Topic: semantic memories

Children are able to form episodic memories from an early age, which are consolidated during sleep. However, the emergence of the ability to form more abstract, semantic memories and the role of sleep in this process remain uncertain. In the present study, we investigated how sleep influences the formation of abstract spatial context representations in toddlers aged 2-3 years. Utilizing a within-subject naturalistic design, participants (N = 35) were familiarized with two different spatial contexts. After familiarization, the toddlers either took a nap (approximately 90 minutes) or stayed awak

Fact knowledge – known as semantic memories – is proposed to be derived from individual memories of events during a memory consolidation period after learning. But so far, this has never been shown. Here, we tracked gene expression in a 2-week semantic-like memory paradigm in mice across the whole-brain spatial memory network. Absolute gene expression was driven by first experiences and later learning led to smaller changes, highlighting that multiple episodic memories are not encoded and then consolidated to create semantic-memories, instead already by the second experience semantic-memories