Abstract
Some of the considerations that led to a consolidation interpretation of retrograde amnesia (RA), which states that RA results from the disruption of memory processing and storage when neural activity is interrupted by a brain insult, are reviewed here. The time-dependent gradient of memory loss (i.e., new memories are more vulnerable to amnesia than old memories) that characterizes RA seemed to fit nicely with the notion of a cascade of cellular events occurring during the immediate post-acquisition period that would transform a labile representation into a more stable form (i.e., consolidate the memory). However, a variety of observations came to challenge the storage-disruption model, and among these was the finding of amnesia for old but reactivated memories. A recent study by Nader, Schafe, and LeDoux (2000) provides an important analytic extension of the work on “reconsolidation” by showing that inhibition of protein synthesis in the lateral and basal nuclei of the amygdala immediately following the reactivation of old memory will induce retrograde amnesia. We offer a retrieval-oriented conceptualization to account for the temporal gradient and the “reconsolidation” phenomena.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Bradley, P. M. and Galal, K. M. (1988). State-dependent recall can be induced by protein synthesis inhibition: behavioral and morphological observations.Brain Research, 468, 243–251.
Cahill, L. and McGaugh, J. L. (1998). Mechanisms of emotional arousal and lasting declarative memory.Trends in Neuroscience, 21, 294–299.
Cherkin, A. (1969). Kinetics of memory consolidation: role of amnestic treatment parameters.Proceedings N. Y. Academy of Science, 63, 1094–1101.
DeVietti, T. L. and Hopfer, T. M. (1974). Reinstatement of memory in rats: dependence upon two forms of retrieval deficit following electroconvulsive shock.Journal of Comparative and Physiological Psychology, 86, 1090–1099.
Duncan, C. P. (1949). The retroactive effect of electroshock on learning.Journal of Comparative and Physiological Psychology, 42, 32–44.
Geller, A. and Jarvik, M. E. (1968). The time relations of ECS-induced amnesia.Psychonomic Science, 12, 169–170.
Gold, P. E. (1987). Sweet memories.American Scientist, 75, 151–155.
Gold, P. E. and King, R. A. (1974). Retrograde amnesia: storage failure versus retrieval failure.Psychological Review, 81, 465–469.
Gold, P. E., Haycock, J. W., Macri, J. and McGaugh, J. L. (1973). Retrograde amnesia and the “reminder effect”: an alternative interpretation.Science, 180, 1199–1201.
Gold, P.E. and VanBuskirk, R. B. (1975). Facilitation of time-dependent memory processes with post-trial epinephrine injections.Behavioral Biology, 13, 145–153.
Gordon, W. C. and Mowrer, R. R. (1980). The use of an extinction trial as a reminder treatment following CS.Animal Learning and Behavior, 8, 363–367.
Harrod, S. B., Metzger, M. M. and Riccio, D. C. (1996). Does induced recovery from amnesia represent a disinhibition effect?.Physiology and Behavior, 60(5), 1375–1378.
Hebb, D. O. (1949).The Organization of Behavior. New York: Wiley.
Hinderliter, C. F., Webster, T. and Riccio, D. C. (1975). Amnesia induced by hypothermia as a function of treatment-test interval and recooling in rats.Animal Learning and Behavior, 3, 257–263.
Judge, M. E. and Quartermain, D. (1982). Characteristics of retrograde amnesia following reactivation of memory in mice.Physiology and Behavior, 28, 585–590.
Kesner, R. P. and Doty, R. W. (1968). Amnesia produced in cats by local seizure activity initiated from the amygdala.Experimental Neurology, 21, 58–68.
Land, C. L., Bunsey, M., and Riccio, D. C. (2000). Anomalous properties of hippocampal lesion-induced retrograde amnesia.Psychobiology, 28(4), 476–485.
MacArdy, E. A. and Riccio, D. C. (1991). Increased generalization between drug-related interoceptive stimuli with delayed testing.Behavioral and Neural Biology, 56, 213–219.
Mactutus, C. F. and Riccio, D. C. (1978). Hypothermia-induced retrograde amnesia: role of body temperature in memory retrieval.Physiological Psychology, 6(1), 18–22.
Mactutus, C. F., Ferek, J. M., and Riccio, D. C. (1980) Amnesia induced by hyperthermia: an unusually profound, yet reversible, memory loss.Behavioral and Neural Biology, 30, 260–277.
Mactutus, C. F., Ferek, J. M., George, C. A., and Riccio, D. C. (1982). Hypothermia-induced amnesia for newly acquired and old reactivated memories: commonalities and distinctions.Physiological Psychology, 10(1), 79–95.
