Memory reactivation improves visual perception

Nature Neuroscience 20, 1325 (2017). doi:10.1038/nn.4629 Authors: Rotem Amar-Halpert, Rony Laor-Maayany, Shlomi Nemni, Jonathan D Rosenblatt & Nitzan Censor Human perception thresholds can improve through learning. Here we report findings challenging the fundamental 'practice makes perfect' basis of procedural learning theory, showing that brief reactivations of encoded visual memories are sufficient to improve perceptual discrimination thresholds. Learning was comparable to standard practice-induced learning and was not due to short training per se, nor to an epiphenomenon of primed retrieval enhancement. The results demonstrate that basic perceptual functions can be substantially improved by memory reactivation, supporting a new account of perceptual learning dynamics.
Source: Nature Neuroscience - Category: Neuroscience Authors: Tags: Brief Communication Source Type: research