Electroacupuncture facilitates remote fear memory erasure via promoting perineuronal net degradation.

ABSTRACT: Post-retrieval extinction has been effective in erasing recent pathological memories but has been shown failed in erasing remote memories. Pathological memories are often formed over the long term, therefore how to erase the remote pathological memory remains a long-lasting question. Here, we identified the increased perineuronal nets (PNNs) surrounding engram cells with memory being remote in the prelimbic cortex (PrL) which rigidify the remote memory from erasure. Microinjection of ChABC into PrL could facilitate remote memory erasure by degrading PNNs in post-retrieval extinction paradigm. In addition, electroacupuncture (EA) at Baihui (GV20) and Neiguan (PC 6) could degrade the PNNs in PrL by increasing the neuronal MMP-9 expression via BDNF-TrkB signaling, leading to the remote memory

SUBMITTER: Teng SW 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12722755 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature