Memory reactivation induces generalized visual learning and top-down propagated cortical plasticity

Memory reactivation induces generalized visual learning and top-down propagated cortical plasticity | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Article Memory reactivation induces generalized visual learning and top-down propagated cortical plasticity Fang Fang, Yongqian Song, Qian Wang, Ce Mo This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-9102041/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Under Review Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract A long-held dogma that 'practice makes perfect' posits that learning requires intensive training, which is challenged by emerging evidence that brief memory reactivation alone can induce substantial visual learning effect. A hallmark of efficient learning is generalizability, which is notably absent in traditional training-induced learning. Therefore it is a central question to ask whether reactivation-induced learning confers generalizability. Here, integrating multimodal human brain imaging, computational modeling, and psychophysics, we investigated the generalization and neuroplastic mechanisms of reactivation-induced learning using a visual motion direction discrimination task. Remarkably, we observed a near-complete generalization of the reactivation-induced learning effect from the reactivated motion direction to non-reactivated ones, following an 8-day reactivation regimen with merely five reactivation trials per day. This generalization was accompanied by a top-down propagation of neuroplastic changes: increased neural pattern discriminability was observed in the intraparietal sulcus (IPS) immediately after the reactivation regimen, and then appeared in early visual cortex (EVC) two weeks later. Mechanistically, these plastic changes were mediated by an expansion of the neural representational geometry in the high-dimensional feature space, which was tightly correlated with behavioral learning effects. Collectively, our findings establish generalizability as a key signature of reactivation-induced visual learning, uncovering a pathway to efficient, low-effort learning. Furthermore, we reveal a neuroplastic mechanism that is fundamentally distinct from that of training-induced learning, providing new insights into how brief memory reactivation shapes visual processing. Biological sciences/Psychology Biological sciences/Neuroscience/Learning and memory Full Text Additional Declarations There is NO Competing Interest. Cite Share Download PDF Status: Under Review Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. As a division of Research Square Company, we’re committed to making research communication faster, fairer, and more useful. We do this by developing innovative software and high quality services for the global research community. Our growing team is made up of researchers and industry professionals working together to solve the most critical problems facing scientific publishing. Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-9102041","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":607099943,"identity":"aef7f219-3117-4870-bd94-89ae3979d54f","order_by":0,"name":"Fang Fang","email":"data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAZAAAAAyAQMAAABI0h/eAAAABlBMVEX///8AAABVwtN+AAAACXBIWXMAAA7EAAAOxAGVKw4bAAAAu0lEQVRIiWNgGAWjYBAC9uYDQLKCwQDEkSBKC8+xBCB5hmQtjG0kaWFjfvbw67w7xgYHmA/e5mGwyyNCC5u5sey2Z2YGB9iSrXkYkosJarGXbzCTltx22MbgAI+ZNA/DgcQGwrawf5OWnAPSwv+NWC08ZpIfGw4DHcbDRrSWMmmGY8+MJQ+zGVvOMUgmymHbJH/U3DHsO9788MabCjvCWkCAGegeIAliGhCjHggYf4C0jIJRMApGwSjABQDjfDdVSdKF4AAAAABJRU5ErkJggg==","orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7718-2354","institution":"Peking University","correspondingAuthor":true,"prefix":"","firstName":"Fang","middleName":"","lastName":"Fang","suffix":""},{"id":607099944,"identity":"a34000b5-48c1-4262-9575-0e6245a0c991","order_by":1,"name":"Yongqian Song","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Peking University","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Yongqian","middleName":"","lastName":"Song","suffix":""},{"id":607099945,"identity":"e173664a-c808-4e39-adcd-511ad235df39","order_by":2,"name":"Qian Wang","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Peking University","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Qian","middleName":"","lastName":"Wang","suffix":""},{"id":607099946,"identity":"0a77eaff-f452-430f-ac4a-5a942a6528a6","order_by":3,"name":"Ce Mo","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Sun Yat-Sen University","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Ce","middleName":"","lastName":"Mo","suffix":""}],"badges":[],"createdAt":"2026-03-12 08:20:50","currentVersionCode":1,"declarations":"","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-9102041/v1","doiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-9102041/v1","draftVersion":[],"editorialEvents":[],"editorialNote":"","failedWorkflow":false,"files":[],"financialInterests":"There is \u003cb\u003eNO\u003c/b\u003e Competing Interest.","formattedTitle":"Memory reactivation induces generalized visual learning and top-down propagated cortical plasticity","fulltext":[],"fulltextSource":"","fullText":"","funders":[],"hasAdminPriorityOnWorkflow":false,"hasManuscriptDocX":false,"hasOptedInToPreprint":true,"hasPassedJournalQc":"","hasAnyPriority":true,"hideJournal":false,"highlight":"","institution":"","isAcceptedByJournal":false,"isAuthorSuppliedPdf":true,"isDeskRejected":"","isHiddenFromSearch":false,"isInQc":false,"isInWorkflow":false,"isPdf":true,"isPdfUpToDate":true,"isWithdrawnOrRetracted":false,"journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"nature-portfolio","isNatureJournal":true,"hasQc":false,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"externalIdentity":"","sideBox":"","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"","title":"Nature Portfolio","twitterHandle":"","acdcEnabled":false,"dfaEnabled":false,"editorialSystem":"ejp","reportingPortfolio":"","inReviewEnabled":true,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":false},"keywords":"","lastPublishedDoi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-9102041/v1","lastPublishedDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-9102041/v1","license":{"name":"CC BY 4.0","url":"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"},"manuscriptAbstract":"\u003cp\u003eA long-held dogma that 'practice makes perfect' posits that learning requires intensive training, which is challenged by emerging evidence that brief memory reactivation alone can induce substantial visual learning effect. 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