Novelty and modulation of memory: Neurobiological mechanisms involved

La exposición a estímulos novedosos es un protocolo simple de emplear que involucra múltiples sistemas y procesos de memoria tales como codificación, consolidación y recuperación de la información. Esto hace plausible de emplearlo como un tratamiento útil para estudiar los mecanismos comportamentales, fisiológicos y moleculares implicados en esta función cognitiva. Se presentan estudios en modelos animales que dan cuenta de cómo la exploración de un ambiente novedoso puede ser útil para mejorar o deteriorar la memoria, en diferentes períodos ontogenéticos. Además, se presentan investigaciones que demuestran la participación de los diversos sistemas de neurotransmisión en este fenómeno así como los mecanismos moleculares implicados en este tipo de tratamiento. De este modo este tipo de tratamiento, no invasivo y sencillo de aplicar, adquiere relevancia para la ciencia aplicada como una posible alternativa para el desarrollo de estrategias de intervención en la temática.Exposure to novel stimuli is a simple procedure to use that involved several systems and memory processes, such as acquisition, consolidation and recall of the information. Which make it a possible treatment to study the behavioral, physiological and molecular mechanism involved in this cognitive function. Novelty detection plays an important role in adaptation to the environmental changes and in the avoidance of possible dangerous. A novel stimulus elicits a response that will produce habituation when it becomes familiar. When animals are first exposed to a novel environment they explore it actively and in parallel they compare it to previous experiences, stored in its memory to evaluate the degree of novelty. On one side, it includes the response to novelty, activation, and stress-related factors and on the other hand, a response that decreases as the environment becomes familiar, which requires different processes related to learning, recall and recognition. Also, multiple studies showed that animals prefer to explore novel objects, compared with those with whom they had previous experience. Moreover, it has been shown that the ability to respond to novel stimuli is related to self-administration of various drugs, the discovery of spontaneous tumors, and even life expectancy since it was found that neophobic animals die younger than their counterpart's neophilic. In this work we presented studies that indicated how the exploration of a novel environment could be a useful tool to enhanced or deteriorated memory in different ontogenetic stages. The modulation of memory depends on the different characteristic of the treatment presentation. It was reported that the novelty presented prior to an acquisition of some training task can generate an improvement in memory performance. Although, it was founded that the novelty exploration produce an amnesic effect if it was presented after learning, showing the opposite effect. This have been shown in different paradigms such us consummatory successive negative contrast (cSNC) paradigm and inhibition avoidance, in different phases of the training. It was also important to note that this phenomenon involves different time window parameters, for example it is required that the novelty were presented at least one hour before the learning. Furthermore we mentioned data that shows that exposure to novelty during infancy induces a lasting effect of improved cognition and long-term memory that persists even in adulthood. The study of the effect of novelty in the postnatal period and its subsequent influence on other periods opens the possibility of the creative developing of strategies to improve learning and memory processes throughout the subject's life. Besides, we presented research that exhibited the implication of several neurotransmitter systems in this phenomenon and the molecular mechanisms involved in this treatment. Practically all the principal neurotransmitter systems, such as cholinergic, glutamatergic, adrenergic, among others, are involved. A lot of studies indicate that cholinergic neurotransmission plays a critical role in the processes of attention, learning and memory. The same functions correspond to the adrenergic system. The gabaergic system is also involved in the perception of novel stimuli. Glutamate receptors play an important role in the memory processes mainly. In addition, a vast number of studies also reported that the molecular brain activation is very extensive in all the process of explore a novel environment, realizing the complexity of this mechanism. Thus, this type of treatment, non-invasive and easy to apply, becomes relevant for applied science as a possible alternative for the development of many intervention strategies in the topic. Also the study of this phenomenon in post -natal period, allows thinking about possible strategies applicable in the development of this cognitive function.Fil: Justel, Nadia. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Instituto de Investigaciones Médicas. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Medicina. Instituto de Investigaciones Médicas; ArgentinaFil: Psyrdellis, Mariana. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Instituto de Investigaciones Médicas. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Medicina. Instituto de Investigaciones Médicas; Argentin

