Distinct Progressions of Neuronal Activity Changes Underlie the Formation and Consolidation of a Gustatory Associative Memory

Acquiring new memories is a multistage process. Numerous studies have convincingly demonstrated that initially acquired memories are labile and are stabilized only by later consolidation processes. These multiple phases of memory formation are known to involve modification of both cellular excitability and synaptic connectivity, which in turn change neuronal activity at both the single neuron and ensemble levels. However, the specific mapping between the known phases of memory and the changes in neuronal activity at different organizational levels—the single-neuron, population representations, and ensemble-state dynamics—remains unknown. Here we address this issue in the context of conditioned taste aversion learning by continuously tracking gustatory cortex neuronal taste responses in alert male and female rats during the 24 h following a taste–malaise pairing. We found that the progression of activity changes depends on the neuronal organizational level: whereas the population response changed continuously, the population mean response amplitude and the number of taste-responsive neurons only increased during the acquisition and consolidation phases. In addition, the known quickening of the ensemble-state dynamics associated with the faster rejection of harmful foods appeared only after consolidation. Overall, these results demonstrate how complex dynamics in the different representational levels of cortical activity underlie the formation and stabilization of memory within the cortex.