What can we learn from studying replay in humans?
Nicolas W Schuck, Marit Petzka, Stephen M Fleming
Trends in Cognitive Sciences July 7, 2026 DOI: 10.1016/j.tics.2026.06.013 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Keywords | Consciousness Cross-species Metacognition Replay |
| Key points | Argues that the assumption linking neural replay to conscious thought in human research limits understanding of replay's relationship to consciousness and cross-species differences. |
Abstract
Noninvasive methods are making it possible to study neural replay in humans. Although focused on alignment with rodent findings, human research often tacitly assumes that replay is linked to conscious, deliberate thought. This assumption represents a missed opportunity to investigate the links between replay and consciousness, as well as cross-species differences more broadly.