Very happy to share our new preprint revealing no evidence for a targeted memory reactivation (TMR) effect on word-meaning priming (1/8): https://osf.io/preprints/psyarxiv/t53mx_v1
Comments
Log in with your Bluesky account to leave a comment
A homonym’s subordinate meaning (bark: dog noise vs. tree covering) is temporarily more accessible after it is encountered: word-meaning priming (WMP). Over 12 and 24 hrs, WMP is maintained by sleep vs. wake, suggesting a sleep consolidation effect on episodic memories of previous discourse (2/8).
In this study (specifically, Experiment 2), we investigated the causal role of sleep on WMP by promoting specific linguistic-related memories for consolidation (during sleep) via TMR (3/8).
At exposure, participants (n = 58) were primed to the subordinate meaning of several homonyms via sentences which were associated with an auditory cue. Ppts then took a 2-hr nap; during NREM sleep, half of the memory cues from exposure were replayed, along with unexposed control cues (4/8).
At test, WMP was indexed via word association. Overall, primed homonyms elicited more responses consistent with the subordinate meaning than unprimed homonyms (WMP), but within the primed condition, TMR did not increase subordinate responses relative to the No TMR condition (5/8).
Our EEG results revealed a significant increase in sleep spindle activity following memory vs. control cues, consistent with prior TMR work and suggesting memory reprocessing during sleep (6/8).
Overall, these findings suggest a bounded role of sleep in consolidating linguistic-related, episodic memories. Sleep-maintained WMP over the longer term may therefore be underpinned by both passive and active elements of sleep (7/8).
Comments