No Cover Image

Journal article 1579 views 124 downloads

Sleep-dependent memory consolidation is related to perceived value of learned material

Elaine van Rijn, Carlo Lucignoli, Cristina Izura Orcid Logo, Mark Blagrove Orcid Logo

Journal of Sleep Research, Volume: 26, Issue: 3, Pages: 302 - 308

Swansea University Authors: Cristina Izura Orcid Logo, Mark Blagrove Orcid Logo

  • Rijn_et_al-2017-Journal_of_Sleep_Research.pdf

    PDF | Version of Record

    Released under the terms of a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial License (CC-BY-NC-ND).

    Download (103.95KB)

Check full text

DOI (Published version): 10.1111/jsr.12457

Abstract

Although many types of newly encoded information can be consolidated during sleep, an enhanced effect has been found for memories tagged as relevant to the future, such as through knowledge of future testing or payment for successful recall. In the current study, participants (n = 80) learned Welsh...

Full description

Published in: Journal of Sleep Research
ISSN: 09621105
Published: 2017
Online Access: Check full text

URI: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa30517
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Abstract: Although many types of newly encoded information can be consolidated during sleep, an enhanced effect has been found for memories tagged as relevant to the future, such as through knowledge of future testing or payment for successful recall. In the current study, participants (n = 80) learned Welsh and Breton translations of English words, and intrinsic relevance of learned material was operationalized as perceived value of the Welsh and Breton languages. Participants were non-Welsh native English speakers who had recently arrived in Wales. Memory for the words was tested immediately and 12 h later, after either a period of wake or a period of sleep. An increase in recall for both languages was found after sleep, but not after wake. Importantly, for the sleep condition, overnight improvement in Welsh word recall was associated with participants’ level of valuing the Welsh language. This association was not found for the wake period condition. These findings support previous indications of an active role of sleep in the consolidation of memories relevant for the future, and demonstrate that this effect may be modulated by individual differences in perceived value of the learned material. It remains to be established whether this association is mediated by an emotional attachment to the language or a cognitive facility with it, or both.
College: Faculty of Medicine, Health and Life Sciences
Issue: 3
Start Page: 302
End Page: 308