CNS arousal and neurobehavioral performance in a short-term sleep restriction paradigm.
Few studies have investigated waking electrophysiological measures of arousal during sleep restriction. This study examined electroencephalogram (EEG) activity and performance during a 96-hour laboratory protocol where participants slept a baseline night (8 h), were randomly assigned to 3-, 5-, or 8-hour sleep groups for the next two nights sleep restriction (SR1, SR2), and then slept a recovery night (8 h). There were dose-dependent deficits on measures of mood, sleepiness, and reaction time that were apparent during this short-term bout of sleep restriction. The ratio of alpha to theta EEG recorded at rest indicated dose-dependent changes in CNS arousal. At 9:00 hours, both the 3- and 5-hour groups showed EEG slowing (sleepiness) during restriction, with the 3-hour group exhibiting greater deficits. Later in the day at 13:00 hours, the 5-hour group no longer exhibited EEG slowing, but the extent of slowing was more widespread across the scalp for the 3-hour group. High-frequency EEG, a measure of effort, was greater on the mornings following sleep restriction. The 5-hour group had increased beta EEG at central-parietal sites following both nights of restriction, whereas the 3-hour group had increased beta and gamma EEG at occipital regions following the first night only. Short-term sleep restriction leads to deficits in performance as well as EEG slowing that correspond to the amount and duration of sleep loss. High-frequency EEG may be a marker of effort or compensation.
Cote
Kimberly A
KA
Psychology Department, Brock University, St. Catharines, Ontario, L2S 3A1, Canada. kcote@brocku.ca
Milner
Catherine E
CE
Smith
Brian A
BA
Aubin
Adam J
AJ
Greason
Tamara A
TA
Cuthbert
Brielle P
BP
Wiebe
Stephanie
S
Duffus
Shannon E G
SE
D000293:Adolescent; D000339:Affect / Q000502:physiology*; D001143:Arousal / Q000502:physiology*; D001288:Attention / Q000502:physiology*; D001931:Brain Mapping; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000503:physiopathology*; D004292:Dominance, Cerebral / Q000502:physiology; D004569:Electroencephalography; D005071:Evoked Potentials / Q000502:physiology; D005221:Fatigue / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D005583:Fourier Analysis; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011939:Mental Recall / Q000502:physiology; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D009778:Occipital Lobe / Q000503:physiopathology; D010296:Parietal Lobe / Q000503:physiopathology; D017286:Polysomnography; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000502:physiology*; D012815:Signal Processing, Computer-Assisted; D012892:Sleep Deprivation / Q000503:physiopathology*; D014851:Wakefulness / Q000502:physiology*; D055815:Young Adult