title: Neurogenesis-mediated forgetting minimizes proactive interference.
abstract: Established memories may interfere with the encoding of new memories, particularly when existing and new memories overlap in content. By manipulating levels of hippocampal neurogenesis, here we show that neurogenesis regulates this form of proactive interference. Increasing hippocampal neurogenesis weakens existing memories and, in doing so, facilitates the encoding of new, conflicting (but not non-conflicting) information in mice. Conversely, decreasing neurogenesis stabilizes existing memories, and impedes the encoding of new, conflicting information. These results suggest that reduced proactive interference is an adaptive benefit of neurogenesis-induced forgetting.
authors.affiliation: Program in Neurosciences and Mental Health, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5G 1X8.
authors.forename: Jonathan R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Epp
authors.affiliation: Program in Neurosciences and Mental Health, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5G 1X8.
authors.forename: Rudy
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Silva Mera
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Brain and Mind Institute, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada N6A 5B7.|Baycrest Centre, Rotman Research Institute, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M6A 2E1.
authors.forename: Stefan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Köhler
authors.affiliation: Program in Neurosciences and Mental Health, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5G 1X8.|Department of Psychology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5S 3GM.|Department of Physiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5S 1A8.|Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5S 1A8.
authors.forename: Sheena A
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0001-5451-489X
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Josselyn
authors.affiliation: Program in Neurosciences and Mental Health, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5G 1X8.|Department of Psychology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5S 3GM.|Department of Physiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5S 1A8.|Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5S 1A8.
authors.forename: Paul W
authors.initials: PW
authors.lastname: Frankland
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001245:Association Learning; D002452:Cell Count; D018891:Dentate Gyrus / Q000166:cytology*; D004193:Discrimination Learning; D006185:Habituation, Psychophysiologic; D018782:Maze Learning / Q000502:physiology*; D008568:Memory / Q000502:physiology; D051379:Mice; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D064231:Nestin; D055495:Neurogenesis / Q000502:physiology*; D009474:Neurons; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D012153:Retention, Psychology / Q000502:physiology*; D012193:Reversal Learning / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: C577485:Nes protein, mouse; D064231:Nestin