Time-dependent motor memory representations in prefrontal cortex

Abstract

How memories evolve over time is fundamental for understanding memory. Hippocampus-dependent episodic memories are generally assumed to undergo a time-dependent neural reorganization involving an increased reliance on neocortical areas. Yet, whether other forms of memory undergo a similar reorganization over time remains unclear. Here, we examined whether the neural underpinnings of motor sequence memories change over time. Participants were trained on a motor sequence learning task. Either 1d or 28d later, they performed a retention test for this task in the fMRI scanner. Sequence-specific motor memory was observed both 1d and 28d after initial training. Bayesian second-level fMRI analyses suggested a higher probability for task activity in the middle frontal gyrus and frontal pole 28d compared to 1d after initial motor learning. Searchlight representational similarity analysis indicated that areas in middle and superior frontal cortex were more involved in differentiating between multivariate activity patterns for old motor sequence memories and newly learned motor sequences in the 28d-group compared to the 1d-group. This increased involvement of lateral frontal areas during the task after 28 days was not paralleled by a decrease in those areas that were involved in performing the motor sequence retention task after 1d. These novel findings provide insights into how memories beyond the hippocampus evolve over time.