Sleep-Dependent Reactivation of Ensembles in Motor Cortex Promotes Skill Consolidation.

ABSTRACT: Despite many prior studies demonstrating offline behavioral gains in motor skills after sleep, the underlying neural mechanisms remain poorly understood. To investigate the neurophysiological basis for offline gains, we performed single-unit recordings in motor cortex as rats learned a skilled upper-limb task. We found that sleep improved movement speed with preservation of accuracy. These offline improvements were linked to both replay of task-related ensembles during non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep and temporal shifts that more tightly bound motor cortical ensembles to movements; such offline gains and temporal shifts were not evident with sleep restriction. Interestingly, replay was linked to the coincidence of slow-wave events and bursts of spindle activity. Neurons that experience

SUBMITTER: Ramanathan DS 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4575076 | biostudies-literature | 2015

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature