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Updated: Aug 11, 2026
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Trace Fear Conditioning in Mice
Published on: March 20, 2014
Auditory conditioned stimulus presentation during NREM sleep impairs fear memory in mice
Ross J Purple1, Takeshi Sakurai2, Masanori Sakaguchi2
1Sleep and Circadian Neuroscience Institute, Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, Sir William Dunn School of Pathology, Oxford, OX1 3RE, UK.
Scientific Reports
|April 13, 2017
Summary
Presenting auditory cues during NREM sleep, but not REM sleep, impaired fear memory in mice. This research clarifies the role of sleep stages in memory processing and potential therapeutic interventions.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Sleep Science
- Memory Research
Background:
- Externally manipulating memories during sleep is an emerging area of research.
- The impact of sleep-dependent memory processing, specifically during REM and NREM sleep, requires further clarification.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate whether presenting a conditioned stimulus (CS) during REM or NREM sleep affects fear memory consolidation.
- To determine the differential roles of REM and NREM sleep in fear memory modification.
Main Methods:
- Mice underwent trace fear conditioning with an auditory CS paired with a foot shock.
- The auditory CS was re-presented during subsequent Rapid Eye Movement (REM) or Non-Rapid Eye Movement (NREM) sleep.
Main Results:
- Auditory cueing during NREM sleep led to impaired fear memory.
- Cueing during REM sleep did not significantly alter fear memory.
Conclusions:
- NREM sleep plays a critical role in consolidating or modifying fear memories.
- Targeted auditory cueing during specific sleep stages, particularly NREM, may offer novel therapeutic strategies for memory-related disorders.
