Professor Edwin Robertson

Professor of Brain and Cognitive Sciences (School of Psychology & Neuroscience)

telephone: 01413305264
email: Edwin.Robertson@glasgow.ac.uk

R607, Level 6, 58 Hillhead Street, Glasgow G12 8QB

Please arrange via email.

Research interests

Edwin M. Robertson has lead the way in establishing the mechanisms and consequences of offline processing, which is responsible for memories continuing to be processed in the hours, days and weeks after their formation.

Currently his work focuses on three broad areas. (1) Interactions between different types of knowledge (action vs. words): his work has established that knowledge systems that operate independently during learning interact offline. (2) Identifying the control mechanisms of offline processing: his work has provided converging cognitive and physiological evidence for an inhibitory system preventing the development of offline enhancements during wake. (3) Determining the function of offline processing: specifically its potential contribution to generalizable knowledge through the identification of recurring patterns in our environment to create grammar, concepts, categories, and the transfer of skill across diverse situations.

Across these studies, he has used a combination of behavioural analysis, brain imaging and brain stimulation (i.e., Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation; TMS) to provide insight into human memory.

He regularly publishes in high-profile journals including Nature Neuroscience, Nature Human Behaviour, PNAS, PLoS Biology, Current Biology and Trends in Cognitive Sciences. Much of this work has a long-term impact with many papers continuing to receive >48 citations per year over a decade after publication. He also serves on the editorial board of Current Biology.

He has received over $2.5 million in funding from United States agencies. His first independent funding (an R01; National Institutes of Health) came when he was only 31 years old (the average age of award approximately 43yrs).

Prior to his current position he held a number of faculty positions at Harvard Medical School, was a graduate and a medical student at the University of Oxford, and prior to that, was an undergraduate at the University of Cambridge.

Publications

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Number of items: 55.

2025

Bracco, Martina, Mutanen, Tuomas P., Veniero, Domenica, Thut, Gregor ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1313-4262 and Robertson, Edwin M. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2248-5902 (2025) Protocol to assess changes in brain network resistance to perturbation during offline processing using TMS-EEG. STAR Protocols, 6(1), 103622. (doi: 10.1016/j.xpro.2025.103622) (PMID:39918962)

2024

van der Plas, Mircea ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6030-5568, Failla, Alberto and Robertson, Edwin M. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2248-5902 (2024) Neuroscience: memory modification without catastrophe. Current Biology, 34(7), R281-R284. (doi: 10.1016/j.cub.2024.02.068) (PMID:38593772)

2023

Johnson, B.P., Iturrate, I., Fakhreddine, R.Y., Bönstrup, M., Buch, E.R., Robertson, E.M. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2248-5902 and Cohen, L.G. (2023) Generalization of procedural motor sequence learning after a single practice trial. npj Science of Learning, 8, 45. (doi: 10.1038/s41539-023-00194-7) (PMID:37803003) (PMCID:PMC10558563)

Gann, Mareike A., Dolfen, Nina, King, Bradley R., Robertson, Edwin M. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2248-5902 and Albouy, Geneviève (2023) Prefrontal stimulation as a tool to disrupt hippocampal and striatal reactivations underlying fast motor memory consolidation. Brain Stimulation, 16(5), pp. 1336-1345. (doi: 10.1016/j.brs.2023.08.022) (PMID:37647985)

Frimpong, Emmanuel, Mograss, Melodee, Zvionow, Tehila, Paez, Arsenio, Aubertin-Leheudre, Mylene, Bherer, Louis, Pepin, Véronique, Robertson, Edwin M. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2248-5902 and Dang-Vu, Thien Thanh (2023) Acute evening high-intensity interval training may attenuate the detrimental effects of sleep restriction on long-term declarative memory. Sleep, 46(7), zsad119. (doi: 10.1093/sleep/zsad119) (PMID:37084788) (PMCID:PMC10334486)

Ayotte, B. et al. (2023) Does cardio-respiratory fitness protect memory from sleep deprivation? Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, (doi: 10.1249/MSS.0000000000003200) (PMID:37379255) (Early Online Publication)

