Abstract View
REQUIREMENT FOR mRNA SYNTHESIS DURING CONSOLIDATION AND RECONSOLIDATION OF PAVLOVIAN AUDITORY FEAR CONDITIONING.
S.Duvarci1*; K.Nader2; J.E.LeDoux1
1. Ctr. Neural Sci, New York Univ, New York, NY, USA
2. Psychology, McGill Univ, Montreal, PQ, Canada
3. Ctr Neural Sci, New York Univ, New York, NY, USA
Synthesis of new RNA and proteins in the lateral-basal amygdala (LBA) is necessary for the successful consolidation of new auditory fear memories. Recently we have demonstrated that consolidated auditory fear memories, when reactivated, return to a labile state during which protein synthesis is again necessary for the reconsolidation of the memory. Whether consolidation and reconsolidation are qualitatively similar processes and are subject to same molecular mechanisms is a question to be further examined. To this end, we tested the requirement of mRNA synthesis in the LBA for the consolidation and reconsolidation of auditory fear conditioning with the use of the mRNA synthesis inhibitor DRB (5,6-Dichlorobenzimidazole 1-b-D-ribofuranoside). Rats were trained with a single pairing of CS (5 KHz tone) and footshock US (1.5 mA, 1,5 sec). They were infused with either DRB or the vehicle immediately after training and tested for short-term (STM) and the long-term memory (LTM). To test for the requirement of mRNA synthesis during reconsolidation, 24 hr after training, memory was reactivated with one CS presentation. Following reactivation, rats were infused with either DRB or vehicle and were tested for post-reactivation STM and -LTM. The results showed that both post-training and post-reactivation inhibition of mRNA synthesis in the LBA impaired long-term, but not short-term, memory of the fear conditioning.
Support Contributed By: the HFS, VW, to KN and JEL and NIMH to JEL.
Citation:
S. Duvarci, K. Nader, J.E. LeDoux. REQUIREMENT FOR mRNA SYNTHESIS DURING CONSOLIDATION AND RECONSOLIDATION OF PAVLOVIAN AUDITORY FEAR CONDITIONING. Program No. 623.10. 2003 Abstract Viewer/Itinerary Planner. Washington, DC: Society for Neuroscience, 2003. Online.