Sleep Science Podcast Episode 7: Björn Rasch -Targeted Memory Reactivation
Nov 8, 2020
Björn Rasch, a sleep researcher and psychology professor who pioneered Targeted Memory Reactivation, discusses using scents and sounds to cue memories during sleep. He talks about neural signatures like spindles and theta, timing cues to slow oscillations, limits and interference effects, and how sleep can amplify therapy outcomes such as reducing phobias.
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Sleep Reactivation Stabilizes Not Destabilizes Memories
- Reactivating memories during sleep appears to stabilize and further consolidate them rather than making them labile to interference.
- In a wake-after-cue interference test, cueing in slow-wave sleep still increased memory despite strong post-wake interference.
Theta Signals Reactivation and Spindles Signal Stabilization
- Successful auditory TMR elicits theta increases (reactivation marker) followed by spindles (stabilization marker) in NREM sleep.
- In Dutch–German vocabulary studies, later-remembered cued words showed stronger theta and spindle activity during sleep.
Timing TMR To The Slow Oscillation Upstate
- Timing within the slow oscillation matters: presenting TMR during the upstate (positive phase) is more likely to produce benefit because spindles and upstates align.
- Björn suggests combining closed-loop slow-wave induction with content cues to boost coupling and efficacy.