Gilad Schrift

PI: Prof. Nitzan Censor
Sagol School of Neuroscience

Reactivation-induced learning in the numeric domain

Learning of arithmetic facts such as the multiplication table often requires repeated time-consuming execution to achieve gains in performance. Motivated by recent studies successfully extending memory reactivation frameworks from fear-conditioning in rodents to skill learning in humans, we asked whether learning numeric facts can be induced by brief memory reactivations. To investigate this question, we had adult participants perform a novel task modelling number-fact learning. 101 naive healthy participants were asked to learn 8 arithmetic-like numeric facts (e.g., 4 & 6 = 79). The initial session included encoding of the facts and was followed by a free recall baseline test. Reactivation training was done by brief visual-auditory reactivations of only 40 seconds each, conducted on 3 separate days. Learning was evaluated in a final retest session performed 8 days following initial encoding. The Reactivation group showed significant learning gains (mean score change = 7.7%±3.1% standard error, p= 0.02), indicating that passive reactivations can facilitate learning in the numeric domain. This is in contrast to the Control group subjects, who performed test-retest without reactivations, and showed deteriorated performance (mean score change = -22.0% ±4.5%, p< 0.00003). A Standard Training group completed active problem-solving sessions also conducted on 3 separate days and showed significant learning gains (mean score change = 26.3%±3.1%, p<2E-10). Interestingly, while these gains were higher than those of the Reactivation group, subjects showing reactivation-induced learning were characterized by superior efficiency relative to standard training subjects, with higher rate of improvement per training time. 

Overall, the results demonstrate the possibility of learning numeric skills with brief reactivations Time-efficient learning in the numeric domain carries potential enhancement of learning strategies in daily life settings, including in neurological conditions such as attention deficit disorders, and could help to further develop the research of skill learning.