facilitation (LTF) [6], which can be induced in the monosynaptic connection between Aplysia sensory and motor neurons in dissociated cell culture by multiple spaced pulses of the endogenous facilitatory transmitter serotonin (5-HT) [7, 8], could be eliminated by treating the synapses with one reminder pulse of 5-HT, followed by anisomycin, at 48 hr after the original training. Our results provide a simple model system for understanding the synaptic basis of reconsolidation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Integrative Biology and Physiology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA.
authors.forename: Diancai
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Cai
authors.forename: Kaycey
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Pearce
authors.forename: Shanping
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: David L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Glanzman
mesh_terms: D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D000841:Anisomycin / Q000494:pharmacology; D001048:Aplysia / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D001522:Behavior, Animal; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D057567:Memory, Long-Term; D009046:Motor Neurons / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects; D011500:Protein Synthesis Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D012018:Reflex / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D011984:Sensory Receptor Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects; D012701:Serotonin / Q000494:pharmacology; D013569:Synapses / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D011500:Protein Synthesis Inhibitors; D012701:Serotonin; D000841:Anisomycin