Individual differences in working memory capacity moderate effects of post-learning activity on memory consolidation over the long term.

ABSTRACT: Similar to sleeping after learning, a brief period of wakeful resting after encoding new information supports memory retention in contrast to task-related cognition. Recent evidence suggests that working memory capacity (WMC) is related to sleep-dependent declarative memory consolidation. We tested whether WMC moderates the effect of a brief period of wakeful resting compared to performing a distractor task subsequent to encoding a word list. Participants encoded and immediately recalled a word list followed by either an 8 min wakeful resting period (eyes closed, relaxed) or by performing an adapted version of the d2 test of attention for 8 min. At the end of the experimental session (after 12-24 min) and again, after 7 days, participants were required to complete a surprise free recall te

SUBMITTER: Martini M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7578020 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature