Abstract
Conditions in which memories become maladaptive have inspired extensive research geared to modulate memory by targeting it directly and explicitly. Given limitations of direct memory modulation, we asked the following: can the target memories be modulated indirectly? To address this question, we uniquely targeted visual memories, and leveraged a paradigm utilizing instructions to either forget or remember newly encoded memories. We used a multi-domain approach, and applied the instructions to embedded verbal information presented during encoding (words), with the intention to indirectly modulate recognition of the target visual context memory itself (pictures). Accordingly, participants were presented with two lists of words, where each word was preceded and followed by pictures. Participants were instructed to either remember or forget the first list of words. As expected, the instruction to either remember or forget the words differentially influenced word memory strength. Importantly, the instruction regarding the words, indirectly modulated picture memory strength. Better memory for words resulted in reduced picture memory strength and vice versa, with the instruction to remember the words reducing picture memory strength. Together with a negative correlation between word and picture memory strength, the results suggest a competition for shared resources between memory for content and context. These findings may open new avenues to indirectly modulate maladaptive memories.
Highlights
Conditions in which memories become maladaptive have inspired extensive research geared to modulate memory by targeting it directly and explicitly
If remember instructions leading to better memory for words would result in reduced picture memory strength and vice versa, this may support a possibility of competition over shared resources, resulting in indirect picture memory modulation
By leveraging a manipulation designed to modify newly encoded memories[14,21], but applying it in a multidomain approach to embedded verbal information presented during encoding, we were able to indirectly modulate the targeted visual context memory
Summary
Conditions in which memories become maladaptive have inspired extensive research geared to modulate memory by targeting it directly and explicitly. We leveraged a directed forgetting (DF) paradigm utilizing instructions to voluntarily forget or remember newly encoded information[14], commonly geared to modulate the targeted memory, possibly through mechanisms of contextual change[15,16,17,18,19,20] We applied these direct instructions to embedded verbal information presented during encoding (words), to indirectly modulate recognition of the target visual context memory itself (pictures). Participants studied two lists of words embedded within a pictorial context, which was the actual target of memory modulation They received a cue to either forget (n = 20) or remember (n = 20) the words presented in the first list (instructed list 1), without any direct instructions about the contextual pictures in which the list was embedded (Fig. 1) (see “Materials and Methods” section). If remember instructions leading to better memory for words would result in reduced picture memory strength and vice versa, this may support a possibility of competition over shared resources, resulting in indirect picture memory modulation
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