Numerous studies on the formation and consolidation of memory have shown that memory processes are characterized by phase-dependent and dynamic regulation. Memory retrieval, as the only representation of memory content and an active form of memory processing that induces memory reconsolidation, has attracted increasing attention in recent years. Although the molecular mechanisms specific to memory retrieval-induced reconsolidation have been gradually revealed, an understanding of the time-dependent regulatory mechanisms of this process is still lacking. In this study, we applied a transcriptome analysis of memory retrieval at different time points in the recent memory stage. Differential expression analysis and Short Time-series Expression Miner (STEM) depicting temporal gene expression patterns indicated that most differential gene expression occurred at 48 h, and the STEM cluster showing the greatest transcriptional upregulation at 48 h demonstrated the most significant difference. We then screened the differentially-expressed genes associated with that met the expression patterns of those cluster-identified genes that have been reported to be involved in learning and memory processes in addition to dipeptidyl peptidase 9 (DPP9). Further quantitative polymerase chain reaction verification and pharmacological intervention suggested that DPP9 is involved in 48-h fear memory retrieval and viral vector-mediated overexpression of DPP9 countered the 48-h retrieval-induced attenuation of fear memory. Taken together, our findings suggest that temporal gene expression patterns are induced by recent memory retrieval and provide hitherto undocumented evidence of the role of DPP9 in the retrieval-induced reconsolidation of fear memory.
Animals ; Fear/physiology* ; Male ; Dipeptidyl-Peptidases and Tripeptidyl-Peptidases/genetics* ; Memory Consolidation/physiology* ; Time Factors ; Mental Recall/drug effects* ; Mice ; Gene Expression Profiling

Episodic memory, our ability to recall past experiences, is supported by structures in the medial temporal lobe (MTL) particularly the hippocampus, and its interactions with fronto-parietal brain regions. Understanding how these brain regions coordinate to encode, consolidate, and retrieve episodic memories remains a fundamental question in cognitive neuroscience. Non-invasive brain stimulation (NIBS) methods, especially transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), have advanced episodic memory research beyond traditional lesion studies and neuroimaging by enabling causal investigations through targeted magnetic stimulation to specific brain regions. This review begins by delineating the evolving understanding of episodic memory from both psychological and neurobiological perspectives and discusses the brain networks supporting episodic memory processes. Then, we review studies that employed TMS to modulate episodic memory, with the aim of identifying potential cortical regions that could be used as stimulation sites to modulate episodic memory networks. We conclude with the implications and prospects of using NIBS to understand episodic memory mechanisms.
Humans ; Memory, Episodic ; Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation/methods* ; Brain/physiology* ; Nerve Net/physiology* ; Mental Recall/physiology* ; Neural Pathways/physiology*

A deficit in spatial memory has been taken as an early predictor of Alzheimer's disease (AD) or mild cognitive impairment (MCI). The uncinate fasciculus (UF) is a long-range white-matter tract that connects the anterior temporal lobe with the orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) in primates. Previous studies have shown that the UF impairment associated with spatial memory deficits may be an important pathological change in aging and AD, but its exact role in spatial memory is not well understood. The pathway arising from the postrhinal cortex (POR) and projecting to the ventrolateral orbitofrontal cortex (vlOFC) performs most of the functions of the UF in rodents. Although the literature suggests an association between spatial memory and the regions connected by the POR-vlOFC pathway, the function of the pathway in spatial memory is relatively unknown. To further illuminate the function of the UF in spatial memory, we dissected the POR-vlOFC pathway in mice. We determined that the POR-vlOFC pathway is a glutamatergic structure, and that glutamatergic neurons in the POR regulate spatial memory retrieval. We also demonstrated that the POR-vlOFC pathway specifically transmits spatial information to participate in memory retrieval. These findings provide a deeper understanding of UF function and dysfunction related to disorders of memory, as in MCI and AD.
Animals ; Glutamic Acid ; physiology ; Male ; Mental Recall ; physiology ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Neural Pathways ; cytology ; physiology ; Neuroanatomical Tract-Tracing Techniques ; Neurons ; physiology ; Prefrontal Cortex ; cytology ; physiology ; Spatial Memory ; physiology ; Temporal Lobe ; cytology ; physiology

Animals ; Extinction, Psychological ; physiology ; Fear ; physiology ; Male ; Mental Recall ; physiology ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Sleep Deprivation ; complications ; physiopathology ; Sleep, REM ; physiology

