Future-relevant memories are not selectively strengthened during sleep

Overnight consolidation processes are thought to operate in a selective manner, such that important (i.e. future-relevant) memories are strengthened ahead of irrelevant information. Using an online protocol, we sought to replicate the seminal finding that the memory benefits of sleep are enhanced wh...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:PloS one 2021-11, Vol.16 (11), p.e0258110-e0258110
Main Authors: Ashton, Jennifer E, Cairney, Scott A
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adult
Analysis of Variance
Biology and Life Sciences
Consolidation
Emotions - physiology
Experiments
Female
Habits
Health aspects
Humans
Learning - physiology
Male
Memory
Memory - physiology
Memory Consolidation - physiology
People and Places
Physical Sciences
Psychological aspects
Research and Analysis Methods
Retention
Sleep
Sleep - physiology
Sleep and wakefulness
Social Sciences
Surveys and Questionnaires
Wakefulness
Wakefulness - physiology
Young Adult
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Summary:Overnight consolidation processes are thought to operate in a selective manner, such that important (i.e. future-relevant) memories are strengthened ahead of irrelevant information. Using an online protocol, we sought to replicate the seminal finding that the memory benefits of sleep are enhanced when people expect a future test [Wilhelm et al., 2011]. Participants memorised verbal paired associates to a criterion of 60 percent (Experiment 1) or 40 percent correct (Experiment 2) before a 12-hour delay containing overnight sleep (sleep group) or daytime wakefulness (wake group). Critically, half of the participants were informed that they would be tested again the following day, whereas the other half were told that they would carry out a different set of tasks. We observed a robust memory benefit of overnight consolidation, with the sleep group outperforming the wake group in both experiments. However, knowledge of an upcoming test had no impact on sleep-associated consolidation in either experiment, suggesting that overnight memory processes were not enhanced for future-relevant information. These findings, together with other failed replication attempts, show that sleep does not provide selective support to memories that are deemed relevant for the future.
ISSN:1932-6203
1932-6203
DOI:10.1371/journal.pone.0258110