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Endogenous memory reactivation during sleep in humans is clocked by slow oscillation-spindle complexes

Abstract:
Sleep is thought to support memory consolidation via reactivation of prior experiences, with particular electrophysiological sleep signatures (slow oscillations (SOs) and sleep spindles) gating the information flow between relevant brain areas. However, empirical evidence for a role of endogenous memory reactivation (i.e., without experimentally delivered memory cues) for consolidation in humans is lacking. Here, we devised a paradigm in which participants acquired associative memories before taking a nap. Multivariate decoding was then used to capture endogenous memory reactivation during non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep in surface EEG recordings. Our results reveal reactivation of learning material during SO-spindle complexes, with the precision of SO-spindle coupling predicting reactivation strength. Critically, reactivation strength (i.e. classifier evidence in favor of the previously studied stimulus category) in turn predicts the level of consolidation across participants. These results elucidate the memory function of sleep in humans and emphasize the importance of SOs and spindles in clocking endogenous consolidation processes.
Publication status:
Published
Peer review status:
Peer reviewed

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Publisher copy:
10.1038/s41467-021-23520-2

Authors


More by this author
Role:
Author
ORCID:
0000-0003-2030-5998
More by this author
Role:
Author
ORCID:
0000-0003-2885-1280
More by this author
Institution:
University of Oxford
Division:
MSD
Department:
Experimental Psychology
Oxford college:
Wadham College
Role:
Author
ORCID:
0000-0002-0558-9745


Publisher:
Springer Nature
Journal:
Nature Communications More from this journal
Volume:
12
Issue:
1
Article number:
3112
Publication date:
2021-05-25
Acceptance date:
2021-05-04
DOI:
EISSN:
2041-1723
Pmid:
34035303


Language:
English
Keywords:
Pubs id:
1190606
Local pid:
pubs:1190606
Deposit date:
2022-04-01

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