Effect of a memory retrieval task on recall of verbal material obtained after awakening from sleep

After 66 awakenings from sleep without spontaneous recall of verbal material in the report, the subjects were submitted to a memory retrieval task concerning this kind of material. In 39.3% of the awakenings we found either syntactic, semantic or generic material (the latter never appeared in spontaneous recall); differences are found between fast sleep and slow wave sleep concerning semantic and generic material. The results are discussed in relation to the problem of retrieval and of hypothetical coding and verbal material assessments.