Pharmacological disruption of maladaptive memory

Handb Exp Pharmacol. 2015:228:381-415. doi: 10.1007/978-3-319-16522-6_13.

Abstract

Many psychiatric disorders are characterized by intrusive, distracting, and disturbing memories that either perpetuate the illness or hinder successful treatment. For example, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) involves such strong reemergence of memories associated with a traumatic event that the individual feels like the event is happening again. Furthermore, drug addiction is characterized by compulsive use and repeated relapse that is often driven by internal memories of drug use and/or by exposure to external stimuli that were associated with drug use. Therefore, identifying pharmacological methods to weaken the strength of maladaptive memories is a major goal of research efforts aimed at finding new treatments for these disorders. The primary mechanism by which memories could be pharmacologically disrupted or altered is through manipulation of memory reconsolidation. Reconsolidation occurs when an established memory is remembered or reactivated, reentering a labile state before again being consolidated into long-term memory storage. Memories are subject to disruption during this labile state. In this chapter we will discuss the preclinical and clinical studies identifying potential pharmacological methods for disrupting the integrity of maladaptive memory to treat mental illness.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Brain / drug effects*
  • Brain / metabolism
  • Brain / physiopathology
  • Central Nervous System Agents / therapeutic use*
  • Humans
  • Memory / drug effects*
  • Memory Disorders / drug therapy
  • Memory Disorders / metabolism
  • Memory Disorders / physiopathology
  • Memory Disorders / psychology
  • Mental Disorders / drug therapy*
  • Mental Disorders / metabolism
  • Mental Disorders / physiopathology
  • Mental Disorders / psychology
  • Signal Transduction / drug effects
  • Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / drug therapy
  • Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / physiopathology
  • Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / psychology
  • Substance-Related Disorders / drug therapy
  • Substance-Related Disorders / physiopathology
  • Substance-Related Disorders / psychology

Substances

  • Central Nervous System Agents