Recoding a cocaine-place memory engram to a neutral engram in the hippocampus.

ABSTRACT: The hippocampus provides the brain's memory system with a subset of neurons holding a map-like representation of each environment experienced. We found in mice that optogenetic silencing those neurons active in an environment unmasked a subset of quiet neurons, enabling the emergence of an alternative map. When applied in a cocaine-paired environment, this intervention neutralized an otherwise long-lasting drug-place preference, showing that recoding a spatial memory engram can alleviate associated maladaptive behavior.

SUBMITTER: Trouche S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4817230 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature