Modification of existing human motor memories is enabled by primary cortical processing during memory reactivation.

ABSTRACT: One of the most challenging tasks of the brain is to constantly update the internal neural representations of existing memories. Animal studies have used invasive methods such as direct microfusion of protein inhibitors to designated brain areas, in order to study the neural mechanisms underlying modification of already existing memories after their reactivation during recall [1-4]. Because such interventions are not possible in humans, it is not known how these neural processes operate in the human brain. In a series of experiments we show here that when an existing human motor memory is reactivated during recall, modification of the memory is blocked by virtual lesion [5] of the related primary cortical human brain area. The virtual lesion was induced by noninvasive repetitive transcrani

SUBMITTER: Censor N 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2957647 | biostudies-literature | 2010 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature