RETRACTED: The impact of acoustic stimulation during sleep on memory and sleep architecture: A meta‐analysis
Abstract
The relationship between sleep and cognition has long been recognized, with slow-wave sleep thought to play a critical role in long-term memory consolidation. Recent research has presented the possibility that non-invasive acoustic stimulation during sleep could enhance memory consolidation. Herein, we report a random-effects model meta-analysis examining the impact of this intervention on memory and sleep architecture in healthy adults. Sixteen studies were identified through a systematic search. We found a medium significant effect of acoustic stimulation on memory task performance (g = 0.68, p = .031) in young adults 35 years of age (g = -0.83, p = .223). In young adults, there was a large statistically significant effect for declarative memory tasks (g = 0.87, p = .014) but no effect for non-declarative tasks (g = -0.25, p = .357). There were no statistically significant differences in polysomnography-derived sleep architecture values between sham and stimulation conditions in either young or older adults. Based on these results, it appears that acoustic stimulation during sleep may only be an effective intervention for declarative memory consolidation in young adults. However, the small number of studies in this area, their small sample sizes, the short-term nature of most investigations and the high between-studies heterogeneity highlight a need for high-powered and long-term experiments to better elucidate, and subsequently maximise, any potential benefits of this nove…
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The reduction in sleep-dependent memory consolidation in older adults is likely linked to a decline in slow-wave sleep.
“In older adults, there is a noticeable reduction in sleep-dependent memory consolidation, particularly for declarative memory, likely linked to a decline in slow-wave sleep.”
From Sleep and memory consolidation in healthy, neurotypical children, and adults: a summary of systematic reviews and meta-analyses. (2023) · cites this paper as [29]
Acoustic stimulation during sleep does not improve non-declarative memory in young adults.
“Acoustic stimulation during sleep improves declarative but not non-declarative memory in young but not older adults [29].”
From Sleep and memory consolidation in healthy, neurotypical children, and adults: a summary of systematic reviews and meta-analyses. (2023) · cites this paper as [29]
Slow-wave sleep is critical for declarative memory.
“SWS decline may contribute to this effect, as SWS is critical for declarative memory and diminishes with aging [19,29].”
From Sleep and memory consolidation in healthy, neurotypical children, and adults: a summary of systematic reviews and meta-analyses. (2023) · cites this paper as [29]
Acoustic stimulation during sleep improves declarative memory in young adults.
“Acoustic stimulation during sleep improves declarative but not non-declarative memory in young but not older adults [29].”
From Sleep and memory consolidation in healthy, neurotypical children, and adults: a summary of systematic reviews and meta-analyses. (2023) · cites this paper as [29]
Slow-wave sleep diminishes with aging.
“SWS decline may contribute to this effect, as SWS is critical for declarative memory and diminishes with aging [19,29].”
From Sleep and memory consolidation in healthy, neurotypical children, and adults: a summary of systematic reviews and meta-analyses. (2023) · cites this paper as [29]
Acoustic stimulation during sleep does not improve declarative memory in older adults.
“Acoustic stimulation during sleep improves declarative but not non-declarative memory in young but not older adults [29].”
From Sleep and memory consolidation in healthy, neurotypical children, and adults: a summary of systematic reviews and meta-analyses. (2023) · cites this paper as [29]
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“Therefore, in the final meta- analysis, 10 of the studies looked at the impact of acoustic stimulation on sleep architecture and memory (Diep et al., 2020; Henin et al., 2019; Leminen et al., 2017; Ngo, Claussen, et al., 2013; Ngo, Martinetz, et al., 2013; Ngo et al., 2015; Ong et al., 2016, 2018; Papalambros et al.,…”
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Weighall, A., & Kellar, I. (2023) · Emerging Topics in Life Sciences · doi:10.1042/etls20230110 · Cited by 13 · see citing works
- Authors
- Stanyer, E. C., Baniqued, P. D. E., Awais, M., Kouara, L., Davies, A. G., Killan, E. C., & Mushtaq, F.
- Affiliations
- University of Leeds (GB)
- Corresponding author
- Mushtaq, Faisal
- ORCID
- Venue
- Journal of Sleep Research
- Publisher
- Wiley
- Published
- 2021-11-30
- Volume
- 31
- Issue
- 3
- Pages
- e13385-e13385
- ISSN
- 0962-1105 (ISSN-L)
- 1365-2869
- OpenAlex
- W3215305358
- Cited by
- 21
- References
- 13
- Citations by year
- 2026: 1 · 2025: 3 · 2024: 7 · 2023: 6 · 2022: 4
- FWCI
- 2.23
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Status
- Retracted
- Update notices
- retraction (2025-06-16)
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Journal of Sleep Research (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Edge Hill University Research Information Repository (Edge Hill University) (submittedVersion)
- UEA Digital Repository (University of East Anglia) (submittedVersion)
- Funders
- Alan Turing Institute
- European Regional Development Fund
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Sleep and Wakefulness Research
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Sleep and related disorders
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Memory and Neural Mechanisms
- Keywords
- memory consolidation, slow-wave sleep, sleep architecture, declarative memory, implicit memory, age differences, young adults, sham stimulation, retracted article
- MeSH terms
- Memory Consolidation, Sleep, Slow-Wave, Acoustic Stimulation, Adult, Aged, Humans, Sleep, Polysomnography, Young Adult
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