A critical function of sleep is to allow for memory consolidation. For example, performance on a simple, ixplicit sequence task is improved following a 12 hour interval containing sleep relative to a 12 hour interval without sleep. However, this benefit of sleep is not present in older adults (45-80 years) for sequence earning tasks. Conversely, preliminary research suggests that sleep-dependent memory consolidation may remain intact in older adults for a non-motor, cognitive task (word-pair association learning). These results ead to a number of questions which will be examined in the proposed research. First, does the age-related decline in sleep-dependent memory consolidation of sequence learning tasks reflect changes in sleep architecture with age? Likewise, does the spared sleep benefit on word-pair association learning reflect stability of certain sleep stages? Sleep-related changes in performance on the sequence learning task are associated with NREM-2 sleep while SWS seems to be critical for consolidation of word-pair association learning. Thus, the relationship of memory consolidation and sleep architecture, as measured by polysomnography, will be assessed in individuals ranging from 21-80 years of age. Finally, does sleepindependent memory consolidation of motor learning, off-line changes in performance occurring over a period of time spent awake, also decline in older adults? This question will be addressed with a sequence learning paradigm in which off-line learning can be dissociated into sleep-dependent goal-based learning and sleep-independent movement-based learning

Public Health Relevance

This research may provide a novel treatment for age-related memory decline. It is hypothesized that sleep architecture underlies the age-related decline in learning and memory on some tasks. If such is the case, treatments for memory decline can be more appropriately targeted: therapies which enhance sleep may improve age-related decreases in memory.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute on Aging (NIA)
Type
Research Transition Award (R00)
Project #
5R00AG029710-05
Application #
8045498
Study Section
Special Emphasis Panel (NSS)
Program Officer
Mackiewicz, Miroslaw
Project Start
2007-08-15
Project End
2013-03-31
Budget Start
2011-04-01
Budget End
2013-03-31
Support Year
5
Fiscal Year
2011
Total Cost
$235,865
Indirect Cost
Name
University of Massachusetts Amherst
Department
Psychology
Type
Schools of Arts and Sciences
DUNS #
153926712
City
Amherst
State
MA
Country
United States
Zip Code
01003
Mantua, Janna; Baran, Bengi; Spencer, Rebecca M C (2016) Sleep benefits consolidation of visuo-motor adaptation learning in older adults. Exp Brain Res 234:587-95
Pace-Schott, Edward F; Spencer, Rebecca M C (2015) Sleep-dependent memory consolidation in healthy aging and mild cognitive impairment. Curr Top Behav Neurosci 25:307-30
Pace-Schott, Edward F; Rubin, Zoe S; Tracy, Lauren E et al. (2015) Emotional trait and memory associates of sleep timing and quality. Psychiatry Res 229:999-1010
Spencer, Rebecca M C (2013) Neurophysiological Basis of Sleep's Function on Memory and Cognition. ISRN Physiol 2013:619319
Pace-Schott, Edward F; Spencer, Rebecca M C (2013) Age-related changes in consolidation of perceptual and muscle-based learning of motor skills. Front Aging Neurosci 5:83
Pace-Schott, Edward F; Spencer, Rebecca M C; Vijayakumar, Shilpa et al. (2013) Extinction of conditioned fear is better learned and recalled in the morning than in the evening. J Psychiatr Res 47:1776-84
Pace-Schott, Edward F; Nave, Genevieve; Morgan, Alexandra et al. (2012) Sleep-dependent modulation of affectively guided decision-making. J Sleep Res 21:30-9
Baran, Bengi; Pace-Schott, Edward F; Ericson, Callie et al. (2012) Processing of emotional reactivity and emotional memory over sleep. J Neurosci 32:1035-42
Wilson, Jessica K; Baran, Bengi; Pace-Schott, Edward F et al. (2012) Sleep modulates word-pair learning but not motor sequence learning in healthy older adults. Neurobiol Aging 33:991-1000
Pace-Schott, Edward F; Verga, Patrick W; Bennett, Tobias S et al. (2012) Sleep promotes consolidation and generalization of extinction learning in simulated exposure therapy for spider fear. J Psychiatr Res 46:1036-44

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