REM sleep in naps differentially relates to memory consolidation in typical preschoolers and children with Down syndrome

Abstract

Significance This paper demonstrates that typical children have enhanced learning of new words across sleep periods (naps) which is linked to the amount of time in rapid eye movement (REM) sleep and shows sleep-dependent learning losses in an atypically developing group of children with REM deficits (e.g., Down syndrome). The work yields both medical and theoretical impacts by ( i ) highlighting a modifiable mechanism of intellectual disability in Down syndrome that has not been described before and ( ii ) emphasizing the important role of REM sleep in children’s learning.