Investigating memory consolidation during sleep with functional MRI

Project description

Sleep has a crucial role in memory consolidation, but the specific brain mechanisms allowing for the development of memory traces remain still largely unknown. A unique dataset of lucid dreamers who were recorded with functional MRI (fMRI) during training of a hand motor sequence both awake and during sleep will be used to investigate these mechanisms. The project will focus on the processing of brain task-based fMRI data, and the subsequent statistical analysis to extract meaningful information (hypothesis testing, correlation imaging-behavior).

Requirements    

  • Good programming skills are required (Python and/or Matlab, to read, understand, and translate code).
  • Knowledge of signal / image processing (from courses or practical experience) is a plus.
  • Desired: Travel to Geneva 1 day per week (train tickets reimbursed).

Please contact Maria Giulia Preti (maria.preti@epfl.ch) with your CV and we’ll get back to you with more details about this project.

References

·  Shahabeddin VahdatStuart FogelHabib BenaliJulien Doyon (2017) Network-wide reorganization of procedural memory during NREM sleep revealed by fMRI eLife 6:e24987.