Targeted memory reactivation in REM but not SWS selectively reduces arousal responses

A growing body of evidence suggests that sleep can help to decouple the memory of emotional experiences from their associated affective charge. This process is thought to rely on the spontaneous reactivation of emotional memories during sleep, though it is still unclear which sleep stage is optimal for such reactivation. We examined this question by explicitly manipulating memory reactivation in both rapid-eye movement sleep (REM) and slow-wave sleep (SWS) using targeted memory reactivation (TMR) and testing the impact of this manipulation on habituation of subjective arousal responses across a night. Our results show that TMR during REM, but not SWS significantly decreased subjective arousal, and this effect is driven by the more negative stimuli. These results support one aspect of the sleep to forget, sleep to remember (SFSR) hypothesis which proposes that emotional memory reactivation during REM sleep underlies sleep-dependent habituation.

Study and modeling of mechanisms of cholinesterasis reactions in order to improve their catalytic properties in the neutralization reactions of organophosphorus compounds

“Biocleaners” or “bioscavengers” are biological objects (enzymes, catalytic antibodies) that are capable of binding and/or hydrolyzing organophosphorus compounds (OPC). Their use seems to be the most effective alternative to traditional antidotes to neutralize or detoxify OPC. The introduction of bioscavengers allows neutralizing toxicant molecules in the bloodstream before they reach their biological targets, thereby providing protection against poisoning. Bioscavengers of the first-generation neutralized OPC molecules by stoichiometrically binding to them. The safety and efficacy of human butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) for protecting against OPC poisoning has been shown. However, the stoichiometric neutralization of OPC requires the introduction of a huge amount of expensive biopharmaceuticals. Catalytic bioscavengers that hydrolytically neutralize OPC were introduced at a much lower dose to achieve the same degree of effectiveness. The most effective catalytic bioscavengers are enzymes. The most promising enzymes are artificial mammalian paraoxonase mutants and bacterial phosphotriesterases. However, studies of other enzymes, such as prolidases, oxidases, artificial mutants of cholinesterases and carboxyl esterases and catalytic antibodies are actively ongoing. Since OPC are pseudosubstrates of cholinesterases (ChEs), a detailed description of the mechanisms of inhibition, dealkylation, and spontaneous reactivation of phosphorylated ChEs is critical for the development of ChEs mutants with a high rate of hydrolysis of OPC. The review presents an analysis of different views on the mechanisms of interaction of ChEs with OPC, discusses the possible directions of creating effective catalytic biological traps based on BChE and changes in their mechanism of action as compared to the native enzyme. A separate section is devoted to the effect of mutations, both polymorphic and artificial, on the stability of the protein molecule of BChE.

Interference between overlapping memories is predicted by neural states during learning

One of the primary contributors to forgetting is interference from overlapping memories. Intuitively, this suggests—and prominent theoretical models argue—that memory interference is best avoided by encoding overlapping memories as if they were unrelated. It is therefore surprising that reactivation of older memories during new encoding has been associated with reduced memory interference. Critically, however, prior studies have not directly established why reactivation reduces interference. Here, we first developed a behavioral paradigm that isolates the negative influence that overlapping memories exert during memory retrieval. We then show that reactivating older memories during the encoding of new memories dramatically reduces this interference cost at retrieval. Finally, leveraging multiple fMRI decoding approaches, we show that spontaneous reactivation of older memories during new encoding leads to integration of overlapping memories and, critically, that integration during encoding specifically reduces interference between overlapping, and otherwise competing, memories during retrieval.

Herpes Simplex Virus 2 in Autonomic Ganglia: Evidence for Spontaneous Reactivation

ABSTRACTHerpes simplex virus 2 (HSV-2) can be transmitted in the presence or absence of lesions, allowing efficient spread among the general population. Recurrent HSV genital lesions are thought to arise from reactivated latent virus in sensory cell bodies of the dorsal root ganglia (DRG). However, HSV-2 has also been found latent in autonomic ganglia. Spontaneous reactivation or a low level of chronic infection could theoretically also occur in these peripheral nervous tissues, contributing to the presence of infectious virus in the periphery and to viral transmission. Use of a recently described, optimized virus with a monomeric mNeonGreen protein fused to viral capsid protein 26 (VP26) permitted detection of reactivating virus in explanted ganglia and cryosections of DRG and the sacral sympathetic ganglia (SSG) from latently infected guinea pigs. Immediate early, early, and late gene expression were quantified by droplet digital reverse transcription-PCR (ddRT-PCR), providing further evidence of viral reactivation not only in the expected DRG but also in the sympathetic SSG. These findings indicate that viral reactivation from autonomic ganglia is a feature of latent viral infection and that these reactivations likely contribute to viral pathogenesis.IMPORTANCEHSV-2 is a ubiquitous important human pathogen that causes recurrent infections for the life of its host. We hypothesized that the autonomic ganglia have important roles in viral reactivation, and this study sought to determine whether this is correct in the clinically relevant guinea pig vaginal infection model. Our findings indicate that sympathetic ganglia are sources of reactivating virus, helping explain how the virus causes lifelong recurrent disease.

Optogenetic reactivation of memory ensembles in the retrosplenial cortex induces systems consolidation

The neural circuits underlying memory change over prolonged periods after learning, in a process known as systems consolidation. Postlearning spontaneous reactivation of memory-related neural ensembles is thought to mediate this process, although a causal link has not been established. Here we test this hypothesis in mice by using optogenetics to selectively reactivate neural ensembles representing a contextual fear memory (sometimes referred to as engram neurons). High-frequency stimulation of these ensembles in the retrosplenial cortex 1 day after learning produced a recent memory with features normally observed in consolidated remote memories, including higher engagement of neocortical areas during retrieval, contextual generalization, and decreased hippocampal dependence. Moreover, this effect was only present if memory ensembles were reactivated during sleep or light anesthesia. These results provide direct support for postlearning memory ensemble reactivation as a mechanism of systems consolidation, and show that this process can be accelerated by ensemble reactivation in an unconscious state.