Poster No:
846
Submission Type:
Abstract Submission
Authors:
Nina Liedtke1, Marius Boeltzig1, Ricarda Schubotz1
Institutions:
1University of Münster, Münster, Germany
First Author:
Co-Author(s):
Introduction:
A growing body of research indicates that episodic memories serve not only to recall past experiences but also to guide predictions about future events. When these predictions are inaccurate, a prediction error (PE) occurs, which can enhance the encoding of new information. Previous studies have established artificial episodic memories and subsequently introduced unexpected changes to the stimuli to induce PEs (Boeltzig et al., 2024; Sinclair & Barense, 2019). However, individual variations in prior knowledge, past experiences, and beliefs may shape predictive models individuals employ when encountering novel stimuli, thereby also shaping the PEs they experience. In light of this, we examined whether initial PEs, occurring during the first encoding of new material, can predict memory stability even when the material undergoes future modifications.
Methods:
We used short, naturalistic dialogues as stimuli over the course of a 5-day paradigm. In the first session, participants encoded the dialogues for the first time while undergoing fMRI scanning. Afterwards, they listened to the dialogues again outside the scanner and rated them in regard to five parameters that may influence the initial PE: autobiographical association, social consistency, everyday typicality, emotional arousal and valence. In session two, some of the dialogues were modified to varying degrees. On day three, the original dialogues were played again to establish their stability after having been modified. Imaging was conducted on a 3T Siemens Prisma MR tomograph (TR/TE= 2000/30ms, FOV= 192x192mm2, 33 slices, slice thickness= 3mm). A recognition test was conducted in session four to assess memory for both originals and modifications. Finally, participants provided individual ratings to what extent the original and modified versions differed. The data of 43 healthy, right-handed participants (36 women, age 18-32 years, M = 22.66 years) was used for the analysis. FMRI data were preprocessed and prepared with SPM12. Representational similarity analysis (RSA) was conducted using CosmoMVPA to investigate the stability of memory representations before and after modification. Single trial analysis was used to estimate the initial PE.
Results:
On the behavioral level, a linear mixed model revealed that episodes that evoked higher arousal during encoding were recognized better, regardless of modification strength , b = 0.14, SE = 0.06, t(1023) = 2.40, p = .017. Other scales did not predict memory outcome. For the BOLD effects, we focused on two regions sensitive to PE strength, the inferior frontal gyrus (IFG) and the hippocampus (HC). Activation in these ROIs during initial encoding had a significant effect on representational similarity across sessions one and two, HC: b = 0.07, SE = 0.02, t(795) = 3.33, p < .001; IFG: b = -0.02, SE = 0.01, t(795) = -2.14, p = .033. RSA in the bilateral HC showed that representations of episodes changed more after modification when participants had a vivid autobiographical association, b = -0.01, SE = 0.01, t(795) = -2.07, p = .038.
Conclusions:
Our results show that the strength of individual initial PEs when experiencing new episodes is systematically related to the later stability of their cerebral representation. While higher arousal at encoding led to better episodic recognition, more vivid autobiographical associations led to higher dissimilarity of the memory representation over sessions. Further research should attempt to establish individual prediction models to better take into account the individuality of prediction errors.
Learning and Memory:
Long-Term Memory (Episodic and Semantic) 1
Novel Imaging Acquisition Methods:
BOLD fMRI 2
Keywords:
FUNCTIONAL MRI
Memory
Other - Prediction error
1|2Indicates the priority used for review
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Please indicate below if your study was a "resting state" or "task-activation” study.
Task-activation
Healthy subjects only or patients (note that patient studies may also involve healthy subjects):
Healthy subjects
Was this research conducted in the United States?
No
Were any human subjects research approved by the relevant Institutional Review Board or ethics panel?
NOTE: Any human subjects studies without IRB approval will be automatically rejected.
Yes
Were any animal research approved by the relevant IACUC or other animal research panel?
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Not applicable
Please indicate which methods were used in your research:
Functional MRI
Behavior
For human MRI, what field strength scanner do you use?
3.0T
Which processing packages did you use for your study?
SPM
Provide references using APA citation style.
Boeltzig, M. (2024). Prediction errors lead to updating of memories for conversations. Memory, 1-11.
Sinclair, A.H. (2019). Prediction error and memory reactivation: How incomplete reminders drive reconsolidation. Trends in Neurosciences, 42(10), 727-739.
No