The REM sleep-memory consolidation hypothesis.

TitleThe REM sleep-memory consolidation hypothesis.
Publication TypeJournal Article
Year of Publication2001
AuthorsSiegel JM
JournalScience
Volume294
Issue5544
Pagination1058-63
Date Published2001 Nov 2
ISSN0036-8075
KeywordsAnimals, Brain Diseases, Humans, Intelligence, Learning, Mammals, Memory, Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors, Neurons, Sleep, Sleep Deprivation, Sleep, REM, Species Specificity
Abstract

It has been hypothesized that REM (rapid eye movement) sleep has an important role in memory consolidation. The evidence for this hypothesis is reviewed and found to be weak and contradictory. Animal studies correlating changes in REM sleep parameters with learning have produced inconsistent results and are confounded by stress effects. Humans with pharmacological and brain lesion-induced suppression of REM sleep do not show memory deficits, and other human sleep-learning studies have not produced consistent results. The time spent in REM sleep is not correlated with learning ability across humans, nor is there a positive relation between REM sleep time or intensity and encephalization across species. Although sleep is clearly important for optimum acquisition and performance of learned tasks, a major role in memory consolidation is unproven.

DOI10.1126/science.1063049
Alternate JournalScience
PubMed ID11691984
Grant ListHL60296 / HL / NHLBI NIH HHS / United States
MH64109 / MH / NIMH NIH HHS / United States
NS14610 / NS / NINDS NIH HHS / United States