Consolidation, reconsolidation, and extinction of contextual fear memory depend on de novo protein synthesis in the locus coeruleus

Memory consolidation is the process underlying the stabilization of labile short-term memory and the generation of long-term memory for persistent memory storage. The retrieval of contextual fear memory induces two distinct and opposite memory processes: reconsolidation and extinction. Reconsolidati...

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Main Authors: Yu Arihara, Yudai Fukuyama, Satoshi Kida
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2023-10-01
Series:Brain Research Bulletin
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0361923023001715
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author Yu Arihara
Yudai Fukuyama
Satoshi Kida
author_facet Yu Arihara
Yudai Fukuyama
Satoshi Kida
author_sort Yu Arihara
collection DOAJ
description Memory consolidation is the process underlying the stabilization of labile short-term memory and the generation of long-term memory for persistent memory storage. The retrieval of contextual fear memory induces two distinct and opposite memory processes: reconsolidation and extinction. Reconsolidation re-stabilizes retrieved memory for re-storage, whereas memory extinction weakens fear memory and generates a new inhibitory memory. Importantly, the requirement for new gene expression is a critical biochemical feature of the consolidation, reconsolidation, and long-term extinction of memory. The locus coeruleus (LC) is a small nucleus in the brain stem that is composed predominantly of noradrenergic neurons that project to many brain regions. Recent studies have shown that the LC plays modulatory roles in the consolidation and extinction of auditory fear memory through its projections to brain regions contributing to memory storage. Here, we show that the LC is required for the consolidation, reconsolidation, and long-term extinction of contextual fear memory. We first observed that c-fos expression was induced in the LC following contextual fear conditioning to induce consolidation and following short and long re-exposure to the conditioning context to induce reconsolidation and long-term extinction, respectively. More importantly, inhibition of protein synthesis in the LC by a micro-infusion of anisomycin blocked the consolidation, reconsolidation, and long-term extinction of contextual fear memory. Our findings suggest that consolidation, reconsolidation, and long-term extinction occur in the LC and that the LC plays an essential role in memory storage and maintenance.
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spelling doaj.art-127934327498446eb2644d176ed99de52023-09-22T04:37:57ZengElsevierBrain Research Bulletin1873-27472023-10-01202110746Consolidation, reconsolidation, and extinction of contextual fear memory depend on de novo protein synthesis in the locus coeruleusYu Arihara0Yudai Fukuyama1Satoshi Kida2:Department of Applied Biological Chemistry, Graduate school of Agriculture and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan; Department of Bioscience, Faculty of Applied Bioscience, Tokyo University of Agriculture, Tokyo, Japan:Department of Applied Biological Chemistry, Graduate school of Agriculture and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan; Research Fellow of Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, Tokyo, Japan:Department of Applied Biological Chemistry, Graduate school of Agriculture and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan; Department of Bioscience, Faculty of Applied Bioscience, Tokyo University of Agriculture, Tokyo, Japan; Corresponding author at: Department of Applied Biological Chemistry, Graduate school of Agriculture and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan.Memory consolidation is the process underlying the stabilization of labile short-term memory and the generation of long-term memory for persistent memory storage. The retrieval of contextual fear memory induces two distinct and opposite memory processes: reconsolidation and extinction. Reconsolidation re-stabilizes retrieved memory for re-storage, whereas memory extinction weakens fear memory and generates a new inhibitory memory. Importantly, the requirement for new gene expression is a critical biochemical feature of the consolidation, reconsolidation, and long-term extinction of memory. The locus coeruleus (LC) is a small nucleus in the brain stem that is composed predominantly of noradrenergic neurons that project to many brain regions. Recent studies have shown that the LC plays modulatory roles in the consolidation and extinction of auditory fear memory through its projections to brain regions contributing to memory storage. Here, we show that the LC is required for the consolidation, reconsolidation, and long-term extinction of contextual fear memory. We first observed that c-fos expression was induced in the LC following contextual fear conditioning to induce consolidation and following short and long re-exposure to the conditioning context to induce reconsolidation and long-term extinction, respectively. More importantly, inhibition of protein synthesis in the LC by a micro-infusion of anisomycin blocked the consolidation, reconsolidation, and long-term extinction of contextual fear memory. Our findings suggest that consolidation, reconsolidation, and long-term extinction occur in the LC and that the LC plays an essential role in memory storage and maintenance.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0361923023001715Locus coeruleusC-fosFear conditioningConsolidationReconsolidationExtinction
spellingShingle Yu Arihara
Yudai Fukuyama
Satoshi Kida
Consolidation, reconsolidation, and extinction of contextual fear memory depend on de novo protein synthesis in the locus coeruleus
Brain Research Bulletin
Locus coeruleus
C-fos
Fear conditioning
Consolidation
Reconsolidation
Extinction
title Consolidation, reconsolidation, and extinction of contextual fear memory depend on de novo protein synthesis in the locus coeruleus
title_full Consolidation, reconsolidation, and extinction of contextual fear memory depend on de novo protein synthesis in the locus coeruleus
title_fullStr Consolidation, reconsolidation, and extinction of contextual fear memory depend on de novo protein synthesis in the locus coeruleus
title_full_unstemmed Consolidation, reconsolidation, and extinction of contextual fear memory depend on de novo protein synthesis in the locus coeruleus
title_short Consolidation, reconsolidation, and extinction of contextual fear memory depend on de novo protein synthesis in the locus coeruleus
title_sort consolidation reconsolidation and extinction of contextual fear memory depend on de novo protein synthesis in the locus coeruleus
topic Locus coeruleus
C-fos
Fear conditioning
Consolidation
Reconsolidation
Extinction
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0361923023001715
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AT satoshikida consolidationreconsolidationandextinctionofcontextualfearmemorydependondenovoproteinsynthesisinthelocuscoeruleus