MYCOLab Ai Logo - gold and army green

Selective consolidation of learning and memory via recall-gated plasticity

Summary

Our brains use two memory systems working together: a quick short-term system and a slower long-term system. This study explains how the brain smartly decides which memories are worth storing long-term. The key is that memories get consolidated into long-term storage only when the short-term system can strongly recall them, which filters out unreliable or false memories. This recall-gated mechanism lets the brain remember important information better while ignoring noise and distractions.

Background

Learning and memory formation involves two neural systems where initial plasticity in one system consolidates into another over time. Consolidation is selective, with some experiences more likely to be stored long-term than others. This process occurs across multiple species and brain systems, suggesting it provides important computational advantages.

Objective

This study proposes and analyzes a model of selective systems consolidation called recall-gated consolidation, where long-term memory prioritizes storage of synaptic changes consistent with prior updates to short-term memory. The goal is to understand the computational principles and advantages of this mechanism across different learning tasks.

Results

Recall-gated consolidation substantially amplifies signal-to-noise ratio for memory storage in noisy environments and enables better scaling of memory retention with repeated reinforcement. The model predicts spaced learning effects, task-dependent consolidation rates, and differing neural representations between short- and long-term pathways. Performance advantages are demonstrated across multiple learning paradigms.

Conclusion

Recall-gated consolidation provides significant computational advantages for selective memory consolidation by filtering unreliable memories while preserving reliable ones. The mechanism offers complementary benefits to synaptic consolidation and explains multiple phenomena observed in behavioral learning paradigms across different species and brain systems.
  • Published in:eLife,
  • Study Type:Theoretical and Computational Study,
  • Source: PMID: 39023518, DOI: 10.7554/eLife.90793
Scroll to Top