title: The impact of visual perceptual learning on sleep and local slow-wave initiation.
abstract: During non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep, a global decrease in synaptic strength associated with slow waves (SWs) would enhance signal-to-noise ratio of neural responses during subsequent wakefulness. To test this prediction, 32 human volunteers were trained to a coarse orientation discrimination task, in either the morning or evening. They were retested after 8 h of wakefulness or sleep, respectively. Performance was enhanced only after a night of sleep, in the absence of any change in the abundance of NREM SWs but in proportion to the number of SWs "initiated" in lateral occipital areas during posttraining NREM sleep. The sources of these waves overlapped with the lateral occipital complex, in which responses to the learned stimulus, as assessed by fMRI, were selectively increased the next morning. This response enhancement was proportional to rapid eye movement (REM) sleep duration. These results provide an example of local sleep in which local initiation of SWs during NREM sleep predicts later skill improvement and foreshadows locally enhanced neural signals the next day. In addition, REM sleep also promotes local learning-dependent activity, possibly by promoting synaptic plasticity.
authors: Cyclotron Research Centre, University of Liège, 4000 Liège, Belgium.
authors: Laura
authors: L
authors: Mascetti
authors: Vincenzo
authors: V
authors: Muto
authors: Luca
authors: L
authors: Matarazzo
authors: Ariane
authors: A
authors: Foret
authors: Erik
authors: E
authors: Ziegler
authors: Geneviève
authors: G
authors: Albouy
authors: Virginie
authors: V
authors: Sterpenich
authors: Christina
authors: C
authors: Schmidt
authors: Christian
authors: C
authors: Degueldre
authors: Yves
authors: Y
authors: Leclercq
authors: Christophe
authors: C
authors: Phillips
authors: André
authors: A
authors: Luxen
authors: Gilles
authors: G
authors: Vandewalle
authors: Rufin
authors: R
authors: Vogels
authors: Pierre
authors: P
authors: Maquet
authors: Evelyne
authors: E
authors: Balteau
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007858:Learning / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D009778:Occipital Lobe / Q000502:physiology; D009949:Orientation / Q000502:physiology*; D010775:Photic Stimulation / Q000379:methods*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011597:Psychomotor Performance / Q000502:physiology*; D012890:Sleep / Q000502:physiology*; D014851:Wakefulness / Q000502:physiology*; D055815:Young Adult