Krakauer JW and Shadmehr R (2006) Consolidation of motor memory, Trends in Neurosciences, 29:58-64.

Abstract A question of great recent interest is whether motor memory consolidates in a manner analogous to declarative memories, with the formation of a memory that progresses over time from a fragile state, susceptible to interference by a lesion or a conflicting motor task, to a stabilized state, resistant to such interference. Here, we first review studies that examine the anatomical basis for motor consolidation: evidence implicates cerebellar circuitry for two types of associative motor learning, eyelid conditioning and vestibulo-ocular reflex adaptation, and primary motor cortex for skilled finger movements. We then review evidence for and against a consolidation process for adaptation of arm movements. We propose that contradictions have arisen because consolidation can be masked by inhibition of memory retrieval.

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