Bracco, Martina, Mutanen, Tuomas P., Veniero, Domenica, Thut, Gregor ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1313-4262 and Robertson, Edwin M. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2248-5902 (2023) Distinct frequencies balance segregation with interaction between different memory types within a prefrontal circuit. Current Biology, 33(12), 2548-2556.e6. (doi: 10.1016/j.cub.2023.05.027) (PMID:37269827)

2022

Robertson, Edwin M. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2248-5902 (2022) Memory leaks: information shared across memory systems. Trends in Cognitive Sciences, 26(7), pp. 544-554. (doi: 10.1016/j.tics.2022.03.010) (PMID:35466045)

2021

Gann, Mareike A., King, Bradley R., Dolfen, Nina, Veldman, Menno P., Davare, Marco, Swinnen, Stephan P., Mantini, Dante, Robertson, Edwin M. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2248-5902 and Albouy, Geneviève (2021) Prefrontal stimulation prior to motor sequence learning alters multivoxel patterns in the striatum and the hippocampus. Scientific Reports, 11, 20572. (doi: 10.1038/s41598-021-99926-1) (PMID:34663890) (PMCID:PMC8523553)

Gann, M. A. et al. (2021) Hippocampal and striatal responses during motor learning are modulated by prefrontal cortex stimulation. NeuroImage, 237, 118158. (doi: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2021.118158) (PMID:33991699)

Niessen, Eva, Bracco, Martina, Mutanen, Tuomas P. and Robertson, Edwin M. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2248-5902 (2021) An analytical approach to identify indirect multisensory cortical activations elicited by TMS? Brain Stimulation, 14(2), pp. 376-378. (doi: 10.1016/j.brs.2021.02.003) (PMID:33581281)

2020

Mograss, Melodee, Crosetta, Monica, Abi-Jaoude, Joanne, Frolova, Elizaveta, Robertson, Edwin M. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2248-5902, Pepin, Veronique and Dang-Vu, Thien Thanh (2020) Exercising before a nap benefits memory better than napping or exercising alone. Sleep, 43(9), zsaa062. (doi: 10.1093/sleep/zsaa062)

Mutanen, Tuomas P., Bracco, Martina and Robertson, Edwin M. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2248-5902 (2020) A common task structure links together the fate of different types of memories. Current Biology, 30(11), 2139-2145.e5. (doi: 10.1016/j.cub.2020.03.043) (PMID:32302588)

Genzel, Lisa, Dragoi, George, Frank, Loren, Ganguly, Karunesh, de la Prida, Liset, Pfeiffer, Brad and Robertson, Edwin ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2248-5902 (2020) A consensus statement: defining terms for reactivation analysis. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 375(1799), 20200001. (doi: 10.1098/rstb.2020.0001) (PMID:32248790) (PMCID:PMC7209922)

Robertson, Edwin M. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2248-5902 and Genzel, Lisa (2020) Memories replayed: reactivating past successes and new dilemmas. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 375(1799), 20190226. (doi: 10.1098/rstb.2019.0226) (PMID:32248775) (PMCID:PMC7209919)

2019

Robertson, Edwin M. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2248-5902 (2019) Skill memory: mind the ever-decreasing gap for offline processing. Current Biology, 29(8), R287-R289. (doi: 10.1016/j.cub.2019.03.007) (PMID:31014487)

2018

Robertson, Edwin M. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2248-5902 (2018) Memory instability as a gateway to generalization. PLoS Biology, 16(3), e2004633. (doi: 10.1371/journal.pbio.2004633) (PMID:29554094) (PMCID:PMC5875887)

2017

Breton, Jocelyn and Robertson, Edwin M. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2248-5902 (2017) Dual enhancement mechanisms for overnight motor memory consolidation. Nature Human Behaviour, 1, 0111. (doi: 10.1038/s41562-017-0111)

Robertson, Edwin M. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2248-5902 and Takacs, Adam (2017) Exercising control over memory consolidation. Trends in Cognitive Sciences, 21(5), pp. 310-312. (doi: 10.1016/j.tics.2017.03.001) (PMID:28363680)

Buch, E. R. et al. (2017) Effects of tDCS on motor learning and memory formation: a consensus and critical position paper. Clinical Neurophysiology, 128(4), pp. 589-603. (doi: 10.1016/j.clinph.2017.01.004) (PMID:28231477)

