Behavioral specifications of reward-associated long-term memory enhancement in humans
Open accessAbstract
Recent functional imaging studies link reward-related activation of the midbrain substantia nigra-ventral tegmental area (SN/VTA), the site of origin of ascending dopaminergic projections, with improved long-term episodic memory. Here, we investigated in two behavioral experiments how (1) the contingency between item properties and reward, (2) the magnitude of reward, (3) the uncertainty of outcomes, and (4) the contextual availability of reward affect long-term memory. We show that episodic memory is enhanced only when rewards are specifically predicted by the semantic identity of the stimuli and changes nonlinearly with increasing reward magnitude. These effects are specific to reward and do not occur in relation to outcome uncertainty alone. These behavioral specifications are relevant for the functional interpretation of how reward-related activation of the SN/VTA, and more generally dopaminergic neuromodulation, contribute to long-term memory.
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Memory enhancement after long retention intervals (e.g. 24 hours) has been consistently found.
“Memory enhancement after long retention intervals (e.g. 24 hours) has been consistently found [56, 57].”
From A neoHebbian framework for episodic memory; role of dopamine-dependent late LTP (2011) · cites this paper as [57]
The prospect of receiving reward improved long-term episodic memory for novel stimuli in incidental and intentional encoding paradigms.
“It was found that the prospect of receiving reward (e.g., monetary gain) improved long-term episodic memory for novel stimuli in incidental [47, 55–57] and intentional [46] encoding paradigms.”
From A neoHebbian framework for episodic memory; role of dopamine-dependent late LTP (2011) · cites this paper as [57]
There are differences in the penumbra duration for novel as compared to rewarding events.
“Behavioral experiments suggest that there are differences in the penumbra duration for novel as compared to rewarding events [57]”
From A neoHebbian framework for episodic memory; role of dopamine-dependent late LTP (2011) · cites this paper as [57]
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- Authors
- Wittmann, B. C., Dolan, R. J., & Düzel, E.
- Affiliations
- Wellcome Centre for Human Neuroimaging (GB)
- University College London (GB)
- Corresponding author
- Wittmann, Bianca C.
- Venue
- Learning & Memory
- Publisher
- Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory
- Published
- 2011-04-18
- Volume
- 18
- Issue
- 5
- Pages
- 296-300
- ISSN
- 1072-0502 (ISSN-L)
- 1549-5485
- PMC
- PMC3465832
- OpenAlex
- W2124412681
- Cited by
- 62
- References
- 37
- Citations by year
- 2025: 3 · 2024: 4 · 2023: 5 · 2022: 2 · 2021: 4 · 2020: 5 · 2019: 5 · 2018: 4 · 2017: 7 · 2016: 4 · 2015: 10 · 2014: 2 · 2013: 4 · 2012: 1
- Type
- posted content
- Language
- en
- Open access
- bronze
- doi.org
- Locations
- Learning & Memory (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (acceptedVersion)
- PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
- UCL Discovery (University College London) (submittedVersion)
- Max Planck Digital Library (submittedVersion, other-oa)
- DZNE Pub (submittedVersion)
- MPG.PuRe (Max Planck Society) (submittedVersion, other-oa)
- Funders
- Wellcome Trust (078865)
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Memory and Neural Mechanisms
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Memory Processes and Influences
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience › Neurotransmitter Receptor Influence on Behavior
- Keywords
- reward, long-term memory, episodic memory, substantia nigra/ventral tegmental area, dopaminergic modulation, reward magnitude, outcome uncertainty, semantic identity, memory enhancement, behavioral specification
- MeSH terms
- Brain, Female, Humans, Male, Reaction Time, Reward, Memory, Long-Term
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