Exploring how sleep affects motor skills in young children
Official title: Understanding the relationship between sleep, motor learning, and motor development in early childhood
Funded at University of Massachusetts Amherst · NIH-11068082 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking at how different sleep patterns might help 4-year-old kids learn and remember new motor skills, like tracing shapes, so we can understand how sleep affects their development.
Quick facts
| Grant type | Fellowship grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Massachusetts Amherst NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Hadley, United States) |
| Project start | May 28, 2025 |
| Project end | May 27, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $78,040 |
| NIH project number | 1F32HD117609-01 |
| Project ID | NIH-11068082 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are children aged 4 years who are developing motor skills.
✕Less likely to help
Children outside the age range of 4 years or those with significant sleep disorders may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research investigates the connection between sleep patterns and motor skill development in early childhood. By focusing on 4-year-old children, the study will analyze how specific sleep features, such as sleep spindles and slow oscillations, influence the ability to learn and remember motor tasks. Participants will engage in a mirror-tracing task at different times of the day, with their sleep monitored through advanced EEG techniques. The goal is to identify sleep markers that can predict both motor memory consolidation and overall motor development.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to improved strategies for enhancing motor skill development in young children through better sleep management.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research has shown promising results regarding the impact of sleep on motor learning in adults, suggesting potential for similar findings in children.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Massachusetts Amherst
Hadley, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Horger, Melissa Noel — University of Massachusetts Amherst
- Study coordinator: Horger, Melissa Noel
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.