scholarly journals Nonmonotonic recruitment of ventromedial prefrontal cortex during remote memory recall

PLoS Biology ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 16 (7) ◽  
pp. e2005479 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel N. Barry ◽  
Martin J. Chadwick ◽  
Eleanor A. Maguire
Keyword(s):  
Prefrontal Cortex ◽  
Ventromedial Prefrontal Cortex ◽  
Remote Memory ◽  
Memory Recall

scholarly journals Non-monotonic recruitment of ventromedial prefrontal cortex during remote memory recall

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel N. Barry ◽  
Martin J. Chadwick ◽  
Eleanor A. Maguire
Keyword(s):  
Prefrontal Cortex ◽  
Time Course ◽  
Brain Activity ◽  
Activity Patterns ◽  
Ventromedial Prefrontal Cortex ◽  
Remote Memory ◽  
Autobiographical Memories ◽  
Temporal Profile ◽  
Different Ages ◽  
Over Time

AbstractSystems-level consolidation refers to the time-dependent reorganisation of memory traces in the neocortex, a process in which the ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC) has been implicated. Capturing the precise temporal evolution of this crucial process in humans has long proved elusive. Here, we used multivariate methods and a longitudinal functional MRI design to detect, with high granularity, the extent to which autobiographical memories of different ages were represented in vmPFC and how this changed over time. We observed an unexpected time-course of vmPFC recruitment during retrieval, rising and falling around an initial peak of 8-12 months, before re-engaging for older two and five year old memories. This pattern was replicated in two independent sets of memories. Moreover, it was further replicated in a follow-up study eight months later with the same participants and memories, where the individual memory representations had undergone their hypothesised strengthening or weakening over time. We conclude that the temporal engagement of vmPFC in memory retrieval seems to be non-monotonic, revealing a complex relationship between systems-level consolidation and prefrontal cortex recruitment that is unaccounted for by current theories.Author SummaryOur past experiences are captured in autobiographical memories which allow us to recollect events from our lives long after they originally occurred. A part of the brain’s frontal lobe, called the ventromedial prefrontal cortex or vmPFC, is known to be important for supporting autobiographical memories especially as memories become more remote. The precise temporal profile of the vmPFC’s involvement is unclear, yet this information is vital if we are to understand how memories change over time and the mechanisms involved. In this study we sought to establish the time-course of vmPFC engagement in the recollection of autobiographical memories while participants recalled memories of different ages during functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Using a method that detects brain activity patterns associated with individual memories, we found that memory-specific neural patterns in vmPFC became more distinct over the first few months after a memory was formed, but then this initial involvement of vmPFC subsided after one year. However, more remote memories (two years and older), appeared to re-engage vmPFC once again. This temporal profile is difficult to accommodate within any single existing theory. Consequently, our results provoke a re-think about how memories evolve over time and the role played by the vmPFC.

scholarly journals Ventromedial Prefrontal Cortex Lesions Produce Early Functional Alterations during Remote Memory Retrieval

2009 ◽  
Vol 29 (15) ◽  
pp. 4871-4881 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Gilboa ◽  
C. Alain ◽  
Y. He ◽  
D. T. Stuss ◽  
M. Moscovitch
Keyword(s):  
Prefrontal Cortex ◽  
Memory Retrieval ◽  
Ventromedial Prefrontal Cortex ◽  
Remote Memory

Age differences in ventromedial prefrontal cortex functional connectivity during socioemotional content processing

2020 ◽  
Vol 48 (7) ◽  
pp. 1-19
Author(s):  
Ryan T. Daley ◽  
Holly J. Bowen ◽  
Eric C. Fields ◽  
Angela Gutchess ◽  
Elizabeth A. Kensinger
Keyword(s):  
Prefrontal Cortex ◽  
Functional Connectivity ◽  
Inferior Frontal Gyrus ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
Emotional Content ◽  
Ventromedial Prefrontal Cortex ◽  
Anterior Cingulate ◽  
Supramarginal Gyrus ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Content Processing

Self-relevance effects are often confounded by the presence of emotional content, rendering it difficult to determine how brain networks functionally connected to the ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC) are affected by the independent contributions of self-relevance and emotion. This difficulty is complicated by age-related changes in functional connectivity between the vmPFC and other default mode network regions, and regions typically associated with externally oriented networks. We asked groups of younger and older adults to imagine placing emotional and neutral objects in their home or a stranger's home. An age-invariant vmPFC cluster showed increased activation for self-relevant and emotional content processing. Functional connectivity analyses revealed age × self-relevance interactions in vmPFC connectivity with the anterior cingulate cortex. There were also age × emotion interactions in vmPFC functional connectivity with the anterior insula, orbitofrontal gyrus, inferior frontal gyrus, and supramarginal gyrus. Interactions occurred in regions with the greatest differences between the age groups, as revealed by conjunction analyses. Implications of the findings are discussed.

scholarly journals Boundary extension is attenuated in patients with ventromedial prefrontal cortex damage

Cortex ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 108 ◽  
pp. 1-12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Flavia De Luca ◽  
Cornelia McCormick ◽  
Sinead L. Mullally ◽  
Helene Intraub ◽  
Eleanor A. Maguire ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Prefrontal Cortex ◽  
Ventromedial Prefrontal Cortex ◽  
Boundary Extension

Decreased Gray-To-White Matter Contrast Within the Ventromedial Prefrontal Cortex of Individuals With Posttraumatic Stress Disorder

2021 ◽  
Vol 89 (9) ◽  
pp. S231-S232
Author(s):  
Nathaniel Harnett ◽  
Sanne van Rooij ◽  
Timothy Ely ◽  
Jennifer Stevens ◽  
Antonia Seligowski ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Posttraumatic Stress Disorder ◽  
Prefrontal Cortex ◽  
White Matter ◽  
Posttraumatic Stress ◽  
Stress Disorder ◽  
Ventromedial Prefrontal Cortex
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