Forget the stress: retrograde amnesia for the stress-induced impairment of extinction retrieval.

Abstract

We investigated whether cycloheximide (CHX) would induce amnesia for the stress-induced impairment of extinction retrieval. First, a single restraint stress session was demonstrated to impair extinction retrieval, but not fear conditioning. A second experiment showed that when CHX was administered immediately after restraint, rats exhibited significant extinction retrieval at test (i.e., retrograde amnesia for the stress). In a third experiment, the stress session impaired various amounts of extinction durations, suggesting that the stress inhibited extinction retrieval rather than enhancing the original fear learning. These results suggest memories for acute stress are susceptible to disruption, which could have clinical implications.

• Authors: James F Briggs, Kaitlyn M McMullen
• Journal: Learning & memory (Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y.) (Learn Mem) Vol. 27 Issue 5 Pg. 173-176 (05 2020) ISSN: 1549-5485 [Electronic] United States
• PMID: 32295837 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)
• Copyright: © 2020 Briggs and McMullen; Published by Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press.

Chemical References

• Protein Synthesis Inhibitors
• Cycloheximide

Topics

• Amnesia, Retrograde (chemically induced)
• Animals
• Conditioning, Classical (physiology)
• Cycloheximide (pharmacology)
• Extinction, Psychological (physiology)
• Fear (physiology)
• Female
• Protein Synthesis Inhibitors (pharmacology)
• Rats
• Rats, Long-Evans
• Stress, Psychological (physiopathology)
• Time Factors