Memória emocional em idosos: avaliação de memórias de estímulos negativos

La memoria emocional es el resultado del almacenamiento de la información que estuvo acompañada por factores activantes o estresantes a través de los cuales pudo fijarse con más facilidad. Varias investigaciones señalan que los eventos con contenido emocional se suelen recordar en mayor medida que los neutros. En este estudio se examinó el impacto de la edad en la valoración y el recuerdo de estímulos emocionales negativos en personas adultas mayores, comparando su desempeño con el de adultos jóvenes. Para cumplir ese objetivo los participantes observaron 48 imágenes con contenido emocional negativo o neutro, a medida que las observaban valoraban su impacto emocional y luego, de modo inmediato, se evaluó su recuerdo. Se encontró que la retención de las imágenes (tanto emocionales como neutras) era significativamente menor en los adultos mayores que en los jóvenes. Sin embargo, en ambos grupos se mantuvo la valoración del contenido emocional.Emotional memory is the result of storage the information that was accompanied by very stressful or arousal factors through which may be fixed more easily. Several investigations indicated that emotional events are better remembered than neutral ones. The aim of this study was to examine the impact of age on the assessment of emotional stimuli and emotional memory in elderly people, comparing their performance with that of young adults. To achieve this goal the participants watched 48 images with negative emotional or neutral content and immediately after that they performed a recall test. This study found that the retention of the information with emotional and neutral content is significantly lower in older adults. Nevertheless, in both groups the emotional assessment of the images was preserved.A memória emocional é o resultado de se armazenar informação que foi acompanhada pela ativação ou estressores, através do qual podem ser garantidos com mais facilidade. Vários estudos indicam que os eventos tendem a se lembrar do conteúdo emocional , em maior medida do que neutro. Neste estudo, o impacto da idade sobre a avaliação ea recuperação dos estímulos emocionais negativos em adultos mais velhos foi examinado comparando seu desempenho com o de adultos jovens. Para atender a esse objetivo os participantes observaram 48 imagens com conteúdo emocional negativo ou neutro, como o valor observado seu impacto emocional e logo em seguida, sua memória foi avaliada. Verificouse que a retenção das imagens (emocionais e neutros) era significativamente mais baixa nos idosos do que nos jovens. No entanto, em ambos grupos avaliados o conteúdo emocional foi mantido.Fil: Justel, Nadia. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Instituto de Investigaciones Médicas. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Medicina. Instituto de Investigaciones Médicas; Argentina. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Psicología; ArgentinaFil: Ruetti, Eliana Martha. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Instituto de Investigaciones Médicas. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Medicina. Instituto de Investigaciones Médicas; Argentina. Universidad Abierta Interamericana; Argentin

Neurobiological basis of frustration

Los fenómenos que implican cambios inesperados del reforzamiento comparten la característica principal de presentar una discrepancia entre la recompensa que los animales esperan y la que efectivamente reciben. En consecuencia, el comportamiento se modifica en función de esta diferencia, y los animales presentan una respuesta emocional ante el cambio sorpresivo del reforzador, comúnmente denominada frustración. Algunos de los paradigmas que se utilizan habitualmente para estudiar estos problemas son: el Contraste Sucesivo Negativo consumatorio y la Extinción consumatoria. En esta revisión se describen los principales trabajos realizados para investigar los mecanismos neuroanatómicos y neurofisiológicos involucrados en estos estudios, y aquellos orientados a la manipulación de drogas que modulan la memoria de los cambios sorpresivos del reforzamiento.The main feature shared by the phenomena involving unexpected changes of reinforcement is that there is a discrepancy between expected and received reward. Consequently, the behavior is modified according to this difference; the animals have an emotional response to the surprising reward change, called frustration. Some of the paradigms that are commonly used to study these problems are: consummatory Successive Negative Contrast and consummatory Extinction. This review describes the major works that investigate the neuroanatomical and neurophysiological mechanisms involved in these studies, and the main tasks related with the administration of drugs that modulate the memory of the surprising reward changes.Fil: Ruetti, Eliana Martha. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Cientificas y Tecnicas. Oficina de Coordinacion Administrativa Houssay. Instituto de Investigaciones Medicas; Argentina. Laboratorio de Psicología Experimental y Aplicada; ArgentinaFil: Justel, Nadia. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Cientificas y Tecnicas. Oficina de Coordinacion Administrativa Houssay. Instituto de Investigaciones Medicas; Argentina. Laboratorio de Psicología Experimental y Aplicada; Argentin

