Averaging sleep spindle occurrence in dogs predicts learning performance better than single measures

While a positive correlation between sleep spindle occurrence and post-sleep recall is often reported in humans and other species, its reliability is debated. A large study failed to confirm this association, possibly due to variations in spindle detection methods. This study in dogs, using a consistent detection method across learning tasks, reveals a positive association between sleep spindle density and learning success when averaging density and learning measures. This suggests that averaged spindle density, reflecting a trait-like measure, is a more reliable predictor of cognitive performance than single measurements.

Ivaylo Borislavov Lotchev, Vivien Reicher, Enikő Kovács, Tímea Kovács, Anna Kis, Márta Gácsi, Enikő Kubinyi