Influence of Stress on the Neural Correlates of Motor Memory Acquisition and Sleep-Related Consolidation

Memory is a fundamental capacity that is intimately linked to our daily activities and underlies our identity, knowledge as well as our motor skills. The study of the motor memory system in particular is crucial as performance of previously memorized motor skills, as well as the learning of new ones, underlies the successful execution of daily living activities. Important discoveries over the last decades have greatly enhanced our understanding of the neural mechanisms supporting motor memory. However, a critical question that has significant clinical implications remains to be answered: Can motor memory formation be manipulated (i.e., enhanced or disrupted) in humans? This intriguing question is the overarching motivation for the present project. Accordingly, the aim of this project is to gain a better understanding of the neurophysiological mechanisms modulating motor memory formation and sleep-related consolidation in humans (i.e., the process by which memories are strengthened after sleep). Specifically, we will investigate, using neuroimaging, the effect of stress, induced experimentally before learning, on motor memory formation and retention. We predict that stress will modulate activity in memory-related brain areas and compromise sleep-related memory consolidation. This project has a high applicative value, as, in the long-term, it will participate to the development of tools to protect motor memory processes against negative effects of stress.