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Robertson, Edwin Malcolm

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Robertson

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Edwin Malcolm

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Robertson, Edwin Malcolm
Author's Publications: search.filters.isAuthorOfPublication.12c2b843-36cc-4c70-931c-788fb8a5d818

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    Daytime Sleep Enhances Consolidation of the Spatial but Not Motoric Representation of Motor Sequence Memory
    (Public Library of Science, 2013) Albouy, Geneviève; Fogel, Stuart; Pottiez, Hugo; Nguyen, Vo An; Ray, Laura; Lungu, Ovidiu; Carrier, Julie; Robertson, Edwin Malcolm; Doyon, Julien
    Motor sequence learning is known to rely on more than a single process. As the skill develops with practice, two different representations of the sequence are formed: a goal representation built under spatial allocentric coordinates and a movement representation mediated through egocentric motor coordinates. This study aimed to explore the influence of daytime sleep (nap) on consolidation of these two representations. Through the manipulation of an explicit finger sequence learning task and a transfer protocol, we show that both allocentric (spatial) and egocentric (motor) representations of the sequence can be isolated after initial training. Our results also demonstrate that nap favors the emergence of offline gains in performance for the allocentric, but not the egocentric representation, even after accounting for fatigue effects. Furthermore, sleep-dependent gains in performance observed for the allocentric representation are correlated with spindle density during non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep of the post-training nap. In contrast, performance on the egocentric representation is only maintained, but not improved, regardless of the sleep/wake condition. These results suggest that motor sequence memory acquisition and consolidation involve distinct mechanisms that rely on sleep (and specifically, spindle) or simple passage of time, depending respectively on whether the sequence is performed under allocentric or egocentric coordinates.
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    The Resting Human Brain and Motor Learning
    (Elsevier, 2009) Albert, Neil B.; Robertson, Edwin Malcolm; Miall, R. Chris
    Functionally related brain networks are engaged even in the absence of an overt behavior. The role of this resting state activity, evident as low-frequency fluctuations of BOLD (see [1] for review, [2–4]) or electrical [5, 6] signals, is unclear. Two major proposals are that resting state activity supports introspective thought or supports responses to future events [7]. An alternative perspective is that the resting brain actively and selectively processes previous experiences [8]. Here we show that motor learning can modulate subsequent activity within resting networks. BOLD signal was recorded during rest periods before and after an 11 min visuomotor training session. Motor learning but not motor performance modulated a fronto-parietal resting state network (RSN). Along with the fronto-parietal network, a cerebellar network not previously reported as an RSN was also specifically altered by learning. Both of these networks are engaged during learning of similar visuomotor tasks [9–22]. Thus, we provide the first description of the modulation of specific RSNs by prior learning—but not by prior performance—revealing a novel connection between the neuroplastic mechanisms of learning and resting state activity. Our approach may provide a powerful tool for exploration of the systems involved in memory consolidation.