Sleep after motor learning enhances post-movement beta synchronization
6 affiliations
- 1CERVO Brain Research Center, 2301 Av. D'Estimauville, Québec G1J 2G3, Canada.
- 2School of Psychology, Faculty of Social Sciences, Pavillon Félix-Antoine-Savard, 2325 Rue des Bibliothèques, Laval University, Québec G1V 0A6, Canada.
- 3Lyon Neuroscience Research Center (CRNL) - Lyon 1 University, Inserm U1028, CNRS UMR5292 Lyon, France.
- 4International Laboratory for Brain, Music and Sound Research (BRAMS), CRBLM, Pavillon Marie-Victorin, Université de Montréal, 90 Vincent D'Indy Ave, Outremont, Quebec H2V 2S9, Canada.
- 5CHU de Québec Research Center, Université Laval, 2705 Boulevard Laurier, Québec G1V 4G2, Canada.
- 6Department of Health and Kinesiology, University of Utah, HPER North, 250 1850 E, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, United States.
Abstract
The neural substrates supporting the beneficial effect of sleep on motor memory consolidation are well described. However, less is known about brain oscillatory dynamics underlying these processes. We characterized the oscillatory dynamics associated with motor sequence learning and their modulation by post-learning sleep using magnetoencephalography (MEG) in young healthy adults. After learning a motor sequence task while their brain activity was recorded with MEG, participants were distributed in two groups according to whether they slept or were totally sleep deprived during the first post-training night. Consolidation was assessed with a retest in the MEG three days later. Behaviorally, performance improved over the consolidation interval irrespective of whether sleep was afforded during the first night. MEG results showed that initial motor sequence learning was characterized by a decrease in beta event-related desynchronization (ERD, 18 to 25 Hz) over bilateral motor areas from early to late training. Interestingly, while practice-related modulations of beta ERD were not influenced by the sleep status, post-learned-movement beta event-related synchronization (ERS) over bilateral parietal areas increased over the consolidation interval in the sleep, compared to the sleep deprived, group. These results extend current models of motor memory consolidation by identifying ERS as an oscillatory marker of sleep-dependent consolidation.
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BibTeX
@article{bernier2026sleep,
title = {{Sleep after motor learning enhances post-movement beta synchronization}},
author = {Marie-Frédérique Bernier and Roxane S Hoyer and Françoise Lecaignard and Alain Nicolas and Olivier Bertrand and Philippe Albouy and Genevieve Albouy},
journal = {Cerebral cortex (New York, N.Y. : 1991)},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.1093/cercor/bhag184},
url = {https://europepmc.org/article/PMC/PMC13718427},
note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Sleep after motor learning enhances post-movement beta synchronization
AU - Marie-Frédérique Bernier
AU - Roxane S Hoyer
AU - Françoise Lecaignard
AU - Alain Nicolas
AU - Olivier Bertrand
AU - Philippe Albouy
AU - Genevieve Albouy
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/01
JO - Cerebral cortex (New York, N.Y. : 1991)
DO - 10.1093/cercor/bhag184
UR - https://europepmc.org/article/PMC/PMC13718427
AB - The neural substrates supporting the beneficial effect of sleep on motor memory consolidation are well described. However, less is known about brain oscillatory dynamics underlying these processes. We characterized the oscillatory dynamics associated with motor sequence learning and their modulation by post-learning sleep using magnetoencephalography (MEG) in young healthy adults. After learning a motor sequence task while their brain activity was recorded with MEG, participants were distributed in two groups according to whether they slept or were totally sleep deprived during the first post-training night. Consolidation was assessed with a retest in the MEG three days later. Behaviorally, performance improved over the consolidation interval irrespective of whether sleep was afforded during the first night. MEG results showed that initial motor sequence learning was characterized by a decrease in beta event-related desynchronization (ERD, 18 to 25 Hz) over bilateral motor areas from early to late training. Interestingly, while practice-related modulations of beta ERD were not influenced by the sleep status, post-learned-movement beta event-related synchronization (ERS) over bilateral parietal areas increased over the consolidation interval in the sleep, compared to the sleep deprived, group. These results extend current models of motor memory consolidation by identifying ERS as an oscillatory marker of sleep-dependent consolidation.
SN - 1047-3211
SN - 1460-2199
ER -