motor forgetting Skill decay, or decreased speed and accuracy for the task.

interference theory A theory that forgetting is caused by interference from other learned information/experiences.

Two major theories on forgetting, including motor forgetting or skill decay, are:

trace decay (decay of the memory trace) due to lack of practice, whether this lack of practice takes place in good health or due to illness or injury, and
trace decay subsequent to an interference effect

A memory trace is a group of neurons, interconnected and encoded for specific memories, including motor memories.

In the 1995 paper by Neifert, Lawrence, and Seacat, “Nipple Confusion: Toward a Formal Definition”, the authors discuss interference as a factor in observable breastfeeding difficulties that often follow an infant’s learning experience with an artificial nipple.

For an intensive discussion on motor learning and motor forgetting (skill decay) within the context of the primitive survival reflexes, please join us for our dynamic webinar,

More Than Reflexes: Learning, Forgetting and Relearning Infant Breastfeeding Skills.
www.morethanreflexes.org/webinars/