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<p>REM sleep is considered a ‘hyperassociative’ state enhancing the connections between weakly related concepts, thereby facilitating memory restructuring — a critical process proposed in creative problem-solving. We empirically explore this hypothesis by testing participants on a riddle before and after a 90-minute incubation period including rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, only non-REM sleep, or wakefulness. We quantified memory restructuring by computing differences in problem-related semantic memory network (SemNets) properties between pre- and post-incubation. For each sleep stage, we extracted fine-grained electroencephalogram (EEG) measures linked to cognitive richness. REM sleep, compared to wake, reshaped the dominant problem representation by combining semantically remote concepts in memory and reducing strong but solution-irrelevant associations of ideas. Such REM sleep-related restructuring was associated with EEG measures indexing a richer cognitive state. While REM drove memory restructuring, it alone did not boost problem-solving success, suggesting that more extensive restructuring or additional processes are necessary for creative breakthroughs.</p>

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REM sleep favors the restructuring of problem-related semantic associations

  • 期刊论文

  • 出版模式：

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  • 发表日期：

    2026年6月3日

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  • Théophile Bieth,
  • Nicolas Decat,
  • Yoed N. Kenett,
  • Marie Scuccimarra,
  • Marcela Ovando-Tellez,
  • Alizée Lopez-Persem,
  • Célia Lacaux,
  • Saoussen Ben Younes,
  • Arthur Le Coz,
  • Sarah Moreno-Rodriguez,
  • Isabelle Arnulf,
  • Emmanuelle Volle,
  • Delphine Oudiette

摘要

REM sleep is considered a ‘hyperassociative’ state enhancing the connections between weakly related concepts, thereby facilitating memory restructuring — a critical process proposed in creative problem-solving. We empirically explore this hypothesis by testing participants on a riddle before and after a 90-minute incubation period including rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, only non-REM sleep, or wakefulness. We quantified memory restructuring by computing differences in problem-related semantic memory network (SemNets) properties between pre- and post-incubation. For each sleep stage, we extracted fine-grained electroencephalogram (EEG) measures linked to cognitive richness. REM sleep, compared to wake, reshaped the dominant problem representation by combining semantically remote concepts in memory and reducing strong but solution-irrelevant associations of ideas. Such REM sleep-related restructuring was associated with EEG measures indexing a richer cognitive state. While REM drove memory restructuring, it alone did not boost problem-solving success, suggesting that more extensive restructuring or additional processes are necessary for creative breakthroughs.