Procedural Memory Consolidation in the Performance of Brief Keyboard Sequences

Abstract

Using two sequential key press sequences, we tested the extent to which subjects' performance on a digital piano keyboard changed between the end of training and retest on subsequent days. We found consistent, significant improvements attributable to sleep-based consolidation effects, indicating that learning continued after the cessation of practice during both the first and second nights of sleep following training. When subjects briefly recalled a learned sequence 1 day after training and then immediately learned a second, similar sequence, there were no observable improvements in subjects' performance of the first sequence after the second night of sleep. We discuss our results in relation to similar findings in neuroscience and cognition.