Abstract
Memory phases, dependent on different neural and molecular mechanisms, strongly influence memory performance. Our understanding, however, of how memory phases interact is far from complete. In Drosophila, aversive olfactory learning is thought to progress from short-term through long-term memory phases. Another memory phase termed anesthesia resistant memory, dependent on the radish gene, influences memory hours after aversive olfactory learning. How does the radish-dependent phase influence memory performance in different tasks? It is found that the radish memory component does not scale with the stability of several memory traces, indicating a specific recruitment of this component to influence different memories, even within minutes of learning.
Highlights
Memory phases strongly influence memory performance over time
An intriguing memory phase termed anesthesia resistant memory (ARM) has been identified, which develops within hours of learning, and is operationally defined as the memory component that is resistant to the effects of cold-shock induced anesthesia [4]
Our results challenge the traditional view that the rsh gene provides a consolidation function for ARM in the range of hours after learning [4,5]
Summary
Memory phases strongly influence memory performance over time. These phases can be influenced by different neural structures and molecular mechanisms. For example, the role of the cAMP/PKA cascade is required in a short time window after training to induce a long-term memory phase [1]. Current models of how memory phases influence memory performance in Drosophila largely depends on results from aversive olfactory learning. In this type of learning flies are conditioned by associating electric shock with an odorant. A memory test allows flies to choose between the shock-associated odorant and a second odorant not previously associated with shock [3] Memory performance in this paradigm is thought to mature through short-term memory (STM), middle-term memory (MTM), and long-term memory (LTM) phases [4,5].
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