Multi-scale sleep dynamics in memory consolidation: From microstructural oscillations to macro-architecture

Abstract

Sleep serves as a dynamic multiscale process supporting the stabilization and transformation of memory. A multilevel integrated interaction exists in which macrostructures coordinate and contain guiding smaller scale microstructural activities that collectively facilitate information transfer. The nesting of the slow oscillation-spindle-ripple triplet facilitates the reactivation and transfer of memory traces from the hippocampus to neocortical networks. While Non-Rapid Eye Movement sleep supports declarative memory stabilization, Rapid Eye Movement sleep modulates emotional tone and integrates memories into existing schemas. Research gaps persist regarding the integration of these scales, as traditional models often treat sleep stages as uniform. Distortions in either macro- or microstructural layers, observed in neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer's disease, concurrently impair cognitive function and memory. Future advancements highlight the need for the development of a Sleep-Dependent Health Index and multi-scale causal models to predict individual cognitive vulnerability and track memory reactivation across the lifespan. The proposed unified framework emphasizes the bidirectional interaction of cellular plasticity, local oscillations, and global sleep architecture to elucidate sleep-dependent memory consolidation. Copyright © 2026. Published by Elsevier B.V.