Neuronal Competition and Selection During Memory Formation

2007/04/19 by Jin‐Hee Han, Steven A. Kushner, Adelaide P. Yiu +7 · 9 citations
Neuroscience · Psychology · #Neuroscience and Neuropharmacology Research #Memory and Neural Mechanisms #Neuroendocrine regulation and behavior

paper · doi:10.1126/science.1139438

openalex publication_date 2007/04/19 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/04

Abstract

Competition between neurons is necessary for refining neural circuits during development and may be important for selecting the neurons that participate in encoding memories in the adult brain. To examine neuronal competition during memory formation, we conducted experiments with mice in which we manipulated the function of CREB (adenosine 3',5'-monophosphate response element-binding protein) in subsets of neurons. Changes in CREB function influenced the probability that individual lateral amygdala neurons were recruited into a fear memory trace. Our results suggest a competitive model underlying memory formation, in which eligible neurons are selected to participate in amemorytrace as a function of their relative CREB activity at the time of learning.

Citations

• Emotion Circuits in the Brain

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• Sheena Josselyn [wikipedia]