Is sleep-dependent memory consolidation of a visuo-motor task related to dream content?

Sleep is known to help memory consolidation, but the role of dreaming in this process is less clear. This study examined whether dreams that directly incorporate a mirror tracing task improve performance on that task after sleep, and found no such effect. However, bizarre, long, and intense dreams were linked to slower performance but also to fewer errors. Whether these associations stem from changes in sleep physiology or from negative effects of dreams on mood and performance remains unknown. Future work should investigate more complex procedural tasks and how dreaming relates to emotional memory consolidation during sleep.

Study at a glance

Abstract

A considerable amount of studies have shown that sleep facilitates memory consolidation. For procedural memory, some findings support the association with REM sleep but the relationship between memory consolidation and dreaming has been scarcely studied. The present study did not find an effect of direct incorporations of the mirror tracing task into the dream on over-night improvement. On the other hand, bizarre, long, and intense dreams were associated with poorer performance regarding speed but also with decreased amount of errors. Whether this can be explained by altered sleep physiology or negative effects of dreams on mood and performance can not yet been answered. Future research should study more complex and demanding procedural memory tasks and the relationship between dreaming and sleep-dependent consolidation of emotional memories.