Modulating sleep: slow oscillation and spindle stimulation effects onphysiology and memory

Modulating sleep: slow oscillation and spindle stimulation effects onphysiology and memory | 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 Modulating sleep: slow oscillation and spindle stimulation effects onphysiology and memory Hugo R. Jourde, Katerina Z. Sita, Zseyvfin Eyqvelle, Mary Brooks, and 1 more This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-6429124/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Published Journal Publication published 20 Jan, 2026 Read the published version in npj Science of Learning → Version 1 posted 10 You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract Sleep plays a role in memory consolidation, with slow oscillations (SO) and sleep spindles (SP) in non-rapid eye movement sleep being central to this process. While the effects of closed-loop auditory stimulation of slow oscillations have been well studied, no prior research has successfully targeted sleep spindles to assess their impact on memory. This study investigates the effects of SO and SP stimulation; and an additional condition in which stimulation was delivered 450 ms after spindle detection, on neurophysiology, and declarative, procedural, and complex memory consolidation. Healthy young adults (N = 102) engaged in tasks assessing simple declarative and procedural learning, and a complex piano task designed to require integrated use of multiple memory systems in a naturalistic fashion. Subjects were randomly assigned to one of the experimental conditions or sham stimulation control group, for a 2 hr nap opportunity, or an equivalent period of wakefulness. Using auditory stimulation, we modulated SOs and, for the first time, directly targeted sleep spindles. Results confirmed successful modulation of sleep neurophysiology. However, behavioural outcomes were complex: regardless of condition, declarative memory declined, motor sequence learning improved, and piano task performance varied between pre- and post-testing. Follow-up analysis showed modest links between evoked spindle activity and some tasks, while evoked SO strength had no clear relationship with performance change. Our findings demonstrate the feasibility and effectiveness of manipulating sleep events via precisely-timed stimulation, yet highlight the variability of behavioural outcomes. Biological sciences/Neuroscience Biological sciences/Psychology closed-loop auditory stimulation sleep complex tasks musical training plasticity Full Text Additional Declarations No competing interests reported. Supplementary Files BSP2025JourdeSupplementary.pdf Cite Share Download PDF Status: Published Journal Publication published 20 Jan, 2026 Read the published version in npj Science of Learning → Version 1 posted Editorial decision: Revision requested 20 Jun, 2025 Reviews received at journal 18 Jun, 2025 Reviews received at journal 18 May, 2025 Reviewers agreed at journal 06 May, 2025 Reviewers agreed at journal 05 May, 2025 Reviewers agreed at journal 05 May, 2025 Reviewers invited by journal 29 Apr, 2025 Editor assigned by journal 29 Apr, 2025 Submission checks completed at journal 14 Apr, 2025 First submitted to journal 11 Apr, 2025 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-6429124","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":451679416,"identity":"b3f188ec-2ff0-4e6f-860b-c03eb1ee8c1e","order_by":0,"name":"Hugo R. 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