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Epigenetic mechanisms underlying extinction of memory and drug-seeking behavior

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Abstract

An increasing body of evidence shows that structural modifications of chromatin, the DNA–protein complex that packages genomic DNA, do not only participate in maintaining cellular memory (e.g., cell fate), but they may also underlie the strengthening and maintenance of synaptic connections required for long-term changes in behavior. Accordingly, epigenetics has become a central topic in several neurobiology fields such as memory, drug addiction, and several psychiatric and mental disorders. This interest is justified as dynamic chromatin modifications may provide not only transient but also stable (or even potentially permanent) epigenetic marks to facilitate, maintain, or block transcriptional processes, which in turn may participate in the molecular neural adaptations underlying behavioral changes. Through epigenetic mechanisms the genome may be indexed in response to environmental signals, resulting in specific neural modifications that largely determine the future behavior of an organism. In this review we discuss recent advances in our understanding of how epigenetic mechanisms contribute to the formation of long-term memory and drug-seeking behavior and potentially how to apply that knowledge to the extinction of memory and drug-seeking behavior.

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Acknowledgments

Preparation of this review was supported by grants from the National Institute of Drug Abuse (MAW) and the National Institute of Mental Health (MAW).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Center for the Neurobiology of Learning and Memory, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, 92697-3800, USA

    Melissa Malvaez, Ruth M. Barrett & Marcelo A. Wood

  2. Area de Psicobiologia, Universitat Jaume I, Castellon, Spain

    Carles Sanchis-Segura

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  1. Melissa Malvaez
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  2. Ruth M. Barrett
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  3. Marcelo A. Wood
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  4. Carles Sanchis-Segura
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Correspondence to Marcelo A. Wood or Carles Sanchis-Segura.

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Dr. M. A. Wood and Dr. C. Sanchis-Segura equally contributed to this work.

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Malvaez, M., Barrett, R.M., Wood, M.A. et al. Epigenetic mechanisms underlying extinction of memory and drug-seeking behavior. Mamm Genome 20, 612–623 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00335-009-9224-3

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