Recovery after prolonged sleep deprivation: residual effects of slow-release caffeine on recovery sleep, sleepiness and cognitive functions.
A long work schedule often results in sleep deprivation, sleepiness, impaired performance and fatigue. We investigated the residual effects of slow-release caffeine (SRC) on sleep, sleepiness and cognitive performance during a 42-hour recovery period following a 64-hour continuous wakefulness period in 16 healthy males, according to a double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled, crossover study. Three hundred milligrams of SRC or placebo was given twice a day at 21:00 and 9:00 during the first 48 h of wakefulness. Recovery sleep was analysed with electroencephalography (EEG) and wrist actigraphy, daytime sleepiness with continuous EEG, sleep latency tests and actigraphy and cognitive functions with computerized tests from the NATO AGARD STRES battery. Both drug groups exhibited almost the same sleep architecture with a rebound of slow-wave sleep during both recovery nights and of REM sleep during the second night. Wakefulness level and cognitive functions were similarly impaired in both groups on the first day of recovery and partially returned to baseline on the second. To conclude, SRC appears to have no unwanted side-effects on recovery sleep, wakefulness and cognitive performance after a long period of sleep deprivation and might therefore be a useful choice over other psychostimulants for a long work schedule.
Beaumont
Maurice
M
Department of Physiology, Institut de Médecine Aérospatiale du Service de Santé des Armées (IMASSA), Brétigny-sur-Orge, France. mbeaumont@imassa.fr
Batéjat
Denise
D
Coste
Olivier
O
Doireau
Philippe
P
Chauffard
Françoise
F
Enslen
Marc
M
Lagarde
Didier
D
Pierard
Christophe
C
D000328:Adult; D002110:Caffeine / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000697:Central Nervous System Stimulants / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003071:Cognition / Q000187:drug effects*; D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D004569:Electroencephalography / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D017286:Polysomnography / Q000379:methods; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000187:drug effects; D012890:Sleep / Q000187:drug effects*; D012892:Sleep Deprivation / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology*; D013997:Time Factors; D014851:Wakefulness / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology
D000697:Central Nervous System Stimulants; D002110:Caffeine