Rock influences spatial memory in adult rats, while classical music do not

Music can be used as a therapeutic tool and has several effects in cognitive and physiologicalfunctions. The aim of this work was to evaluate the effect of different musical pieces in spatialmemory in adult male rats. A T maze was used to investigate spatial memory, with 2h and6h inter trial interval between training and testing phases. Before training, animals wereexposed to an active or relaxing musical stimulus corresponding to rock and classical pieces.It was found that in the experiment with 2h interval, animals explore more the novel arm incomparison with the other arm, which indicated that animals still had a good spatial memory.This was not observed in rats that were exposed to the relaxing rock piece, which couldindicate that this stimulus diminished memory. With the 6h interval the rats explored botharms equally, except animals that were exposed to the activating rock piece of music whichindicated a slightly enhance in memory. Thus, there were found different effects of musiccorresponding to the time of interval and the stimulus characteristics. This data providesinformation to use music as a possible treatment to modulate memory.Fil: Psyrdellis, Mariana. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Instituto de Investigaciones Médicas. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Medicina. Instituto de Investigaciones Médicas; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba; ArgentinaFil: Diaz Abrahan, Veronika Mariana. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Instituto de Investigaciones Médicas. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Medicina. Instituto de Investigaciones Médicas; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba; ArgentinaFil: Cetratelli, Camila. Universidad de Buenos Aires; ArgentinaFil: Justel, Nadia. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Instituto de Investigaciones Médicas. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Medicina. Instituto de Investigaciones Médicas; Argentina. Universidad de Buenos Aires; Argentin

Musical Improvisation: Giving a Look Between Music Therapy and Neuroscience

La improvisación musical es un concepto abordado desde diferentes disciplinas y campos artísticos.Es una técnica de uso común en el ámbito musicoterapéutico, pero su desarrollo teórico desde las neurociencias parece ser un campo poco investigado. El objetivo de esta revisión es desarrollar la temática desde la disciplina musicoterapéutica y su inserción en el campo de la neurorrehabilitación, para lo cual se describirán los correlatos neuroanatómicos y los mecanismos cognitivos que caracterizan a esta habilidad creativa, y que la convierten en una técnica destacable en la rehabilitación de pacientes que han sufrido un daño neurológicoMusical improvisation is a technique commonly used in the field of music therapy, but its theory is not well-researched in neuroscience. This paper focuses on improvisation in music therapy and its inclusion in the field of neuro-rehabilitation. This research describes neuro-anatomical correlates and cognitive mechanisms that characterize this creative skill and make it a remarkable technique for rehabilitation patients who have suffered neurological damage.Fil: Diaz Abrahan, Veronika Mariana. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Instituto de Investigaciones Médicas. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Medicina. Instituto de Investigaciones Médicas; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba; ArgentinaFil: Justel, Nadia. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Instituto de Investigaciones Médicas. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Medicina. Instituto de Investigaciones Médicas; Argentin

Modulation of Emotional Memory, a Revision of the Main Factors which Influence Memories

Emotions are closely linked to memory. Numerous studies indicate that (both positive and negative) emotional events are remembered more than neutral ones. Emotional memory is the result of storing the information that was accompanied by stressful factors through which the information is more easily fixed. Based on this background, the aim of this work is to review the main factors which modulate emotional memory consolidation in humans. Specifically, this paper seeks to analyze the influence of emotions and the alert state that a stressful situation produces on memory, as well as the neurobiological mechanisms involved in memories of emotionally significant situationsLas emociones están íntimamente vinculadas con la memoria. Numerosas investigaciones señalan que los eventos con contenido emocional (positivos o negativos) se recuerdan en mayor medida que los neutros. En este sentido, la memoria emocional es el resultado del almacenamiento de la información que estuvo acompañada por factores alertadores a través de los cuales se fijó con más facilidad. De acuerdo con esto, el objetivo del presente trabajo es realizar una revisión de los principales factores que modulan la consolidación de la memoria emocional en humanos. Específicamente, se va a analizar cómo influyen las emociones y el estado de alerta que se produce en una situación de estrés sobre la memoria. Además se analizan los mecanismos neurobiológicos involucrados en la consolidación de los recuerdos de situaciones emocionalmente significativasFil: Justel, Nadia. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Psicología; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Psyrdellis, Mariana. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Psicología; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Ruetti, Eliana Martha. Universidad Abierta Interamericana. Facultad de Psicologia; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentin

Testosterone, emotion and cognition: castrated animals studies

Se informa una revisión de las principales investigaciones referidas al efecto de la depleción de las hormonas sexuales, mediante la gonadectomía, sobre el comportamiento de ratas macho adultas. Esta revisión se divide en dos grandes áreas: por un lado, se describen las líneas de investigación acerca del efecto de la castración sobre la emoción y por otro, se discuten los aportes relevantes relacionados con el efecto de la depleción de testosterona sobre la cognición. Los resultados de distintas investigaciones y métodos empleados sugieren que la depleción de testosterona tiende a provocar mayor ansiedad, disminuir los umbrales de dolor y a producir mayores respuestas de tipo depresivas. El reemplazo con testosterona puede revertir estos efectos. Los trabajos acerca de los efectos cognitivos señalan que existe una relación compleja y ambigua entre los andrógenos y la cognición. Algunos trabajos muestran efectos deletéreos cuando los animales sufren una depleción de testosterona; varios de ellos pueden ser revertidos con la administración de hormonas sexuales.Sexual behavior is a very important part in the life of animals, and sexual hormones, such as estrogen in females and testosterone in males, regulate the behavior of most mammals. Testosterone, the male sexual hormone, plays an important role in the development of the brain organization necessary for sexual behavior. Some evidences show that testosterone affects animal behavior and has an anxiolytic as well as analgesic effects on the behavior of rats, mice, dogs, and humans. For example, men who have higher endogenous levels of testosterone have a lower incidence of depression. Conversely, young hypogonad men, with low endogenous testosterone, are more likely to be diagnosed with anxiety or depressive disorders, and exhibit decreased performance in some cognitive tasks. In animal models of androgen deficiency, androgens can mediate both, affective and cognitive behavior. Removing rats primary source of endogenous androgens through androgen extirpation (i.e., castration or gonadectomy) results in increased anxiety-like behavior, and detriments in cognitive performance. In the present paper, we review the main research on the effect of sexual hormone depletion, through gonadectomy, on the behavior of adult male rats. There are different ways to study the influence of testosterone on emotion and cognition, the study of the sexual behavior, the study of the administration of testosterone and their metabolites and the effect of the depletion of testosterone. This review is arranged in two main sections: on the one hand, we describe studies about castration effects on animal emotion; on the other hand, we discuss most relevant contributions linked to the effect of testosterone depletion on cognition. To finish, there is a section where we explain the neurobiological mechanisms involved in emotion and cognition of animals with hormone depletion. Data suggests that testosterone modulates emotion, in particular anxiety, fear, pain, and depression responses. Results from different investigations using diverse methodologies suggest that testosterone depletion tends to cause higher anxiety and depressive-like responses and to lower pain thresholds; some of the tests used to evaluated emotion are: open field test, elevated plus maze, defensive burying, Vogel's paradigm, tail flick, hot plate, among others. In addition, testosterone replacement can reverse these effects in male rodents in some of these tests. Studies on the cognitive consequences of hormones point towards the existence of a complex and ambiguous relationship between androgens and cognition. Some studies show deleterious effects when animals are subjected to testosterone deletion, most of which can be reverted with sexual hormones administration, for example in the defensive freezing to electric shocks. However, there are several studies showing that gonadectomy does not always cause a performance deficit, and that the deficit may appear depending on certain variables of the studied tasks, in particular the time intervals among stimuli, for example in radial maze. More specifically, performance deteriorates when working memory is evaluated. To finish, we review the neurobiological mechanisms involved in the effect of gonadectomy on behavior. Similar findings occur when either emotion or cognition is assessed, though studies on this last area are scarcer. Data suggest that testosterone metabolism is the effective component in anxiety reduction and increased cognitive performance. In particular, evidence indicates that androgen and estrogen receptors would be involved in this phenomenon, and that these effects could be blocked through the administration of antagonist drugs. Last, it is important to stress that the relationship between testosterone and both emotion and cognition is extremely complex. There is no doubt that the gonads affect animal and human existence and thus more research is needed to continue studying and clarifying these relationships which play an important role in our existence.Fil: Justel, Nadia. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Cientificas y Tecnicas. Oficina de Coordinacion Administrativa Houssay. Instituto de Investigaciones Medicas; ArgentinaFil: Bentosela, Mariana. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Ruetti, Eliana Martha. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentin

