Brief memory reactivations enable generalization of offline visual perceptual learning mechanisms

Abstract

Abstract Perceptual learning can significantly improve visual sensitivity even in fully matured adults. However, the ability to generalize learning to untrained conditions is often limited. While traditionally, perceptual learning is attributed to practice-dependent plasticity mechanisms, recent studies suggest that brief memory reactivations can efficiently improve visual perception, recruiting higher-level brain regions. Here we provide evidence that similar memory reactivation mechanisms promote generalization of offline learning mechanisms. Human participants encoded a visual discrimination task with the target stimulus at retinotopic location A. Then, brief memory reactivations of only five trials each were performed on separate days at location A. Generalization was tested at retinotopic location B. Results indicate remarkable enhancement of location B performance following memory reactivations, pointing to efficient offline generalization mechanisms. A control experiment with no reactivations showed minimal generalization. These findings suggest that reactivation-induced learning further enhances learning efficiency by promoting offline generalization mechanisms to untrained conditions, and can be further tested in additional learning domains, with potential future clinical implications.