Reward biases spontaneous neural reactivation during sleep

Virginie Sterpenich (), Mojca K. M. van Schie, Maximilien Catsiyannis, Avinash Ramyead, Stephen Perrig, Hee-Deok Yang, Dimitri Van De Ville and Sophie Schwartz
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Virginie Sterpenich: University of Geneva
Mojca K. M. van Schie: University of Geneva
Maximilien Catsiyannis: University of Geneva
Avinash Ramyead: University of California
Stephen Perrig: University Hospital Geneva
Hee-Deok Yang: Chosun University, Seosuk-dong, Dong-ku
Dimitri Van De Ville: University of Geneva
Sophie Schwartz: University of Geneva

Nature Communications, 2021, vol. 12, issue 1, 1-11

Abstract: Abstract Sleep favors the reactivation and consolidation of newly acquired memories. Yet, how our brain selects the noteworthy information to be reprocessed during sleep remains largely unknown. From an evolutionary perspective, individuals must retain information that promotes survival, such as avoiding dangers, finding food, or obtaining praise or money. Here, we test whether neural representations of rewarded (compared to non-rewarded) events have priority for reactivation during sleep. Using functional MRI and a brain decoding approach, we show that patterns of brain activity observed during waking behavior spontaneously reemerge during slow-wave sleep. Critically, we report a privileged reactivation of neural patterns previously associated with a rewarded task (i.e., winning at a complex game). Moreover, during sleep, activity in task-related brain regions correlates with better subsequent memory performance. Our study uncovers a neural mechanism whereby rewarded life experiences are preferentially replayed and consolidated while we sleep.

Date: 2021
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:nat:natcom:v:12:y:2021:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-021-24357-5

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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-24357-5

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