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The hippocampus is necessary for the consolidation of a task that does not require the hippocampus for initial learning
Author(s) -
Schapiro Anna C.,
Reid Allison G.,
Morgan Alexandra,
Manoach Dara S.,
Verfaellie Mieke,
Stickgold Robert
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
hippocampus
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.767
H-Index - 155
eISSN - 1098-1063
pISSN - 1050-9631
DOI - 10.1002/hipo.23101
Subject(s) - memory consolidation , consolidation (business) , hippocampus , neuroscience , hippocampal formation , psychology , cognitive psychology , accounting , business
During sleep, the hippocampus plays an active role in consolidating memories that depend on it for initial encoding. There are hints in the literature that the hippocampus may have a broader influence, contributing to the consolidation of memories that may not initially require the area. We tested this possibility by evaluating learning and consolidation of the motor sequence task (MST) in hippocampal amnesics and demographically matched control participants. While the groups showed similar initial learning, only controls exhibited evidence of overnight consolidation. These results demonstrate that the hippocampus can be required for normal consolidation of a task without being required for its acquisition, suggesting that the area plays a broader role in coordinating memory consolidation than has previously been assumed.