Sequence reactivation in the hippocampus is impaired in aged rats.

Full Abstract

The hippocampus is thought to coordinate memory consolidation by reactivating traces from behavioral experience when the brain is not actively processing new input. In fact, during slow-wave sleep, the patterns of CA1 pyramidal cell ensemble activity correlations are reactivated in both young and aged rats. In addition to correlated activity patterns, repetitive track running also creates a recurring sequence of pyramidal cell activity. The present study compared CA1 sequence activity pattern replay in young and old animals during rest periods after behavior. Whereas the young rats exhibited significant sequence reactivation, it was markedly impaired in the aged animals. When the spatial memory scores of all animals were compared with the degree of sequence reactivation, there was a significant correlation. The novel finding that weak replay of temporal patterns has behavioral consequences, strengthens the idea that reactivation processes are integral to memory consolidation.

Author information

Author/s: Gerrard, Jason L (JL); Burke, Sara N (SN); McNaughton, Bruce L (BL); Barnes, Carol A (CA);

Affiliation: Arizona Research Laboratories Division of Neural Systems, Memory and Aging, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona 85724, USA.

Grants: AG012609 (Agency:NIA NIH HHS) ; R01 AG012609-10 (Agency:NIA NIH HHS)

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Comparative Study; Journal Article; Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

Journal: The Journal of neuroscience : the official journal of the Society for Neuroscience (J Neurosci), published in United States. (Language: eng)

Reference: 2008-Jul; vol 28 (issue 31) : pp 7883-90

Dates: Created 2008/07/31; Completed 2008/08/28; Revised 2009/07/01;

PMID: 18667620, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 7/2/2009, IMS Date: )

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