Does reactivation trigger episodic memory change? a meta-analysis
Abstract
According to the reconsolidation hypothesis, long-term memories return to a plastic state upon their reactivation, leaving them vulnerable to interference effects and requiring re-storage processes or else these memories might be permanently lost. The present study used a meta-analytic approach to critically evaluate the evidence for reactivation-induced changes in human episodic memory. Results indicated that reactivation makes episodic memories susceptible to physiological and behavioral interference. When applied shortly after reactivation, interference manipulations altered the amount of information that could be retrieved from the original learning event. This effect was more pronounced for remote memories and memories of narrative structure. Additionally, new learning following reactivation reliably increased the number of intrusions from new information into the original memory. These findings support a dynamic view of long-term memory by showing that memories can be changed long after they were acquired.
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Neuroscience has shown that re-accessing memories generally changes them, rather than enforces them.
“Indeed, neuroscience has shown that re-accessing memories generally changes them, rather than enforces them.66,67”
From The overfitted brain: Dreams evolved to assist generalization (2021) · cites this paper as [67]
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“Indeed, neuroscience has shown that re-accessing memories generally changes them, rather than enforces them.(66,67) Due to the issues in assuming that specific memories are actually replayed, a number of authors have proposed more complex theories of consolidation, such as that the idea there exists two complementary…”
Background
- Authors
- Scully, I. D., Napper, L. E., & Hupbach, A.
- Affiliations
- Lehigh University (US)
- Corresponding author
- Hupbach, Almut
- Venue
- Neurobiology of Learning and Memory
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2017-07
- Volume
- 142
- Issue
- Pt A
- Pages
- 99-107
- ISSN
- 1074-7427 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2561994728
- Cited by
- 90
- References
- 86
- Citations by year
- 2026: 3 · 2025: 7 · 2024: 6 · 2023: 4 · 2022: 16 · 2021: 11 · 2020: 13 · 2019: 8 · 2018: 15 · 2017: 7
- FWCI
- 1.05
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Neurobiology of Learning and Memory (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Memory Processes and Influences
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Memory and Neural Mechanisms
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Sleep and Wakefulness Research
- Keywords
- memory reconsolidation, memory reactivation, episodic memory, memory interference, remote memory, narrative memory, memory intrusion
- MeSH terms
- Emotions, Humans, Memory, Long-Term, Memory, Episodic
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