1 Department of Psychology, University of Montreal, Montreal, Quebec, H3C 3J7, Canada. gabitovella@gmail.com.
2 Functional Neuroimaging Unit, C.R.I.U.G.M., Montreal, Quebec, H3W 1W5, Canada. gabitovella@gmail.com.
3 Laboratory for Human Brain & Learning, Sagol Department of Neurobiology & the E.J. Safra Brain Research Center, University of Haifa, Haifa, 3498838, Israel. gabitovella@gmail.com.
4 Department of Psychology, University of Montreal, Montreal, Quebec, H3C 3J7, Canada.
5 Functional Neuroimaging Unit, C.R.I.U.G.M., Montreal, Quebec, H3W 1W5, Canada.
6 Functional Neuroimaging Laboratory, INSERM U1146, Sorbonne University, Paris, 75634, France.
7 School of Psychological Sciences and Sagol School of Neuroscience, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, 69978, Israel.
8 School of Psychology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, K1N 6N5, Canada.
9 Movement Control and Neuroplasticity Research Group, Department of Kinesiology, KU Leuven, Leuven, 3000, Belgium.
10 PERFORM Centre, Concordia University, Montreal, Quebec, H4B 1R6, Canada.
11 Human Cortical Physiology and Neurorehabilitation Section, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, 20892, USA.
12 Laboratory for Human Brain & Learning, Sagol Department of Neurobiology & the E.J. Safra Brain Research Center, University of Haifa, Haifa, 3498838, Israel.
13 Department of Psychology, University of Montreal, Montreal, Quebec, H3C 3J7, Canada. julien.doyon@umontreal.ca.
14 Functional Neuroimaging Unit, C.R.I.U.G.M., Montreal, Quebec, H3W 1W5, Canada. julien.doyon@umontreal.ca.

Re-stepping into the same river: competition problem rather than a reconsolidation failure in an established motor skill.

Sci Rep. 2017 08 24;7(1):9406

Authors: Gabitov E, Boutin A, Pinsard B, Censor N, Fogel SM, Albouy G, King BR, Benali H, Carrier J, Cohen LG, Karni A, Doyon J

Abstract

Animal models suggest that consolidated memories return to their labile state when reactivated and need to be restabilized through reconsolidation processes to persist. Consistent with this notion, post-reactivation pharmacological protein synthesis blockage results in mnemonic failure in hippocampus-dependent memories. It has been proposed that, in humans, post-reactivation experience with a competitive task can also interfere with memory restabilization. However, several studies failed to induce performance deficit implementing this approach. Moreover, even upon effective post-reactivation interference, hindered performance may rapidly recover, raising the possibility of a retrieval rather than a storage deficit. Here, to address these issues in procedural memory domain, we used new learning to interfere with restabilization of motor memory acquired through training on a sequence of finger movements. Only immediate post-reactivation interference was associated with the loss of post-training delayed gains in performance, a hallmark of motor sequence memory consolidation. We also demonstrate that such performance deficit more likely indicates a genuine memory impairment rather than a retrieval failure. However, the reconsolidation view on a reactivation-induced plasticity is not supported. Instead, our results are in line with the integration model according to which new knowledge acquired during the interfering experience, is integrated through its consolidation creating memory competition.

PMID: 28839217 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]