title: Electro-mechanical response times and muscle strength after sleep deprivation.
abstract: This study examined the effect of 60 h of sleep deprivation (SD) on electromechanical response times (EMRT), maximal voluntary isometric contraction (MVC), rate of force development (RFD), and times required to reach various percentages of MVC, during a maximal voluntary isometric contraction of both the forearm flexors and leg extensors. Eleven male subjects were either sleep deprived for 60 h (E) or performed similar daily activities and slept 7 h per night (C). Performance variables were evaluated at the same time intervals during both conditions. No significant differences were observed between the E and C conditions for EMRT (pre-motor time, electro-mechanical delay, total reaction time) or muscular performance (MVC, RFD). The results suggest that subjects who have undergone 60 h of SD can react as fast, and with as much force, as those who have had 7 h of sleep per night.
authors.affiliation: Defence and Civil Institute of Environmental Medicine, Downsview, Ontario.
authors.forename: J D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Symons
authors.forename: D G
authors.initials: DG
authors.lastname: Bell
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Pope
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: VanHelder
authors.forename: W S
authors.initials: WS
authors.lastname: Myles
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D004576:Electromyography; D006339:Heart Rate; D006801:Humans; D007537:Isometric Contraction; D008297:Male; D009119:Muscle Contraction; D009132:Muscles / Q000502:physiology*; D010101:Oxygen Consumption; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000502:physiology*; D012890:Sleep / Q000502:physiology; D012892:Sleep Deprivation / Q000502:physiology*; D013314:Stress, Mechanical; D014159:Transducers