In contrast, exercise did not impair memory for the original paired associates in TK+ mice (Fig. 3d).
Cryptomnesia – mistaking a buried memory for an original idea – is a big problem in creativity, says Bennett.
In four experiments, we examined the effects of this postevent reorganization of events on memory for the original events.
Running increased neurogenesis (Supplementary Fig. 3b), and weakened memory for the original paired associates (tested using diluted odours; Supplementary Fig. 3c).
Supporting this idea, the ease with which mice found the reversal location was inversely related to the strength of the memory for the original platform location (r=−0.33, P<0.05).
As expected, this indicates that running weakened the memory for the original paired associates, impeding pattern completion when cue salience was diminished.
Supporting this idea, the ease with which mice learned the reversed paired associates was inversely related to the strength of the memory for the original paired associates (r=−0.51, P<0.01).
To the extent that post-training exercise weakened memory for the original platform location, we predicted that mice should be able to learn a reversal platform location more readily10.
Over the course of this reversal training, mice in the running group found the reversal platform more efficiently (Fig. 1c), suggesting that neurogenesis-mediated weakening of memory for the original platform location allowed more efficient encoding of a new, conflicting memory.
However because we were forced to change projects with only two and a half weeks left until demo (due to the limitations of these microcontrollers- there were not enough ports and memory for our original choice of a project), we were not able to implement all of the options (such as programmable by time of day) that we had hoped to include.
