1 Cyclotron Research Centre, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium.
2 Functional Neuroimaging Unit, Centre de Recherche de l'Institut Universitaire de Gériatrie de Montreal, University of Montreal, Montreal, Canada.
3 Movement Control and Neuroplasticity Research Group, Department of Kinesiology, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
4 PERFORM Center and Center for Studies in Behavioral Neurobiology, Department of Exercise Science, Concordia University, Montreal, Canada.
5 Unité Mixte de Recherche-S 678, Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale/University of Paris 6, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Pitié-Salpêtrière, Paris, France.
6 UR2NF?-?Neuropsychology and Functional Neuroimaging Research Unit affiliated at CRCN?-?Center for Research in Cognition and Neurosciences, Neurosciences Institute, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium.
7 Laboratory for Functional Brain Imaging and Learning Research, The Brain-Behavior Center, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel.
8 Occupational Therapy Department, Faculty of Social Welfare &Health Sciences, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel.

Cerebral Activity Associated with Transient Sleep-Facilitated Reduction in Motor Memory Vulnerability to Interference.

Sci Rep. 2016 10 11;6:34948

Authors: Albouy G, King BR, Schmidt C, Desseilles M, Dang-Vu TT, Balteau E, Phillips C, Degueldre C, Orban P, Benali H, Peigneux P, Luxen A, Karni A, Doyon J, Maquet P, Korman M

Abstract

Motor memory consolidation is characterized, in part, by a sleep-facilitated decrease in susceptibility to subsequent interfering experiences. Surprisingly, the cerebral substrates supporting this phenomenon have never been examined. We used fMRI to investigate the neural correlates of the influence of sleep on interference to motor memory consolidation. Healthy young adults were trained on a sequential motor task, and subsequently practiced a second competing sequence after an interval including diurnal sleep or wakefulness. Participants were then retested on the initial sequence 8?h and 24?h (including nocturnal sleep) after training. Results demonstrated that a post-training nap significantly protected memory against interference at 8?h and modulated the link between cerebral activity and behavior, such that a smaller post-interference decrease in cortico-striatal activity was associated with better performance. Interestingly, the protective effect of a nap was only transitory, as both groups performed similarly at 24?h. Activity in cortico-striatal areas that was disrupted during the day, presumably due to interference and accentuated in the absence of a nap, was restored overnight. Altogether, our findings offer the first evidence that cortico-striatal areas play a critical role in the transient sleep-facilitated reduction in motor memory vulnerability and in the overnight restoration of previously degraded memories.

PMID: 27725727 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]