Stress impairs hippocampal long-term potentiation (LTP), a model of synaptic plasticity that is assumed to underlie memory formation. In the amygdala, little is known about the effects of stress on LTP, or about its longevity. Here we assessed the ability of entorhinal cortex (EC) stimulation to induce LTP simultaneously in the basal amygdaloid nucleus (B) and in the dentate gyrus (DG) of freely behaving Wistar rats. We also tested whether LTP persists over days. Once established, we investigated the effects of acute vs. repeated inescapable stressful experiences on LTP in both structures. Results show that B, like DG, sustained LTP for 7 days. Furthermore, a single exposure to moderate stress facilitated LTP in B but did not affect DG LTP. Stress re-exposure inhibited LTP in DG but only long-lasting LTP (>3 days) in B. Behaviourally, animals exhibited a higher immobility when re-exposed to the stressor than with a single/first exposure. These data support a role for B in memory storage. Furthermore, they support a differential involvement of the amygdala and hippocampus in memory formation and storage depending on the emotional characteristics of the experience.

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Playback theater is a form of improvisational theater that combines artistic expression with an exploration of life stories in a group creative process. The goal of the current study was to examine an integrative intervention for older adults, which includes participation in playback theater in accordance with the life-review method. We examined the effect of the intervention on the positive and negative aspects of mental health among community-dwelling older adults in adult day centers. In a randomized controlled trial, data were collected from 78 participants consisting of older adults in 4 adult day centers (Mage = 79.60 years, SD = 6.89: range = 63–96), randomly assigned to a 12-week playback theater group or care-as-usual group. The participants reported on aspects of mental health and mental illness before, immediately after, and 3 months after the intervention. The results show a significant Time × Group interaction, validating the intervention’s effectiveness for improving positive mental health indices: self-acceptance, personal growth, relationships with others, satisfaction with relationships, current well-being, positive affect, meaning in life, satisfaction with life, and self-esteem as well as depressive symptoms. This improvement remained stable 3 months after the intervention. Our findings confirm that a structured short-term creative group intervention, which integrates life review with playback theater participation, induces a strong and persistent positive psychological effect in community-dwelling older adults. The current study suggests that this type of creative intervention in the community may provide an opportunity for older adults to flourish and experience psychological growth.

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The literature indicates that theatre and drama-based interventions have the potential to improve older adults' well-being and health. The goal of the current study was to characterize the process of a creative group intervention in adult day centers (ADCs), which integrates playback theatre and life-review principles. Our objective was to provide an evidence-informed framework for drama therapy interventions, which would allow older adults to bring up and explore their life-stories in a dramatic creative process in their own community. A total of 27 participants ranging in age from 63 to 91, took part in one of three playback theatre groups. The playback theatre group intervention comprised 12 weekly sessions. All sessions were videotaped to capture the lived experience of the creative process and were analyzed in post-intervention interviews. In addition, focus group meetings were conducted with 13 ADC staff members to decipher further the effects of the participation as perceived by people outside the groups. Three types of potential transformation were identified in the qualitative analysis: the evolution of life stories, evolution of playfulness, and expansion of social engagement. The results indicate the potential of the integrative framework to serve as a creative intervention in ADC communities, as well as its potential to bring about a personal transformation and expand it to enable a person's social engagement in the community. The findings imply the potential benefits of using playback theatre groups to supplement the routine care provided in ADCs.