Sleep and Memory

À propos

Research has consistently demonstrated that older adults have difficulties consolidating recently learned movements into robust motor memories. This impairment undoubtedly contributes to the movement deficits emerging with healthy aging and hinders rehabilitative strategies. As consolidation is known to be facilitated by sleep, these movement-related deficits partially result from age-associated degradations in sleep characteristics.
Accordingly, the project CLASSy Aging (Closed-Loop Acoustic Stimulation during Sleep to enhance motor memory consolidation in Aging) aims to optimize sleep-related motor memory consolidation in healthy older adults. Specifically, during a post-learning nap, we used forefront real-time electroencephalographic (EEG) analyses to reactivate memories via Targeted Memory Reactivation time-locked to neuroplasticity-related physiological events of interest (i.e., sleep spindles and slow oscillations). This project used a novel and sophisticated approach designed to boost sleep-dependent consolidation and minimize previously observed aging-related deficits. We unravel the neural correlates of the memory reactivation process using EEG during post-learning sleep and the stimulation-enhanced neuroplasticity processes during task practice using functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI). This project used a comprehensive approach as the brain was imaged at different phases of the memory formation (i.e., learning, consolidation and retest) making use of cutting-edge neuroimaging analyses tailored to each of these phases. This multimodal neuroimaging project provides significant insights into motor memory processes. It will offer new avenues to amplify neuroplasticity, alleviate motor deficits, and increase well-being in not only healthy aging, but ultimately in those with neurological conditions.