Reconsolidated

Reconsolidated is a term used in cognitive neuroscience and psychology to describe memories that have undergone reconsolidation after being retrieved. According to reconsolidation theory, when a stored memory is reactivated, the memory trace becomes temporarily labile and must be restabilized through a new consolidation process. The resulting memory is said to be reconsolidated, potentially incorporating new information or alterations made during the destabilized period. In this view, long-term memories are not fixed snapshots but ongoing, modifiable representations.

Mechanisms and neural substrates are thought to involve protein synthesis and synaptic remodeling in memory-supporting circuits, including the hippocampus and amygdala, with contributions from cortical areas depending on memory type. The exact timing and boundaries of destabilization vary across tasks and species, and different memories may show distinct sensitivity to disruption during the reconsolidation window.

Evidence spans multiple memory domains, including episodic and semantic memories, as well as emotional conditioning such as fear memories. In both humans and animals, experimental manipulations during the reconsolidation period can alter subsequent recall or expression, highlighting the potential to modify memories after they are retrieved. This has spurred interest in therapeutic applications, particularly for conditions like post-traumatic stress disorder, where altering fear memories could be beneficial. However, results are not universal, and reconsolidation is influenced by factors such as memory age, strength, and retrieval cues, leading to ongoing research and discussion within the field.