2016

Gregory, Michael D., Robertson, Edwin M. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2248-5902, Manoach, Dara S. and Stickgold, Robert (2016) Thinking about a task is associated with increased connectivity in regions activated by task performance. Brain Connectivity, 6(2), pp. 164-168. (doi: 10.1089/brain.2015.0386) (PMID:26650337) (PMCID:PMC4779977)

Mosha, Neechi and Robertson, Edwin M. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2248-5902 (2016) Unstable memories create a high-level representation that enables learning transfer. Current Biology, 26(11), pp. 100-105. (doi: 10.1016/j.cub.2015.11.035) (PMID:26711493)

Walker, Matthew P. and Robertson, Edwin M. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2248-5902 (2016) Memory processing: ripples in the resting brain. Current Biology, 26(6), R239-R241. (doi: 10.1016/j.cub.2016.02.028) (PMID:27003888)

2015

Albouy, Genevieve, Fogel, Stuart, King, Bradley R., Laventure, Samuel, Benali, Habib, Karni, Avi, Carrier, Julie, Robertson, Edwin M. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2248-5902 and Doyon, Julien (2015) Maintaining vs. enhancing motor sequence memories: Respective roles of striatal and hippocampal systems. NeuroImage, 108, pp. 423-434. (doi: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2014.12.049) (PMID:25542533)

Genzel, Lisa and Robertson, Edwin ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2248-5902 (2015) To replay, perchance to consolidate. PLoS Biology, 13(10), e1002285. (doi: 10.1371/journal.pbio.1002285) (PMID:26496145) (PMCID:PMC4619867)

2014

Breton, Jocelyn and Robertson, Edwin M. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2248-5902 (2014) Flipping the switch: mechanisms that regulate memory consolidation. Trends in Cognitive Sciences, 18(12), pp. 629-634. (doi: 10.1016/j.tics.2014.08.005) (PMID:25240672)

Gregory, Michael D., Agam, Yigal, Selvadurai, Chindhuri, Nagy, Amanda, Vangel, Mark, Tucker, Matthew, Robertson, Edwin M. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2248-5902, Stickgold, Robert and Manoach, Dara S. (2014) Resting state connectivity immediately following learning correlates with subsequent sleep-dependent enhancement of motor task performance. NeuroImage, 102, pp. 666-673. (doi: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2014.08.044) (PMID:25173415) (PMCID:PMC4252600)

Tunovic, S., Press, D.Z. and Robertson, Edwin M. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2248-5902 (2014) A physiological signal that prevents motor skill improvements during consolidation. Journal of Neuroscience, 34(15), pp. 5302-5310. (doi: 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.3497-13.2014) (PMID:24719108) (PMCID:PMC3983806)

Sami, Saber, Robertson, Edwin M. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2248-5902 and Miall, R.Chris (2014) The time course of task-specific memory consolidation effects in resting state networks. Journal of Neuroscience, 34(11), pp. 3982-3992. (doi: 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.4341-13.2014) (PMID:24623776) (PMCID:PMC3951697)

Brem, Anna-Katharine, Fried, Peter J., Horvath, Jared C., Robertson, Edwin M. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2248-5902 and Pascual-Leone, Alvaro (2014) Is neuroenhancement by noninvasive brain stimulation a net zero-sum proposition? NeuroImage, 85, pp. 1058-1068. (doi: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2013.07.038) (PMID:23880500) (PMCID:PMC4392930)

2013

Breton, Jocelyn and Robertson, Edwin M. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2248-5902 (2013) Memory processing: the critical role of neuronal replay during sleep. Current Biology, 23(18), R836-R838. (doi: 10.1016/j.cub.2013.07.068) (PMID:24070442)

Albouy, Geneviève, Fogel, Stuart, Pottiez, Hugo, Nguyen, Vo An, Ray, Laura, Lungu, Ovidiu, Carrier, Julie, Robertson, Edwin ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2248-5902 and Doyon, Julien (2013) Daytime sleep enhances consolidation of the spatial but not motoric representation of motor sequence memory. PLoS ONE, 8(1), e52805. (doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0052805) (PMID:23300993) (PMCID:PMC3534707)

