
==== Front
bioRxiv
BIORXIV
bioRxiv
2692-8205
Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory

10.1101/2024.08.28.610060
preprint
2
Article
Does slow oscillation-spindle coupling contribute to sleep-dependent memory consolidation? A Bayesian meta-analysis
Ng Thea http://orcid.org/0009-0008-9521-9254

Noh Eunsol
Spencer Rebecca M. C. http://orcid.org/0000-0002-8674-2384

29 8 2024
2024.08.28.610060https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/ This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License, which allows reusers to copy and distribute the material in any medium or format in unadapted form only, for noncommercial purposes only, and only so long as attribution is given to the creator.
http://biorxiv.org/lookup/doi/10.1101/2024.08.28.610060
nihpp-2024.08.28.610060.pdf
Abstract

The active system consolidation theory suggests that information transfer between the hippocampus and cortex during sleep underlies memory consolidation. Neural oscillations during sleep, including the temporal coupling between slow oscillations (SO) and sleep spindles (SP), may play a mechanistic role in memory consolidation. However, differences in analytical approaches and the presence of physiological and behavioral moderators have led to inconsistent conclusions. This meta-analysis, comprising 23 studies and 297 effect sizes, focused on four standard phase-amplitude coupling measures including coupling phase, strength, percentage, and SP amplitude, and their relationship with memory retention. We developed a standardized approach to incorporate non-normal circular-linear correlations. We found strong evidence supporting that precise and strong SO-fast SP coupling in the frontal lobe predicts memory consolidation. The strength of this association is mediated by memory type, aging, and dynamic spatio-temporal features, including SP frequency and cortical topography. In conclusion, SO-SP coupling should be considered as a general physiological mechanism for memory consolidation.
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