Targeted memory reactivation with sleep disruption does not weaken week-old memories
Abstract When memories are reactivated during sleep, they are potentially transformed and strengthened. However, disturbed sleep may make this process ineffective. In a prior study, memories formed shortly before sleep were weakened by auditory stimulation when that stimulation provoked memory react...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Nature Portfolio
2024-11-01
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| Series: | npj Science of Learning |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41539-024-00276-0 |
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| author | Nathan W. Whitmore Erika M. Yamazaki Ken A. Paller |
| author_facet | Nathan W. Whitmore Erika M. Yamazaki Ken A. Paller |
| author_sort | Nathan W. Whitmore |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract When memories are reactivated during sleep, they are potentially transformed and strengthened. However, disturbed sleep may make this process ineffective. In a prior study, memories formed shortly before sleep were weakened by auditory stimulation when that stimulation provoked memory reactivation while also disrupting sleep — a procedure known as targeted memory reactivation with sleep disruption (TMR-SD). Here we used TMR-SD to test whether memory weakening occurs for less-fragile memories. Participants first learned locations of 74 objects on a monitor. One week later, TMR-SD auditory cues linked with 50% of the previously learned object locations were presented during sleep. Even though the cues disturbed sleep, memories were not weakened when reactivated in this way, compared to when not reactivated. Whereas memory storage is vulnerable to disruption shortly after learning, this new evidence supports the notion that memory storage gradually gains resistance to the harm caused by reactivation combined with sleep disruption. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-bab1771eafbe45c989bacaeb28e0096d |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2056-7936 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2024-11-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | npj Science of Learning |
| spelling | doaj-art-bab1771eafbe45c989bacaeb28e0096d2024-11-10T12:08:40ZengNature Portfolionpj Science of Learning2056-79362024-11-01911710.1038/s41539-024-00276-0Targeted memory reactivation with sleep disruption does not weaken week-old memoriesNathan W. Whitmore0Erika M. Yamazaki1Ken A. Paller2Fluid Interfaces Group, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, CambridgeDepartment of Psychology, Interdepartmental Neuroscience Program, Northwestern UniversityDepartment of Psychology, Interdepartmental Neuroscience Program, Northwestern UniversityAbstract When memories are reactivated during sleep, they are potentially transformed and strengthened. However, disturbed sleep may make this process ineffective. In a prior study, memories formed shortly before sleep were weakened by auditory stimulation when that stimulation provoked memory reactivation while also disrupting sleep — a procedure known as targeted memory reactivation with sleep disruption (TMR-SD). Here we used TMR-SD to test whether memory weakening occurs for less-fragile memories. Participants first learned locations of 74 objects on a monitor. One week later, TMR-SD auditory cues linked with 50% of the previously learned object locations were presented during sleep. Even though the cues disturbed sleep, memories were not weakened when reactivated in this way, compared to when not reactivated. Whereas memory storage is vulnerable to disruption shortly after learning, this new evidence supports the notion that memory storage gradually gains resistance to the harm caused by reactivation combined with sleep disruption.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41539-024-00276-0 |
| spellingShingle | Nathan W. Whitmore Erika M. Yamazaki Ken A. Paller Targeted memory reactivation with sleep disruption does not weaken week-old memories npj Science of Learning |
| title | Targeted memory reactivation with sleep disruption does not weaken week-old memories |
| title_full | Targeted memory reactivation with sleep disruption does not weaken week-old memories |
| title_fullStr | Targeted memory reactivation with sleep disruption does not weaken week-old memories |
| title_full_unstemmed | Targeted memory reactivation with sleep disruption does not weaken week-old memories |
| title_short | Targeted memory reactivation with sleep disruption does not weaken week-old memories |
| title_sort | targeted memory reactivation with sleep disruption does not weaken week old memories |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41539-024-00276-0 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT nathanwwhitmore targetedmemoryreactivationwithsleepdisruptiondoesnotweakenweekoldmemories AT erikamyamazaki targetedmemoryreactivationwithsleepdisruptiondoesnotweakenweekoldmemories AT kenapaller targetedmemoryreactivationwithsleepdisruptiondoesnotweakenweekoldmemories |