Sleep for Enhanced Learning
Trial Summary
What is the purpose of this trial?
Acting adaptively requires quickly picking up on structure in the environment and storing the acquired knowledge for effective future use. Dominant theories of the hippocampus have focused on its ability to encode individual snapshots of experience, but the investigators and others have found evidence that it is also crucial for finding structure across experiences. The mechanisms of this essential form of learning have not been established. The investigators have developed a neural network model of the hippocampus instantiating the theory that one of its subfields can quickly encode structure using distributed representations, a powerful form of representation in which populations of neurons become responsive to multiple related features of the environment. The first aim of this project is to test predictions of this model using high resolution functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) in paradigms requiring integration of information across experiences. The results will clarify fundamental mechanisms of how humans learn novel structure, adjudicating between existing models of this process, and informing further model development. There are also competing theories as to the eventual fate of new hippocampal representations. One view posits that during sleep, the hippocampus replays recent information to build longer-term distributed representations in neocortex. Another view claims that memories are directly and independently formed and consolidated within the hippocampus and neocortex. The second aim of this project is to test between these theories. The investigators will assess changes in hippocampal and cortical representations over time by re-scanning participants and tracking changes in memory at a one-week delay. Any observed changes in the brain and behavior across time, however, may be due to generic effects of time or to active processing during sleep. The third aim is thus to assess the specific causal contributions of sleep to the consolidation of structured information. The investigators will use real-time sleep electroencephalography to play sound cues to bias memory reactivation. The investigators expect that this work will clarify the anatomical substrates and, critically, the nature of the representations that support encoding and consolidation of novel structure in the environment.
Will I have to stop taking my current medications?
If you are currently taking antidepressants or sedatives, you will need to stop taking them to participate in this trial.
What data supports the effectiveness of the treatment Associative inference, Category learning, Sleep for enhanced learning?
Research shows that sleep helps consolidate memories and improve learning by replaying experiences and generating new insights. Studies indicate that sleep can enhance the ability to learn new vocabulary and improve memory performance, suggesting that sleep is crucial for associative learning and category formation.12345
How does the Sleep for Enhanced Learning treatment differ from other treatments for learning enhancement?
This treatment is unique because it leverages sleep to enhance learning by reinforcing memory consolidation and forming new associations, unlike other methods that focus on active learning during wakefulness. Sleep's recurring brain oscillations help process information hierarchically, improving generalization and adaptive behavior.56789
Research Team
Anna C Schapiro, PhD
Principal Investigator
University of Pennsylvania
Eligibility Criteria
This trial is for healthy adults aged 18-35 with normal or corrected vision, normal hearing, fluent English skills, and no history of major psychiatric/neurological disorders. It excludes vulnerable populations, those on antidepressants/sedatives (for MRI), anyone with neurological disorders (for EEG), MR contraindications like metal implants, claustrophobia (MRI-specific), and pregnant women.Inclusion Criteria
Exclusion Criteria
Timeline
Screening
Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial
Initial Learning and fMRI Assessment
Participants undergo fMRI to assess neural representations during learning tasks involving object associations and category learning.
Sleep EEG and Memory Reactivation
Participants' memory is tested before and after a nap, with EEG monitoring and auditory cues to encourage memory reactivation.
Follow-up fMRI Assessment
Participants return for a second fMRI scan to evaluate changes in neural substrates and memory consolidation after one week.
Follow-up
Participants are monitored for changes in memory and neural representations over time.
Treatment Details
Interventions
- Associative inference
- Category learning
- Sleep
Find a Clinic Near You
Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?
University of Pennsylvania
Lead Sponsor
National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
Collaborator