Theoretical approaches to the study of successive negative contranst

La frustración es un estado emocional que se produce ante la disminución u omisión de la cantidad o calidad de un reforzador apetitivo esperado en presencia de una expectativa de recompensas de mayor magnitud. Históricamente, varias teorías intentaron dar cuenta de los mecanismos implicados en el efecto de frustración. Flaherty (1982) realizó una de las primeras revisiones sobre este tema. En estudios recientes, algunas teorías se descartaron mientras que otras se fortalecieron. En su mayoría estuvieron orientadas a enfatizar los factores emocionales o cognitivos implicados en este fenómeno, mientras que otras surgieron para explicar los componentes que alternativamente pudiesen estar involucrados en la respuesta de frustración. En este trabajo se presentan las principales teorías del contraste sucesivo negativo, clasificándolas en emocionales, cognitivas, y por último, aquellas que intentan abarcar ambos tipos de mecanismos.Frustration is an emotional state that occurs before the reduction or omission of the quantity or quality of an expected appetitive reward in the presence of an expectation of rewards of greater magnitude. Historically, several theories attempt to account for the mechanisms or processes involved in the frustration’s effect. Flaherty (1982) realized one of the first reviews of current frustration’s theories. In recent studies, some theories were dismissed while others were strengthened. Most were designed to emphasize the emotional or cognitive factors involved in this phenomenon, while others appeared to account for other components which In turn might be involved in the response of frustration. This paper refers to some of the different current theories that explain the phenomenon of successive negative contrast. First, emotional theories are explained, then the cognitive ones, and finally those that try to cover both types of mechanisms.Fil: Justel, Nadia. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Cientificas y Tecnicas. Oficina de Coordinacion Administrativa Houssay. Instituto de Investigaciones Medicas; Argentina. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Medicina. Instituto de Investigaciones Médicas; ArgentinaFil: Ruetti, Eliana Martha. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Cientificas y Tecnicas. Oficina de Coordinacion Administrativa Houssay. Instituto de Investigaciones Medicas; Argentina. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Medicina. Instituto de Investigaciones Médicas; ArgentinaFil: Mustaca, Alba Elisabeth. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Cientificas y Tecnicas. Oficina de Coordinacion Administrativa Houssay. Instituto de Investigaciones Medicas; Argentina. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Medicina. Instituto de Investigaciones Médicas; Argentin

