What are some of the differences between extinction and memory reconsolidation?

Therefore, memory retrieval may initiate two potentially dissociable but opposite processes: reconsolidation and extinction. Reconsolidation acts to stabilize, whereas extinction tends to weaken, the expression of the original memory.

What is the mechanism of fear?

A threat stimulus, such as the sight of a predator, triggers a fear response in the amygdala, which activates areas involved in preparation for motor functions involved in fight or flight. It also triggers release of stress hormones and sympathetic nervous system.

What is fear memory extinction?

Fear extinction is defined as a lessening of conditioned fear responses following extinction training, during which subjects are exposed to repetitive presentations of conditioned stimuli (CS) alone (Pavlov, 1927; Bouton, 1988; Myers and Davis, 2007; Nader et al., 2013).

How does fear extinction work?

In the laboratory, fear inhibition most often is studied through a procedure in which a previously fear conditioned organism is exposed to a fear-eliciting cue in the absence of any aversive event. This procedure results in a decline in conditioned fear responses that is attributed to a process called fear extinction.

How is the extinction of fear memory achieved?

Abstract. The extinction of conditioned fear memories requires plasticity in the infralimbic medial prefrontal cortex (IL mPFC), but little is known about the molecular mechanisms involved. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is a key mediator of synaptic plasticity in multiple brain areas.

What is the difference between extinction and reconsolidation?

Reconsolidation acts to stabilize, whereas extinction tends to weaken, the expression of the original memory.

Where does the extinction of conditioned fear occur?

Extinction of conditioned fear forms a new memory in the infralimbic medial prefrontal cortex (IL mPFC) that is critical for the retrieval of extinction ( 1 , 2 ). IL single-unit responses correlate with the successful retrieval of such extinction memories ( 3 ), and IL stimulation strengthens these memories ( 3 ).

Which is the key event in memory reconsolidation?

Cued recall of the original memory is the key event that initiates reconsolidation. In pavlovian fear conditioning, a conditioned stimulus (CS; such as a context) is paired with an unconditioned stimulus (US; such as footshock). When placed back in the training context, the animal shows conditioned fear responses such as freezing.