Final answer:
Reactivating a memory can trigger reconsolidation, a process where the retrieved memory may be modified before being stored again, which can lead to changes or inaccuracies. Relearning can be quicker when existing neural pathways from past learning are re-engaged. Reconsolidation has implications for treating disorders like PTSD by modifying traumatic memories.
Step-by-step explanation:
When we reactivate a memory through the process of recall, especially after a significant period of disuse, we engage in what is known as reconsolidation. Reconsolidation is the process by which retrieved memories are potentially altered before being stored again. During this period, a memory is in a flexible state where it's vulnerable to modification. This can involve integrating new information or altering existing information, which sometimes results in distortions or inaccuracies within the memory. For example, taking new linguistic classes can reinforce our understanding of a language that we learned in the past through relearning. This can also affect the semantic networks in our brains, whereby reactivating one memory can lead to easier access of associated memories due to spreading activation.
Furthermore, relearning can be more efficient because the neural pathways established during the initial learning phase may have been maintained. This efficiency is visible in the example of Whitney relearning Spanish more quickly after a long hiatus because the neural basis for the language was established during her high school education. The impact of reconsolidation becomes relevant in potential treatments for disorders like post-traumatic stress syndrome (PTSD), where the reconstruction and modification of traumatic memories could help alleviate some of the symptoms.