OBJECTIVE: To explore the autobiographical memory characteristics in depressed patients and their influence factors. METHODS: Autobiographical memory, emotion and cognitive executive function of 60 depressed patients and 60 healthy controls were assessed with autobiographical memory test (AMT), Hamilton depression scale (HAMD), Beck depression inventory (BDI), Beck anxiety inventory (BAI), hospital anxiety and depression scale (HAD), arrow-task stroop test (ATST), Wisconsin card sorting test (WCST), Backward masking test (BMT) and continuous performance test (CPT). RESULTS: The specific memory of the depressed group was significantly less than that of the control group, and was negatively related with the negative emotion score, the time of anterograde and retrograde reading of ATST, and the time difference of ATST. The overgeneral memory increased and the latency to response of ATST was significantly longer than that of the control group. The two factors were positively related with the negative emotion score, the time of anterograde and retrograde reading of ATST, and the time difference of ATST. CONCLUSION The autobiographical memory of the depressed patients is overgeneralized and retarded. These characteristics are related with negative emotion and impairment of cognitive executive function.
Adult ; Case-Control Studies ; Cognition ; physiology ; Depression ; psychology ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Memory ; physiology ; Mental Recall ; physiology ; Psychiatric Status Rating Scales ; Young Adult

Animals ; Avoidance Learning ; physiology ; Cues ; Extinction, Psychological ; physiology ; Fear ; physiology ; Male ; Mental Recall ; physiology ; Rats ; Sleep Deprivation ; physiopathology ; Sleep, REM ; physiology

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to identify the effects of an exercise program on frontal lobe cognitive function in seniors. METHODS: The participants were 42 seniors using a health center in Seoul (experimental group) and 28 seniors using a facility for elders in Seoul (control group). The exercise program was carried out for 16 weeks from April to August 2007. The frontal lobe cognitive function, which includes short term memory, attention, immediate memory, delayed memory, verbal fluency and motor function, was measured by the Digit Span Forward test, Trail Making test, Immediate recall words test, Delayed recall words, Controlled oral word association test and Finger tapping test. The collected data were analyzed by Fisher's exact test, Chi-square, t-test, and ANCOVA using the SAS program. RESULTS: The major findings of this study were as follows: Attention (p=.009), immediate memory (p=.005), delayed memory (p=.009), and verbal fluency (p=.004) improved after the exercise program. CONCLUSION: In this study, the exercise program was effective in improving frontal lobe cognitive function in elders. So it provides basic information for further nursing education on exercise programs which will be effective for prevention of early cognitive function decline in normally aging elders.
Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Attention ; Cognition ; *Exercise ; Female ; Frontal Lobe/*physiology ; Humans ; Male ; Memory, Short-Term ; Mental Recall ; Middle Aged ; Psychomotor Performance ; Trail Making Test ; Verbal Behavior

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the incidence of awareness during general anesthesia in patients undergoing surgery. METHODS: A total of 1,800 patients who underwent the selected and acute surgery with general anesthesia were enrolled. Brain function monitors were not used. Patients were interviewed twice during 24 h and 96 h postoperatively to determine intraoperative awareness. RESULTS: Of all the inpatients, 13 (0.72%) reported clear awareness and never forgot anything during the operation; 145 (8.1%) reported dreaming during anesthesia with doubtful intraoperative recollection. Among the 145 patients, 108(74.5%) were females and 114(78.6%) received propofol anesthesia. CONCLUSION Intraoperative recollections are rare complication of general anesthesia, and are associated with the increased ASA physical status. Age and sex do not influence the incidence of awareness. Dreaming during anesthesia is related to younger females and propofol maintenance.
Adult ; Anesthesia, General ; adverse effects ; Awareness ; physiology ; China ; epidemiology ; Female ; Humans ; Intraoperative Complications ; epidemiology ; Intraoperative Period ; Male ; Mental Recall ; physiology ; Middle Aged ; Surveys and Questionnaires

Many applications in virtual reality and telerobot call for the implementation of displaying the human softness haptics on the object being touched. Although there are lots of literatures on discrimination threshold for displacement, force magnitude, shape and viscosity, there is still a lack of research on remembrance of softness haptic perception in human fingertips. Such research is needed in designing haptic rendering and display system. In this paper, a novel softness haptic display device based on deformable length of elastic element control was adopted as a test device to study the human fingertip's ability of remembrance of softness haptic perception. According to the recall experiment and recognition experiment, the softness haptic memory span and reaction time were discussed. From the experimental results, some important conclusions have been obtained: (1) human softness haptic memory span is 3 to 4 items, which is smaller than visual memory span and auditory memory span; (2) it is more difficult for people to remember hard objects than soft objects.
Adult ; Female ; Form Perception ; physiology ; Humans ; Male ; Mental Recall ; Touch ; physiology ; Visual Perception