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NMDA receptors are critical for unleashing consolidated auditory fear memories

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Abstract

Memories are dynamic and can change when recalled. The process that returns memories to a labile state during remembering is unclear. We found that the presence of NMDA, but not AMPA, receptor antagonists in the amygdala prior to recall prevented the consolidated fear memory from returning to a labile state. These findings suggest that NMDA receptors in the amygdala are critical for transforming a memory from a fixed to a labile state.

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Figure 1: Pre-reactivation ifenprodil infusion prevents anisomycin-induced amnesia but post-reactivation ifenprodil infusion does not.
Figure 2: Pre-reactivation AP5 infusion prevents anisomycin-induced amnesia.
Figure 3: Pre-reactivation CNQX infusion blocks the expression of freezing but not the induction of lability.

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Acknowledgements

The authors thank N.S. Burghardt, S.A. Josselyn and P.W. Frankland for discussions and comments on the manuscript. This work was supported by grants to K.N. from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (Canada), EJLB Foundation, International Human Frontiers of Science, the Volkswagen Foundation, the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, Canada Foundation for Innovation, and Canadian Institutes of Health Research.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Psychology Department, McGill University, 1205 Dr. Penfield Avenue, Montreal, H3A 1B1, Quebec, Canada

    Cyrinne Ben Mamou, Karine Gamache & Karim Nader

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  1. Cyrinne Ben Mamou
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  2. Karine Gamache
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  3. Karim Nader
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Correspondence to Karim Nader.

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The authors declare no competing financial interests.

Supplementary information

Supplementary Fig. 1

Models of the induction of plasticity. (PDF 69 kb)

Supplementary Fig. 2

Schematic representation of cannula placements of animals included in the statistical analyses. (PDF 100 kb)

Supplementary Fig. 3

Examination of drug diffusion by dye spread. (PDF 1566 kb)

Supplementary Fig. 4

Immunohistochemical analysis of PTZ-induced Fos protein levels after anisomycin infusion. (PDF 592 kb)

Supplementary Fig. 5

Autoradiographic evaluation of protein synthesis inhibition after intra-LBA anisomycin infusion, showing greater inhibition in the target area (LBA) than the adjacent Ce nucleus. (PDF 855 kb)

Supplementary Methods (PDF 124 kb)

Supplementary Data (PDF 127 kb)

Supplementary Note (PDF 103 kb)

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Mamou, C., Gamache, K. & Nader, K. NMDA receptors are critical for unleashing consolidated auditory fear memories. Nat Neurosci 9, 1237–1239 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1038/nn1778

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/nn1778

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