Memory Reconsolidation: Making Predictions Better

Memory reconsolidation refers to the phenomenon whereby a previously consolidated memory, i.e., one that is resistant to interference or disruption, becomes labile due to reactivation, initiating a short window during which that memory can be modified. With a wide range of potential clinical and educational applications, reconsolidation has been demonstrated across multiple domains and timescales, including fear, motor, and episodic memory. This chapter seeks to clarify the psychological processes involved in reconsolidation, making connections to underlying physiological mechanisms, with the goal of providing a framework for understanding why and when reconsolidation takes place. Drawing on reviews of both human and relevant animal studies, this chapter highlights the importance of both context and predictions for determining whether new experiences give rise to new learning or the updating of previously-learned associations.