Sleep shapes more effective cerebro-cerebellar networks performing sequential motor tasks

Sleep is essential for the consolidation of procedural memory. Using fMRI we measured activation while subjects were trained on a sequential finger opposition task. 8 Volunteers participated in the main experiments with retrieval testing taking place 48 hours after initial training. During the first post-learning night subjects either slept regularly or stayed awake. During the second night all subjects had regular sleep. 10 volunteers were examined in supplementary experiments with training at 10:00p.m. and retrieval at 7:00 a.m. The volunteers performed a finger-opposition task with their non-dominant hand as…