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the persistence of episodic memory. then tested how well they could
Electrophysiological studies in remember visual scenes 6 hours
rodents have indicated that the initial or more after they were presented.
stages of episodic memory forma- This time point is associated with
tion involve changes in the synaptic post-encoding, protein synthesis-
strength of excitatory CA1 synapses dependent memory consolidation.
that follow Hebbian principles — they The authors used pharmacological
require simultaneous presynaptic functional MRI to determine levels
glutamate release and postsynaptic of activation (encoding) within the
depolarization. For these changes in hippocampus. Pretreatment with
synaptic strength to persist beyond levodopa enhanced recall, with the
4−6 hours, protein synthesis that dose−response curve following an
depends on hippocampal dopamine inverted U-shape. Recollection at
release is necessary. Weakly encoded earlier time points was unaffected
stimuli that are not sufficient to by levodopa administration when
evoke hippocampal dopamine release compared with placebo. Interestingly,
are not retained beyond 6 hours. recall of weakly encoded events (that
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The authors reasoned that if human had a weak functional MRI signal)