Abstract:

Memories are consolidated through the information encoding process during waking and the re- processing consolidation during sleeping. Memory reconsolidation theory claims that memory consolidation process needs to be repeated for many times. More specifically, it states that consolidated memories transiently return to a labile state upon each retrieval process and must be restabilized to persist further through a reconsolidation process involving new protein synthesis. At this labile state, memories are easily amenable to enhancement or disruption. Memory reconsolidation is also a time-dependent process, it occurs after memory consolidation and persists for about 6 hours, including the protein degradation destabilization phase and the protein synthesis stabilization phase. Re-exposure of the retrieval trial can trigger either memory reconsolidation or extinction, which depends on the duration of retrieval stimulus presentation.

Key words: memory consolidation, memory reconsolidation, temporal dynamic, biological mechanism