Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Higher Mental Functions of Brain: Learning and Memory01:26

Higher Mental Functions of Brain: Learning and Memory

854
Memory is one of the most vital higher mental functions of the brain. Memory is closely related to learning because it enables us to retain information and experiences from our past to use them in our present life. It also helps us to remember facts, events, and skills, such as riding a bike or swimming. There are two types of memory — declarative memory, which involves memorizing facts or events, and procedural memory, which enables us to remember how to do something like writing or...
854
Understanding Memory01:19

Understanding Memory

343
Memory is the retention of information or experiences over time, facilitated through three main processes: encoding, storage, and retrieval. Encoding is the process of inputting information into the memory system. For instance, when listening to a lecture, watching a play, reading a book, or having a conversation, the brain is actively encoding information. This initial stage involves transforming sensory input into a form that can be processed and stored by the brain. Various factors, such as...
343
Long-term Potentiation01:35

Long-term Potentiation

55.3K
Long-term potentiation, or LTP, is one of the ways by which synaptic plasticity—changes in the strength of chemical synapses—can occur in the brain. LTP is the process of synaptic strengthening that occurs over time between pre- and postsynaptic neuronal connections. The synaptic strengthening of LTP works in opposition to the synaptic weakening of long-term depression (LTD) and together are the main mechanisms that underlie learning and memory.
55.3K
Long-Term Memory01:18

Long-Term Memory

182
Long-term memory is a relatively permanent type of memory, capable of storing vast amounts of information over extended periods. Its storage capacity is generally considered unlimited.
Long-term memory can be categorized into two primary types: explicit and implicit memory. Explicit memory, also known as declarative memory, involves the conscious recollection of information that we deliberately try to remember, recall, and articulate. This type of memory encompasses specific facts, events, and...
182
Traumatic Memory01:20

Traumatic Memory

97
Emotionally traumatic events often lead to memories that are exceptionally vivid and enduring, sometimes persisting with remarkable clarity throughout an individual's life. A classic example of this phenomenon is a person who survives a car accident. Even years later, they may recall every detail of the event with startling accuracy — the screeching of the tires, the jarring impact, and the acrid smell of burning rubber. Such vividness contrasts sharply with how an individual...
97
Storage01:23

Storage

89
A schema is a mental framework that helps individuals organize and interpret information. Schemata, formed from previous experiences, influence how we process new information: how we encode it, the inferences we make, and how we retrieve it. For instance, a schema for what a typical classroom looks like might include desks, a teacher's desk, a whiteboard, and students in such an environment. This expectation helps us quickly understand and navigate new classrooms without needing to analyze...
89

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Evaluating image-derived input functions for cerebral [<sup>18</sup>F]MC225 PET studies.

Frontiers in nuclear medicine·2025
Same author

Exploratory Study of Sex Differences in P-Glycoprotein Function at the Blood-Brain Barrier.

Clinical and translational science·2025
Same author

Oral Administration of [<sup>18</sup>F]MC225 for Quantification of P-glycoprotein Function: A Feasibility Study.

Molecular imaging and biology·2025
Same author

Sleep deprivation in early life: Cellular and behavioral impacts.

Neuroscience and biobehavioral reviews·2024
Same author

The Post-conditioning Acute Strength Exercise Facilitates Contextual Fear Memory Consolidation Via Hippocampal N-methyl-D-aspartate-receptors.

Neuroscience·2023
Same author

Cellular mechanisms of contextual fear memory reconsolidation: Role of hippocampal SFKs, TrkB receptors and GluN2B-containing NMDA receptors.

Psychopharmacology·2023

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 14, 2025

The Use of the Puzzle Box as a Means of Assessing the Efficacy of Environmental Enrichment
06:50

The Use of the Puzzle Box as a Means of Assessing the Efficacy of Environmental Enrichment

Published on: December 29, 2014

11.8K

Memory persistence induced by environmental enrichment is dependent on different brain structures.

Eduarda G Nachtigall1, Júlia D R de Freitas1, Lucas Aschidamini Marcondes1

  • 1Laboratory of Cognition and Memory Neurobiology, Brain Institute, Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul (PUCRS), Av. Ipiranga, 6690 - 3rd floor, 90610-000, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.

Physiology & Behavior
|October 8, 2023
PubMed
Summary

Environmental enrichment (EE) enhances long-term memory persistence in rats. This effect depends on specific brain regions, including the basolateral amygdala, medial prefrontal cortex, and hippocampus, when inactivated post-training.

Keywords:
Basolateral amygdalaEnvironmental enrichmentHippocampusMedial prefrontal cortexMemory persistence

More Related Videos

Simultaneous Monitoring of Wireless Electrophysiology and Memory Behavioral Test as a Tool to Study Hippocampal Neurogenesis
07:25

Simultaneous Monitoring of Wireless Electrophysiology and Memory Behavioral Test as a Tool to Study Hippocampal Neurogenesis

Published on: August 20, 2020

3.7K
Environmental Modulations of the Number of Midbrain Dopamine Neurons in Adult Mice
09:35

Environmental Modulations of the Number of Midbrain Dopamine Neurons in Adult Mice

Published on: January 20, 2015

8.8K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jul 14, 2025

The Use of the Puzzle Box as a Means of Assessing the Efficacy of Environmental Enrichment
06:50

The Use of the Puzzle Box as a Means of Assessing the Efficacy of Environmental Enrichment

Published on: December 29, 2014

11.8K
Simultaneous Monitoring of Wireless Electrophysiology and Memory Behavioral Test as a Tool to Study Hippocampal Neurogenesis
07:25

Simultaneous Monitoring of Wireless Electrophysiology and Memory Behavioral Test as a Tool to Study Hippocampal Neurogenesis

Published on: August 20, 2020

3.7K
Environmental Modulations of the Number of Midbrain Dopamine Neurons in Adult Mice
09:35

Environmental Modulations of the Number of Midbrain Dopamine Neurons in Adult Mice

Published on: January 20, 2015

8.8K

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Behavioral Neuroscience
  • Memory Research

Background:

  • Environmental enrichment (EE) benefits central nervous system functions and aids in treating neurological/psychiatric diseases.
  • Limited research exists on EE's impact on memory persistence in healthy animals and involved brain structures.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the effect of EE on long-term memory persistence in healthy Wistar rats.
  • To identify specific brain regions mediating EE's influence on memory persistence.

Main Methods:

  • Rats were exposed to EE for varying durations (2-5 weeks) before contextual fear conditioning (CFC).
  • Memory persistence was tested 7, 14, and 28 days post-CFC.
  • Inactivation of the basolateral amygdala (BLA), medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), and CA1 hippocampus region was performed using Muscimol at different time points post-training.

Main Results:

  • Five weeks of EE facilitated CFC memory persistence tested 28 days later; shorter EE durations or earlier testing showed no effect.
  • Inactivating the BLA immediately or 12 hours after CFC training impaired EE's effect on memory persistence.
  • Inactivating the CA1 hippocampus or mPFC 12 hours after CFC training, but not immediately, also impaired EE's effect on memory persistence.

Conclusions:

  • EE can enhance long-term memory persistence in healthy rats, with a 5-week exposure being most effective for long-term recall.
  • The basolateral amygdala, CA1 hippocampus, and medial prefrontal cortex play critical roles in mediating EE's beneficial effects on memory persistence.
  • These findings contribute to understanding how environmental experiences shape memory consolidation and persistence.