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The role of sleep in the formation and updating of abstract mental representations

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  19 June 2020

Antonino Visalli
Affiliation:
Department of General Psychology, University of Padova, 35131Padova, Italyantonino.visalli@unipd.itnicola.cellini@unipd.it
Nicola Cellini
Affiliation:
Department of General Psychology, University of Padova, 35131Padova, Italyantonino.visalli@unipd.itnicola.cellini@unipd.it Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Padova, 35131Padova, Italy Padova Neuroscience Center, University of Padova, 35121Padova, Italy Human Inspired Technology Center, University of Padova, 35131Padova, Italy

Abstract

According to Gilead and colleagues, to be efficient abstraction requires a hierarchical organization of information into long-term memory. But, how and when are abstract representations consolidated into long-term memory and how are they integrated with pre-existing abstracta are questions not discussed by Gilead and colleagues. Here, we propose that these processes occur preferentially during offline periods such as sleep.

Type
Open Peer Commentary
Copyright
Copyright © The Author(s), 2020. Published by Cambridge University Press

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