Sleep does not enhance motor sequence learning.
Improvements in motor sequence performance have been observed after a delay involving sleep. This finding has been taken as evidence for an active sleep consolidation process that enhances subsequent performance. In a review of this literature, however, the authors observed 4 aspects of data analyses and experimental design that could lead to improved performance on the test in the absence of any sleep consolidation: (a) masking of learning effects in the averaged data, (b) masking of reactive inhibition effects in the averaged training data, (c) time-of-day and time-since-sleep confounds, and (d) a gradual buildup of fatigue over the course of massed (i.e., concentrated) training. In 2 experiments the authors show that when these factors are controlled for, or when their effects are substantially reduced, the sleep enhancement effect is eliminated. Whereas sleep may play a role in protection from forgetting of motor skills, it does not result in performance enhancement.
Rickard
Timothy C
TC
Department of Psychology, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA. trickard@ucsd.edu
Cai
Denise J
DJ
Rieth
Cory A
CA
Jones
Jason
J
Ard
M Colin
MC
D006801:Humans; D007858:Learning; D011597:Psychomotor Performance; D011930:Reaction Time; D012890:Sleep / Q000502:physiology*