Bases beurobiológicas de la frustración

The main feature shared by the phenomena involving unexpected changes of reinforcement is that there is a discrepancy between expected and received reward. Consequently, the behavior is modified according to this difference; the animals have an emotional response to the surprising reward change, called frustration. Some of the paradigms that are commonly used to study these problems are: consummatory Successive Negative Contrast and consummatory Extinction. This review describes the major works that investigate the neuroanatomical and neurophysiological mechanisms involved in these studies, and the main tasks related with the administration of drugs that modulate the memory of the surprising reward changes.Los fenómenos que implican cambios inesperados del reforzamiento comparten la característica principal de presentar una discrepancia entre la recompensa que los animales esperan y la que efectivamente reciben. En consecuencia, el comportamiento se modifica en función de esta diferencia, y los animales presentan una respuesta emocional ante el cambio sorpresivo del reforzador, comúnmente denominada frustración. Algunos de los paradigmas que se utilizan habitualmente para estudiar estos problemas son: el Contraste Sucesivo Negativo consumatorio y la Extinción consumatoria. En esta revisión se describen los principales trabajos realizados para investigar los mecanismos neuroanatómicos y neurofisiológicos involucrados en estos estudios, y aquellos orientados a la manipulación de drogas que modulan la memoria de los cambios sorpresivos del reforzamiento

Impacto de un estilo de vida activo sobre la memoria emocional

Aerobic and resistance exercise has been related to phys­i­cal health promotion, besides in the last years its effects at a cognitive level has been investigated. Based on that, the aim of the current work was to evaluate the possible effect of having an active life style on emotional memory. Forty-eight adults of early and middle age par­ticipated (range: 18-58 years old) who complete a report through the Inter­national Physical Activity Questionnaire about the amount and type of physical activity performed in a typical or reg­ular week, i.e. a week sustained in the last three months of their lives. To evaluate emotional memory participants watched positive, negative and neu­tral images selected from the International Affective Picture System. Then, how many images they recall and recognize was evaluated (immediate and deferred measures). Participants that had a high level of physical activity in their lives remember immediately more posi­tive images than those participants with a low or moder­ate level of activity. Besides, this group obtained better results in the immediate recognition measure. Thus, in­corporate physical activity as a life style shows benefits in the emotional positive memory.ResumenEl ejercicio aeróbico y de resistencia se ha relacionado con la promoción de la salud física, además en los últi­mos años se han investigado sus beneficios a nivel cogni­tivo. En base a ello, el objetivo de este trabajo fue eva­luar el posible efecto de tener un estilo de vida activo sobre la memoria emocional. Participaron del estudio 48 adultos de edad temprana y media (rango: 18-58 años) que llevaron a cabo un auto-reporte mediante el Cuestio­nario Internacional de Actividad Física dando cuenta de la cantidad y tipo de actividad física realizada en una semana habitual o típica, es decir aquella sostenida du­rante los últimos tres meses de sus vidas. Para evaluar la memoria emocional los participantes observaron una serie de imágenes positivas, negativas y neutras seleccio­nadas del Sistema Internacional de Imágenes Afectivas. Luego se evaluó cuántas imágenes recordaban y recono­cían (tanto de modo inmediato como diferido). Se halló que los sujetos que poseían un nivel alto de actividad física en su vida diaria recordaban inmediatamente más estímulos de valencia positiva que aquellos con niveles moderados y bajos. Además, este grupo obtuvo mejores resultados en la evaluación de reconocimiento inmediato. Por tanto, incorporar a la actividad física y deportiva como un estilo de vida, mostraría tener efectos favorables en la memoria de estímulos visuales vinculados a emo­ciones positivas.AbstractAerobic and resistance exercise has been related to phys­i­cal health promotion, besides in the last years its effects at a cognitive level has been investigated. Based on that, the aim of the current work was to evaluate the possible effect of having an active life style on emotional memory. Forty-eight adults of early and middle age par­ticipated (range: 18-58 years old) who complete a report through the Inter­national Physical Activity Questionnaire about the amount and type of physical activity performed in a typical or reg­ular week, i.e. a week sustained in the last three months of their lives. To evaluate emotional memory participants watched positive, negative and neu­tral images selected from the International Affective Picture System. Then, how many images they recall and recognize was evaluated (immediate and deferred measures). Participants that had a high level of physical activity in their lives remember immediately more posi­tive images than those participants with a low or moder­ate level of activity. Besides, this group obtained better results in the immediate recognition measure. Thus, in­corporate physical activity as a life style shows benefits in the emotional positive memory