Mactutus, C. F., Riccio, D. C., and Ferek, J. M. (1979). Retrograde amnesia for old (reactivated) memory: Some anomalous characteristics.Science, 204, 1319–1320.
Madsen, M. C. and McGaugh, J. L. (1961). The effect of ECS on one-trial avoidance learning.Journal of Comparative and Physiological Psychology, 24, 522–523.
McGaugh, J. L. (1966). Time-dependent processes in memory storage.Science, 153, 1351–1358.
McGaugh, J. L. (1995). Emotional activation, neuromodulatory systems, and memory. In Schacter (Ed),Memory distortions: How minds, brains, and societies reconstruct the past. (pp. 255–273). Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.
McGaugh, J. L., Cahill, L., and Roozendaal, B. (1996). Involvement of the amygdala in memory storage: Interaction with other brain systems.Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, USA, 93, 13508–13514.
Miller, R. R. and Springer, A. D. (1971). Temporal course of amnesia in rats after electroconvulsive shock.Physiology and Behavior, 6, 229–233.
Miller, R. R. and Springer, A. D. (1972). Induced recovery of memory in rats following electroconvulsive shock.Physiology and Behavior, 8, 645–651.
Miller, R. R. and Springer, A. D. (1973). Amnesia, consolidation, and retrieval.Psychological Review, 80, 69–79.
Millin, P. M., Moody, E. W., and Riccio, D. C. (2001). Interpretations of retrograde amnesia: old problems redux.Nature Reviews Neuroscience, 2(1), 68–70.
Misanin, J. R., Miller, R. R. and Lewis, D. J. (1968). Retrograde amnesia produced by electroconvulsive shock after reactivation of a consolidated memory trace.Science 160, 554–555.
Moody, E. W. and Riccio, D. C. (2002, March). The level of activity determines susceptibility of old reactivated memory to alteration. Poster session presented at the annual meeting of the Eastern Psychological Association, Boston, MA.
Muller, G. E. and Pilzecker, A. (1900). Experimentelle bietrage zur lehre bom gedachtnisses.Zeitschrift für Psychologie, Erganzungaband 1.
Nader, K., Schafe, G. E., and LeDoux, J. E. (2000). Fear memories require protein synthesis in the amygdala for reconsolidation after retrieval.Nature, 406, 722–726.
Newton, J. M. and Wickens, D. D. (1956). Retroactive inhibition as a function of the temporal position of the interpolated learning.Journal of Experimental Psychology, 51, 149–154.
Peterson, L. R. and Peterson, M. J. (1959). Short-term retention of individual verbal items.Journal of Experimental Psychology, 51, 193–198.
Przybyslawski, J. and Sara, S. J. (1997). Reconsolidation of memory after its reactivation.Behavioral Brain Research, 84, 241–246.
Ribot, T. A. (1882).The Diseases of Memory trans. J. Fitzgerald. New York: Humboldt Library, No. 46.
Riccio, D. C. and Richardson, R. (1984). The status of memory following experimentally induced amnesias: gone, but not forgotten.Physiological Psychology, 12(2), 59–72.
Riccio, D. C., Hodges, L. A., and Randall, P. K. (1968). Retrograde amnesia produced by hypothermia in rats.Journal of Comparative and Physiological Psychology, 66, 618–622.
Richardson, R., Riccio, D. C. and Mowrey, H. (1982). Retrograde amnesia for previously acquired Pavlovian conditioning: UCS exposure as a reactivation treatment.Physiological Psychology, 10, 384–390.
Sara, S. J. (2000). Retrieval and reconsolidation: toward a neurobiology of remembering.Learning and Memory, 7, 73–84.
Schafe, G. E. and LeDoux, J. E. (2000). Memory consolidation of auditory Pavlovian fear conditioning requires protein synthesis and protein kinase A in the amygdala.The Journal of Neuroscience, 20, 1–5.
Thompson, C. and Neely, J. E. (1970). Dissociated learning in rats produced by electroconvulsive shock.Physiology and Behavior, 5, 783–786.
Vardaris, R. M., Gaebelein, C., and Riccio, D. C. (1973). Retrograde amnesia from hypothermia-induced brain seizures.Physiological Psychology, 1, 204–208.
Zhou, Y. L. and Riccio, D. C. (1995). Concussion-induced retrograde amnesia in rats.Physiology and Behavior, 57, 1107–1115.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Riccio, D.C., Moody, E.W. & Millin, P.M. Reconsolidation reconsidered. Integrative Physiological & Behavioral Science 37, 245–253 (2002). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02734247
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02734247