Cited by 377Sleep and Wakefulness ResearchMemory and Neural MechanismsMemory Processes and Influences

Interfering with theories of sleep and memory: sleep, declarative memory, and associative interference

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Ellenbogen, Jeffrey M., Hulbert, Justin C., Stickgold, Robert, Dinges, David F., Thompson-Schill, Sharon L.·2006·Current Biology

Abstract

Mounting behavioral evidence in humans supports the claim that sleep leads to improvements in recently acquired, nondeclarative memories. Examples include motor-sequence learning; visual-discrimination learning; and perceptual learning of a synthetic language. In contrast, there are limited human data supporting a benefit of sleep for declarative (hippocampus-mediated) memory in humans (for review, see). This is particularly surprising given that animal models (e.g.,) and neuroimaging studies (e.g.,) predict that sleep facilitates hippocampus-based memory consolidation. We hypothesized that we could unmask the benefits of sleep by challenging the declarative memory system with competing information (interference). This is the first study to demonstrate that sleep protects declarative memories from subsequent associative interference, and it has important implications for understanding the neurobiology of memory consolidation.

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Crossref · 10.1016/j.cub.2006.05.024

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  • In a word association test, direct associations (pure memorization) did not benefit that much from a night's sleep, while word associations were better able to resist interfering associations.

    “For instance, in a word association test, direct associations, the equivalent of pure memorization, did not benefit that much from a night's sleep, while word associations were better able to resist interfering associations.134”

    From The overfitted brain: Dreams evolved to assist generalization (2021) · cites this paper as [134]

  • The enhancing effect on word recall of sleep compared with wakefulness was strongly enhanced when the subjects had learned an interference list shortly before final recall testing.

    “they revealed that the enhancing effect on word recall of sleep compared with wakefulness was strongly enhanced when the subjects had learned an interference list shortly before final recall testing.”

    From About Sleep's Role in Memory (2013) · cites this paper as [347]

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Authors
Ellenbogen, J. M., Hulbert, J. C., Stickgold, R., Dinges, D. F., & Thompson-Schill, S. L.
Affiliations
  • Harvard University (US)
  • University of Oregon (US)
  • University of Pennsylvania (US)
Corresponding author
Ellenbogen, Jeffrey M.
Venue
Current Biology
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2006-07
Volume
16
Issue
13
Pages
1290-1294
ISSN
0960-9822 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W2129658507
Cited by
377
References
28
Citations by year
2026: 6 · 2025: 14 · 2024: 12 · 2023: 15 · 2022: 14 · 2021: 21 · 2020: 21 · 2019: 18 · 2018: 15 · 2017: 19 · 2016: 22 · 2015: 18 · 2014: 26 · 2013: 32 · 2012: 25
FWCI
8.92
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Current Biology (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Funders
  • National Institutes of Health (5k30hl004095-05)
  • National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (K30HL04095, T32HL007901)
  • National Institute of Mental Health (R01MH048832, R01MH067008)
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Sleep and Wakefulness Research
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Memory and Neural Mechanisms
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Memory Processes and Influences
Keywords
sleep, declarative memory, associative interference, memory consolidation, hippocampus, implicit memory, motor sequence learning, perceptual learning, visual discrimination learning
MeSH terms
Adolescent, Adult, Association Learning, Female, Humans, Male, Memory, Models, Neurological, Mental Recall, Sleep

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