Investigating the Role of Dopamine D1 Receptor Activation in Overcoming Boundary Conditions for Object Identity and Object Location Memory Malleability

Consolidated long-term memories can be modified when a reactivation cue enables memory destabilization. Older and strongly encoded memories resist destabilization because of biological boundary conditions. Evidence suggests that a salient novel cue presented at reactivation can trigger destabilization of less valent boundary condition-protected memories, but dopamine has yet to be implicated in this process. Using Long-Evans rats, we found that systemic D1 receptor (D1R) antagonist SCH23390 blocked recently encoded and novelty-induced destabilization, and subsequent contextual updating, of relatively remote object identity and object location memories. Systemic D1R agonist SKF38393 was sufficient to induce destabilization of relatively remote object identity and object location memories. Lastly, object identity memory and object location memory destabilization were shown to be dependent on the D1R activity in the perirhinal cortex and dorsal hippocampus, respectively. The present thesis suggests an important role for dopamine in overriding boundary conditions for destabilization and subsequent updating of declarative-like memories.

Grantor dc:publisher

University of Guelph

Author dc:creator

• O'Neill, Olivia

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Winters, Boyer

• dopamine
• memory reconsolidation
• destabilization
• object identity
• object location

Language dc:language.iso

en

Handle dc:identifier.uri

https://hdl.handle.net/10214/28478

OAI record oai:identifier

https://atrium.lib.uoguelph.ca/server/oai/request?verb=GetRecord&metadataPrefix=dim&identifier=oai%3Aatrium.lib.uoguelph.ca%3A10214%2F28478