Challenges in Replay Detection by TDLM in Post-Encoding Resting State

We investigated, using temporally delayed linear modelling (TDLM) and magnetoencephalography (MEG), whether items associated with an underlying graph structure are replayed during a post-learning resting state. In these same data, we have previously provided evidence for replay during on-line (non-rest) memory retrieval. Despite successful decoding of brain activity during a localizer task, and contrary to predictions, we did not detect evidence for replay during a post-learning resting state. To better understand this, we performed a hybrid simulation analysis in which we inserted synthetic replay events into a control resting state recorded prior to the actual experiment. This simulation revealed that replay detection using our current pipeline requires extremely high replay densities to reach significance (>1 replay sequence per second, with “replay” defined as a sequence of reactivations within a certain time lag). Furthermore, when scaling the number of replay events with a behavioural measure we were unable to experimentally induce a strong correlation between sequenceness and this measure. We infer that even if replay was present at plausible rates in our resting state dataset we would lack statistical power to detect it with TDLM. We discuss ways for optimizing the analysis approach and how to find boundary conditions under which TDLM can be expected to detect replay successfully. We conclude that solving these methodological constraints is likely to be crucial to optimise measuring replay non-invasively using MEG in humans.