2012

Robertson, Edwin M. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2248-5902 (2012) New insights in human memory interference and consolidation. Current Biology, 22(2), R66-R71. (doi: 10.1016/j.cub.2011.11.051) (PMID:22280913) (PMCID:PMC3267959)

2011

Cohen, Daniel A. and Robertson, Edwin M. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2248-5902 (2011) Preventing interference between different memory tasks. Nature Neuroscience, 14(8), pp. 953-955. (doi: 10.1038/nn.2840) (PMID:21706019) (PMCID:PMC3144999)

2010

Hemond, Christopher, Brown, Rachel M. and Robertson, Edwin M. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2248-5902 (2010) A distraction can impair or enhance motor performance. Journal of Neuroscience, 30(2), pp. 650-654. (doi: 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.4592-09.2010) (PMID:20071529) (PMCID:PMC2823087)

2009

Robertson, Edwin M. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2248-5902 (2009) Brain rhythms: enhancing memories. Current Biology, 19(21), R992-R994. (doi: 10.1016/j.cub.2009.09.034) (PMID:19922858)

Albert, Neil B., Robertson, Edwin M. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2248-5902 and Miall, R. Chris (2009) The resting human brain and motor learning. Current Biology, 19(12), pp. 1023-1027. (doi: 10.1016/j.cub.2009.04.028) (PMID:19427210) (PMCID:PMC2701987)

Albert, Neil B., Robertson, Edwin M. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2248-5902, Mehta, Puja and Miall, R. Chris (2009) Resting state networks and memory consolidation. Communicative and Integrative Biology, 2(6), pp. 530-532. (doi: 10.4161/cib.2.6.9612) (PMID:20195459) (PMCID:PMC2829828)

Brown, Rachel M., Robertson, Edwin M. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2248-5902 and Press, Daniel Z. (2009) Sequence skill acquisition and off-line learning in normal aging. PLoS ONE, 4(8), e6683. (doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0006683) (PMID:19690610) (PMCID:PMC2723909)

Robertson, Edwin M. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2248-5902 (2009) From creation to consolidation: a novel framework for memory processing. PLoS Biology, 7(1), e1000019. (doi: 10.1371/journal.pbio.1000019) (PMID:19175290) (PMCID:PMC2631067)

2008

Reis, J. et al. (2008) Consensus: Can transcranial direct current stimulation and transcranial magnetic stimulation enhance motor learning and memory formation? Brain Stimulation, 1(4), pp. 363-369. (doi: 10.1016/j.brs.2008.08.001) (PMID:19802336) (PMCID:PMC2621080)

2007

Cohen, Daniel A. and Robertson, Edwin M. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2248-5902 (2007) Motor sequence consolidation: constrained by critical time windows or competing components. Experimental Brain Research, 177(4), pp. 440-446. (doi: 10.1007/s00221-006-0701-6) (PMID:17021894) (PMCID:PMC1805458)

Brown, Rachel M. and Robertson, Edwin M. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2248-5902 (2007) Inducing motor skill improvements with a declarative task. Nature Neuroscience, 10(2), pp. 148-149. (doi: 10.1038/nn1836) (PMID:17237776) (PMCID:PMC1831714)

Brown, Rachel M. and Robertson, Edwin M. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2248-5902 (2007) Off-line processing: reciprocal interactions between declarative and procedural memories. Journal of Neuroscience, 27(39), pp. 10468-10475. (doi: 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.2799-07.2007) (PMID:17898218)

Robertson, Edwin M. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2248-5902 (2007) The serial reaction time task: implicit motor skill learning? Journal of Neuroscience, 27(38), pp. 10073-10075. (doi: 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.2747-07.2007) (PMID:17881512)

2006

Miall, R. Chris and Robertson, Edwin M. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2248-5902 (2006) Functional imaging: is the resting brain resting? Current Biology, 16(23), R998-R1000. (doi: 10.1016/j.cub.2006.10.041) (PMID:17141608)

Robertson, E.M. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2248-5902 and Cohen, D.A. (2006) Understanding consolidation through the architecture of memories. Neuroscientist, 12(3), pp. 261-271. (doi: 10.1177/1073858406287935) (PMID:16684970)

