Repeated retrieval of generalized memories can impair specific autobiographical recall: A retrieval induced forgetting account.

The research analyzes the capacity of working memory and the mechanisms which determine effectiveness of retrieval in people with long-lasting (from 5 to 20 years) drug use history. The relevance of the research is supported by the fact that the working memory is considered to be a central mechanism of self-control, which, in turn, is considered a leading parameter when an indi-vidual chooses the path to addiction. The research studied 258 people, 151 of whom, 37.1±10.7 years old, have never used substances, and the group of 107, 35.8±7.8 years old, who have long-lasting (from 5 to 20 years) drug use history. The working memory specifics were evaluated by O.Razumnikova’s technique, which allows retrieval of the same set of stimuli presented in different consequence and in three series to be described. The research studied the most discussed mechanisms functioning in the working memory separately: retrieval-induced forgetting and retrieval-based learning. Our data suggest that the structure of the working memory mechanisms does not change along with long-lasting substance use while in case of the RBL effect the difference is threefold: in case of repeated retrieval, the addicts demon-strate insignificant improvement of memorization ability in comparison to the drug-free controls.

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Probing the neural dynamics of mnemonic representations after the initial consolidation

10.1101/803718 ◽

2019 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Wei Liu ◽

Nils Kohn ◽

Guillén Fernández

Keyword(s):

Visual Cortex ◽

Visual Processing ◽

Parietal Lobe ◽

Activity Patterns ◽

Specific Pattern ◽

List Type ◽

Negative Effect ◽

Induced Forgetting ◽

Repeated Retrieval ◽

Reduced Activity

AbstractMemories are not stored as static engrams, but as dynamic representations affected by processes occurring after initial encoding. Previous studies revealed changes in activity and mnemonic representations in visual processing areas, parietal lobe, and hippocampus underlying repeated retrieval and suppression. However, these neural changes are usually induced by memory modulation immediately after memory formation. Here, we investigated 27 healthy participants with a two-day functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging design to probe how established memories are dynamically modulated by retrieval and suppression 24 hours after learning. Behaviorally, we demonstrated that established memories can still be strengthened by repeated retrieval. By contrast, repeated suppression had a modest negative effect, and suppression-induced forgetting was associated with individual suppression efficacy. Neurally, we demonstrated item-specific pattern reinstatements in visual processing areas, parietal lobe, and hippocampus. Then, we showed that repeated retrieval reduced activity amplitude in the ventral visual cortex and hippocampus, but enhanced the distinctiveness of activity patterns in the ventral visual cortex and parietal lobe. Critically, reduced activity was associated with enhanced representation of idiosyncratic memory traces in ventral visual cortex and precuneus. In contrast, repeated memory suppression was associated with the reduced lateral prefrontal activity, but relative intact mnemonic representations. Our results replicated most of the neural changes induced by memory retrieval and suppression immediately after learning and extended those findings to established memories after initial consolidation. Active retrieval seems to promote episode-unique mnemonic representations in the neocortex after initial encoding but also consolidation.HighlightsRepeated retrieval strengthened consolidated memories, while repeated suppression had a modest negative effect.Pattern reinstatements of individual memories were detected in the visual area, parietal lobe, and hippocampus after 24 hours.After repeated retrieval, reduced activity amplitude was associated with increased distinctiveness of activity patterns in the ventral visual cortex and right precuneus.Repeated suppression was associated with the reduced lateral prefrontal activity, but unchanged mnemonic representations.

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The Reliability of Retrieval-Induced Forgetting

European Psychologist ◽

10.1027/1016-9040/a000040 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 17 (1) ◽

pp. 1-10 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Rosalind Potts ◽

Robin Law ◽

John F. Golding ◽

David Groome

Keyword(s):

Individual Differences ◽

Recognition Test ◽

Laboratory Tests ◽

The Other ◽

Clinical Factors ◽

Test Items ◽

T1 And T2 ◽

Test Materials ◽

Induced Forgetting

Retrieval-induced forgetting (RIF) refers to the finding that the retrieval of an item from memory impairs the retrieval of related items. The extent to which this impairment is found in laboratory tests varies between individuals, and recent studies have reported an association between individual differences in the strength of the RIF effect and other cognitive and clinical factors. The present study investigated the reliability of these individual differences in the RIF effect. A RIF task was administered to the same individuals on two occasions (sessions T1 and T2), one week apart. For Experiments 1 and 2 the final retrieval test at each session made use of a category-cue procedure, whereas Experiment 3 employed category-plus-letter cues, and Experiment 4 used a recognition test. In Experiment 2 the same test items that were studied, practiced, and tested at T1 were also studied, practiced, and tested at T2, but for the remaining three experiments two different item sets were used at T1 and T2. A significant RIF effect was found in all four experiments. A significant correlation was found between RIF scores at T1 and T2 in Experiment 2, but for the other three experiments the correlations between RIF scores at T1 and T2 failed to reach significance. This study therefore failed to find clear evidence for reliable individual differences in RIF performance, except where the same test materials were used for both test sessions. These findings have important implications for studies involving individual differences in RIF performance.

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