title: Repetition strengthens target recognition but impairs similar lure discrimination: evidence for trace competition.
abstract: Most theories of memory assume that representations are strengthened with repetition. We recently proposed Competitive Trace Theory, building on the hippocampus' powerful capacity to orthogonalize inputs into distinct outputs. We hypothesized that repetition elicits a similar but nonidentical memory trace, and that contextual details of traces may compete for representation over time. We designed a task in which objects were incidentally encoded either one or three times. Supporting our theory, repetition improved target recognition, but impaired rejection of similar lures. This suggests that, in contrast to past beliefs, repetition may reduce the fidelity of memory representations.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, University of California, Irvine, California 92697, USA Center for Neurobiology of Learning and Memory, University of California, Irvine, California 92697, USA Institute for Memory Impairments and Neurological Disorders, University of California, Irvine, California 92697, USA.
authors.forename: Zachariah M
authors.initials: ZM
authors.lastname: Reagh
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, University of California, Irvine, California 92697, USA Center for Neurobiology of Learning and Memory, University of California, Irvine, California 92697, USA Institute for Memory Impairments and Neurological Disorders, University of California, Irvine, California 92697, USA Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland 21218-2686, USA.
authors.forename: Michael A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Yassa
mesh_terms: D004193:Discrimination Learning / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D057567:Memory, Long-Term / Q000502:physiology*; D008960:Models, Psychological; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D010364:Pattern Recognition, Visual / Q000502:physiology*; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000502:physiology; D021641:Recognition, Psychology / Q000502:physiology*; D055815:Young Adult