Temporal sleep spindle clustering and slow-oscillation coupling in motor memory consolidation and generalization
摘要
Sleep benefits memory consolidation through periodic sleep spindle activity and associated memory reactivations. The temporal organization of spindles in “trains” is considered a critical sleep mechanism for the timed and repeated reactivation of memories. Evidence suggests that a timely phase-locking between slow oscillations (SO) and spindles facilitates learning-related synaptic plasticity. Here, we investigated the contribution of spindles’ clustering and coupling with SO in motor memory consolidation by promoting local synaptic depression in sensorimotor cortical regions through upper-limb immobilization following motor sequence learning. Our results reveal that the cluster-based organization of spindles is independent of daytime sensorimotor experience, while leading to distinct overnight behavioral outcomes. Interestingly, immobilization induced a phase shift in the SO-spindle coupling for spindles grouped in trains, but not when isolated outside trains. We demonstrate that spindle trains may promote skill-specific strengthening of motor memories, while isolated spindles may instead create memory-instability conditions leading to enhanced skill generalization.