2005

Cohen, D. A., Pascual-Leone, A., Press, D. Z. and Robertson, E.M. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2248-5902 (2005) Off-line learning of motor skill memory: A double dissociation of goal and movement. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 102(50), pp. 18237-18241. (doi: 10.1073/pnas.0506072102) (PMID:16330773) (PMCID:PMC1312380)

O'Connor, Margaret G, Jerskey, Beth A, Robertson, Edwin M. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2248-5902, Brenninkmeyer, Cornelia, Ozdemir, Elif and Leone, Alvaro Pascual (2005) The effects of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) on procedural memory and dysphoric mood in patients with major depressive disorder. Cognitive and Behavioural Neurology, 18(4), pp. 223-227. (PMID:16340396)

Press, Daniel Z., Casement, Melynda D., Pascual-Leone, Alvaro and Robertson, Edwin M. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2248-5902 (2005) The time course of off-line motor sequence learning. Cognitive Brain Research, 25(1), pp. 375-378. (doi: 10.1016/j.cogbrainres.2005.05.010) (PMID:15990282)

Robertson, E.M. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2248-5902, Press, D.Z. and Pascual-Leone, A. (2005) Off-line learning and the primary motor cortex. Journal of Neuroscience, 25(27), pp. 6372-6378. (doi: 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.1851-05.2005) (PMID:16000627)

2004

Robertson, Edwin M. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2248-5902 (2004) Skill learning: putting procedural consolidation in context. Current Biology, 14(24), R1061-R1063. (doi: 10.1016/j.cub.2004.11.048) (PMID:15620642)

Robertson, Edwin M. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2248-5902, Pascual-Leone, Alvaro and Miall, R. Chris (2004) Opinion: current concepts in procedural consolidation. Nature Reviews Neuroscience, 5(7), pp. 576-582. (doi: 10.1038/nrn1426) (PMID:15208699)

Robertson, Edwin M. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2248-5902, Pascual-Leone, Alvaro and Press, Daniel Z (2004) Awareness modifies the skill-learning benefits of sleep. Current Biology, 14(3), pp. 208-12. (doi: 10.1016/j.cub.2004.01.027) (PMID:14761652)

2002

Xuauang, Liu, Robertson, Edwin M. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2248-5902 and Miall, Christopher (2002) Neuronal activity related to the visual representation of arm movements in the lateral cerebellar cortex. Journal of Neurophysiology, 89(3), pp. 1223-1237. (doi: 10.1152/jn.00817.2002) (PMID:12612044)

This list was generated on Sun Jun 15 06:06:52 2025 BST.

Jump to: Articles

Number of items: 55.

Articles

Bracco, Martina, Mutanen, Tuomas P., Veniero, Domenica, Thut, Gregor ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1313-4262 and Robertson, Edwin M. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2248-5902 (2023) Distinct frequencies balance segregation with interaction between different memory types within a prefrontal circuit. Current Biology, 33(12), 2548-2556.e6. (doi: 10.1016/j.cub.2023.05.027) (PMID:37269827)

Robertson, Edwin M. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2248-5902 (2009) Brain rhythms: enhancing memories. Current Biology, 19(21), R992-R994. (doi: 10.1016/j.cub.2009.09.034) (PMID:19922858)

This list was generated on Sun Jun 15 06:06:52 2025 BST.

Grants

Grants and Awards listed are those received whilst working with the University of Glasgow.

Identifying the mechanistic rules governing stimulation induced plastic changes in the human brain
Air Force Office of Scientific Research
2023 - 2026
Identifying the leak between memory systems
Air Force Office of Scientific Research
2021 - 2022
Modulating sleep with learning to enhance learning
Leverhulme Trust
2021 - 2024
Combined effects of acute exercise and sleep restriction on cognition
Canadian Institutes of Health Research
2019 - 2024
Understanding the mechanisms that lead to human performance enhancement
US Air Force
2016 - 2021

Supervision

Supervised Postgraduate Students

Alberto Failla (Postgraduate)
Kai Lo (Postgraduate)

Research Assistants

Martina Bracco (Affiliate)
Gemma Donnelly (Affiliate)
Mircea van der Plas (Research Associate)

Visiting Collaborator

Tuomas Mutanen (External Collaborator)

Professor Edwin Robertson

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Professor Edwin Robertson

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Supervised Postgraduate Students

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