Modulation of retrieval processing reflects accuracy of emotional source memory - PubMed (original) (raw)

Clinical Trial

. 2005 Sep-Oct;12(5):472-9.

doi: 10.1101/lm.84305.

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Clinical Trial

Modulation of retrieval processing reflects accuracy of emotional source memory

Adam P R Smith et al. Learn Mem. 2005 Sep-Oct.

Abstract

There is considerable evidence that encoding and consolidation of memory are modulated by emotion, but the retrieval of emotional memories is not well characterized. Here we manipulated the emotional context with which affectively neutral stimuli were associated during encoding, allowing us to examine neural activity associated with retrieval of emotional memories without confounding the emotional attributes of cue items and the retrieved context. Using a source memory procedure we were also able to compare how retrieval processing was modulated when the emotional encoding context was recollected or not. An interaction between emotional encoding context and accuracy of source memory revealed that successful retrieval of emotional context was associated with activity in left amygdala, and a left frontotemporal network including anterior insula, prefrontal cortex and cingulate. In contrast, when contextual retrieval was unsuccessful, items encoded in emotional contexts elicited enhanced activity in right amygdala and a right-lateralized network that included extrastriate visual areas. These findings indicate distinct effects of emotion on successful and unsuccessful retrieval of source information, including lateralization of amygdala responses.

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Figures

Figure 1.

Figure 1.

Histograms showing recognition performance (A) and source accuracy (B), together with associated standard errors, for stimuli encoded in neutral, negative, and positive contexts. Source accuracy is conditionalized as a proportion of recognized stimuli attracting accurate source judgments.

Figure 2.

Figure 2.

Areas of the left and right amygdala showing differences in emotion effects dependent on accuracy of source memory, shown at the threshold P < 0.005 for illustrative purposes, together with % signal change (and standard errors) associated with these effects.

Figure 3.

Figure 3.

Representative images of areas showing interactions of emotion effects with accuracy of source memory, shown at the threshold P < 0.005.

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