Targeted reactivation of emotional memories during sleep

睡眠期间有针对性地重新激活情绪记忆

• 批准号: 2234398
• 负责人: Rebecca Spencer
• 金额: $ 60.18万
• 依托单位: University of Massachusetts Amherst
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2023
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2023-08-15 至 2026-07-31
• 项目状态: 未结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=2234398&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Targeted; reactivation; emotional; memories; during

Emotional memories are stronger and longer-lasting than neutral ones. One reason for this may be that sleep, which is known to strengthen newly-formed memories, prioritizes those associated with emotion. Reactivation (i.e. re-instantiation) of the neural representation formed during learning is the predominant mechanism linked to sleep-based memory strengthening. However, it is currently unknown whether such reactivation applies to the strengthening of emotional memories, let alone whether this mechanism is enhanced or more effective for emotional memories. Furthermore, young adults sometimes show a negative memory bias; thus, sleep may especially strengthen negative memories in this population. This project investigates the role of sleep-based reactivation in strengthening emotional memories, whether reactivation has a stronger effect on emotional versus neutral memories, and the relative efficacy of reactivation of negative and positive memories. As such, this research has substantial implications for the fields of sleep science and affective neuroscience. With regard to public health, this work impacts the design of sleep-based interventions to manipulate emotional memories for improved mental health and well-being. Finally, this project has significant educational impact and contribute to diversity in STEM through involvement of multiple post-baccalaureate and undergraduate trainees from systemically underserved groups.The objective of this proposal is to determine the role of reactivation during sleep on emotional memory consolidation. The central hypothesis is that reactivation during sleep strengthens emotional memory and that reactivation is more effective for emotional (at least negative) memories than neutral memories. To test their hypothesis, the investigators selectively reactivate memories during sleep using targeted memory reactivation. In four experiments, participants encode emotional (either negative or positive) and neutral stimuli in the presence of odor cues. An odor corresponding to half of the emotional and neutral stimuli is re-presented during subsequent non-rapid-eye movement (NREM) sleep in order to selectively reactivate these stimuli. Groups wherein odors are re-presented during REM sleep or wake are included for comparison. Overnight and over-week memory change are compared between cued and non-cued stimuli and between emotional and neutral stimuli. Visuospatial and picture recognition tasks are used to test spatial and item memory, respectively. Polysomnography is used to monitor sleep and measure neurophysiological correlates of memory reactivation. This research accomplishes the following: elucidates mechanisms of emotional memory consolidation, including the contribution of different sleep stages; provide mechanistic insight into the negative memory bias observed in young adults; and inform whether sleep-based reactivation can be targeted to manipulate emotional memory to benefit mental health. Furthermore, executing this research increase diversity in STEM through training of students from underrepresented groups in science.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

情感记忆比中性记忆更强烈、更持久。造成这种情况的原因之一可能是，众所周知，睡眠可以增强新形成的记忆，但它会优先考虑与情绪相关的记忆。学习过程中形成的神经表征的重新激活（即重新实例化）是与基于睡眠的记忆强化相关的主要机制。然而，目前尚不清楚这种重新激活是否适用于情绪记忆的强化，更不用说这种机制对于情绪记忆是否得到增强或更有效。此外，年轻人有时会表现出负面的记忆偏差。因此，睡眠尤其可能会强化这一人群的负面记忆。该项目研究了基于睡眠的重新激活在强化情绪记忆中的作用，重新激活是否对情绪记忆和中性记忆有更强的影响，以及重新激活消极记忆和积极记忆的相对功效。因此，这项研究对睡眠科学和情感神经科学领域具有重大意义。在公共卫生方面，这项工作影响了基于睡眠的干预措施的设计，以操纵情绪记忆以改善心理健康和福祉。最后，该项目具有重大的教育影响，并通过来自系统性服务不足群体的多名学士后和本科生的参与，促进了 STEM 的多样性。该提案的目的是确定睡眠期间重新激活对情绪记忆巩固的作用。中心假设是，睡眠期间的重新激活可以增强情绪记忆，并且重新激活对于情绪（至少是负面）记忆比中性记忆更有效。为了检验他们的假设，研究人员使用有针对性的记忆重新激活来选择性地在睡眠期间重新激活记忆。在四个实验中，参与者在气味提示存在的情况下编码情绪（消极或积极）和中性刺激。在随后的非快速眼动 (NREM) 睡眠期间，会再现与一半情绪和中性刺激相对应的气味，以便有选择地重新激活这些刺激。包括在快速眼动睡眠或清醒期间再现气味的组进行比较。比较提示刺激和非提示刺激以及情绪刺激和中性刺激之间过夜和一周内的记忆变化。视觉空间和图片识别任务分别用于测试空间和项目记忆。多导睡眠图用于监测睡眠并测量记忆重新激活的神经生理学相关性。这项研究取得了以下成果：阐明了情绪记忆巩固的机制，包括不同睡眠阶段的贡献；提供对年轻人中观察到的负面记忆偏差的机制洞察；并告知是否可以通过基于睡眠的重新激活来操纵情绪记忆以有益于心理健康。此外，执行这项研究通过培训来自科学领域代表性不足群体的学生来增加 STEM 的多样性。该奖项反映了 NSF 的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。