# Long-Term Memories Become Fragile When Recalled by Todd C. Sacktor > "Two recent lines of evidence have relegated this dominant theory of long-term memory ready for retirement. First is the discovery of reconsolidation. When memories are recalled, they undergo a brief period in which they are once again susceptible to disruption by many of the same biochemical inhibitors that affect the initial conversion of short- into long-term memory. This means that long-term memories are not immutable, but can be converted into short-term memory, and then reconverted back into long-term memory. If this reconversion doesn't happen, the specific long-term memory is effectively disrupted." > **— Todd C. Sacktor**, *2014, Edge Annual Question, “What Scientific Idea Is Ready for Retirement?”* ## Sources and Context - **Direct Edge response and surrounding essay:** [Long-Term Memory Is Immutable](https://www.edge.org/response-detail/25537) — Edge published this passage in its 2014 Annual Question collection, *What Scientific Idea Is Ready for Retirement?*. The full response preserves the qualifications and argument surrounding this exact extract. - **Complete local collection index:** [[research/Edge 2014 Full Quotation Curation|Edge 2014 Full Quotation Curation]] — retained source-first archive record for the complete yearly response cohort. ## Related Articles and Collections - **Collection:** [[collections/Edge|Edge]] - **Collection:** [[collections/Consciousness Continuity|Consciousness Continuity]] - **Collection:** [[collections/Neurotech|Neurotech]] - **Article:** [[articles/The Art is Long|The Art is Long]] - **Article:** [[articles/Mind Uploading and AI — The Host is Reusable and the Person is the Delta|Host Infrastructure Overview]] - **Article:** [[articles/Is It Live or Is It Memorex?|Is It Live or Is It Memorex?]] - **Wiki map:** [[wiki/Consciousness Mapping and Transfer|Consciousness Mapping and Transfer]] ## Related Topics - [[wiki/Memory Continuity|Memory Continuity]] - [[wiki/Generative Memory Model|Generative Memory Model]] - [[wiki/Fidelity–Plasticity Paradox|Fidelity–Plasticity Paradox]] - [[wiki/Long-Term Memory Substrate|Long-Term Memory Substrate]] ## Share on Social Media ``` "Two recent lines of evidence have relegated this dominant theory of long-term memory ready for retirement. First is the discovery of reconsolidation. When memories are recalled, they undergo a brief period in which they are once again susceptible to disruption by many of the same biochemical inhibitors that affect the initial conversion of short- into long-term memory. This means that long-term memories are not immutable, but can be converted into short-term memory, and then reconverted back into long-term memory. If this reconversion doesn't happen, the specific long-term memory is effectively disrupted." — Todd C. Sacktor, 2014, Edge Annual Question, “What Scientific Idea Is Ready for Retirement?” https://bryantmcgill.com/simple-reminders-todd-sacktor-memories-fragile-when-recalled ```