Instrumental conditioning of human sensorimotor rhythm (12-15 Hz) and its impact on sleep as well as declarative learning.
OBJECTIVE
To test whether instrumental conditioning of sensorimotor rhythm (SMR; 12-15 Hz) has an impact on sleep parameters as well as declarative memory performance in humans.


METHODS
Randomized, parallel group design


METHODS
10 instrumental conditioning sessions, pre- and posttreatment investigation including sleep evaluations


METHODS
27 healthy subjects (13 male)


METHODS
SMR-conditioning (experimental group) or randomized-frequency conditioning (control group); declarative memory task before and after a 90-min nap


RESULTS
The experimental group was trained to enhance the amplitude of their SMR-frequency range, whereas the control group participated in a randomized-frequency conditioning program (i.e., every session a different 3-Hz frequency bin between 7 and 20 Hz). During pre- and posttreatment the subjects had to attend the sleep laboratory to take a 90-min nap (2:00-3:30 pm) and to perform a declarative memory task before and after sleep. The experimental design was successful in conditioning an increase in relative 12-15 Hz amplitude within 10 sessions (d = 0.7). Increased SMR activity was also expressed during subsequent sleep by eliciting positive changes in different sleep parameters (sleep spindle number [d = 0.6], sleep onset latency [d = 0.7]); additionally, this increased 12-15 Hz amplitude was associated with enhancement in retrieval score computed at immediate cued recall (d = 0.9).


CONCLUSIONS
Relative SMR amplitude increased over 10 instrumental conditioning sessions (in the experimental group only) and this "shaping of one's own brain activity" improved subsequent declarative learning and facilitated the expression of 12-15 Hz spindle oscillations during sleep. Most interestingly, these electrophysiological changes were accompanied by a shortened sleep onset latency.
Hoedlmoser
Kerstin
K
University of Salzburg, Department of'Psychology, Division of Physiological Psychology, Salzburg, Austria. kerstin.hoedlmoser@sbg.ac.at
Pecherstorfer
Thomas
T
Gruber
Georg
G
Anderer
Peter
P
Doppelmayr
Michael
M
Klimesch
Wolfgang
W
Schabus
Manuel
M
D000328:Adult; D003216:Conditioning, Operant / Q000502:physiology*; D004569:Electroencephalography; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011939:Mental Recall / Q000502:physiology*; D009044:Motor Cortex / Q000502:physiology*; D010153:Paired-Associate Learning / Q000502:physiology*; D017286:Polysomnography; D012055:Reinforcement Schedule; D012890:Sleep / Q000502:physiology*; D013003:Somatosensory Cortex / Q000502:physiology*; D014163:Transfer, Psychology; D014851:Wakefulness / Q000502:physiology; D055815:Young Adult