title: Disruption of Memory Reconsolidation Erases a Fear Memory Trace in the Human Amygdala: An 18-Month Follow-Up.
abstract: Fear memories can be attenuated by reactivation followed by disrupted reconsolidation. Using functional magnetic resonance imaging we recently showed that reactivation and reconsolidation of a conditioned fear memory trace in the basolateral amygdala predicts subsequent fear expression over two days, while reactivation followed by disrupted reconsolidation abolishes the memory trace and suppresses fear. In this follow-up study we demonstrate that the behavioral effect persists over 18 months reflected in superior reacquisition after undisrupted, as compared to disrupted reconsolidation, and that neural activity in the basolateral amygdala representing the initial fear memory predicts return of fear. We conclude that disrupting reconsolidation have long lasting behavioral effects and may permanently erase the fear component of an amygdala-dependent memory.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden.
authors.forename: Johannes
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Björkstrand
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden.
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Agren
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden.
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Frick
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden.
authors.forename: Jonas
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Engman
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Department of Surgical Sciences / Radiology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden.
authors.forename: Elna-Marie
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Larsson
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden.
authors.forename: Tomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Furmark
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden; Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
authors.forename: Mats
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fredrikson
mesh_terms: D000679:Amygdala / Q000502:physiology* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D001931:Brain Mapping; D005239:Fear; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008568:Memory; D008569:Memory Disorders; D010812:Physical Stimulation; D012867:Skin