Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 14, 2026

A Prediction Error-driven Retrieval Procedure for Destabilizing and Rewriting Maladaptive Reward Memories in Hazardous Drinkers
Published on: January 5, 2018
Addiction: a drug-induced disorder of memory reconsolidation
Natalie C Tronson1, Jane R Taylor
1Department of Psychology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA. ntronson@umich.edu
Abstract:
Persistent maladaptive memories that maintain drug seeking and are resistant to extinction are a hallmark of addiction. As such, disruption of memory reconsolidation after retrieval has received attention for its therapeutic potential. Unrestrained reconsolidation may have the opposite effect, leading to reiterative and cumulative strengthening of memory over long periods of time. Here we review the molecular mechanisms underlying reconsolidation of appetitive and drug-rewarded memories, and discuss how these findings contribute to our understanding of the nature of this process. Finally, we suggest that drug-induced alterations to signal transduction might lead to dysregulation of reconsolidation, causing enhancements of drug-related memory after retrieval, and significantly contribute to the compulsive drug seeking that is a core component of addiction.
Related Concept Videos
Drug Abuse and Addiction: Pharmacological Phenomena
Drug Dependence
Substance Use Disorders Affecting Sleep
Understanding the concepts of physical dependence,...
Amnesia
The severity and duration of memory loss vary depending on the type and underlying cause. Amnesia is classified into two main types: retrograde and anterograde.
Retrograde amnesia is marked by the loss of memories formed before the onset of the condition. Patients may recall distant past events but often forget those occurring shortly before the incident.
Anterograde...
Traumatic Memory
Interference and Decay
Interference occurs when competing memories hinder the retrieval of particular information. It can be classified into two types: proactive and retroactive interference. Proactive...

