title: An examination of the association between chronic sleep restriction and electrocortical arousal in college students.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The deleterious neurocognitive effects of laboratory-controlled short-term sleep deprivation are well-known. The present study investigated neurocognitive changes arising from chronic sleep restriction outside the laboratory.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sleep patterns of 24 undergraduates were tracked via actigraphy across a 15-week semester. At the semester beginning, at a midpoint, and a week before finals, students performed the Psychomotor Vigilance Test (PVT) and cortical arousal was measured via event-related potentials (ERP) and resting state electroencephalography (EEG).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Average daily sleep decreased between Session 1 and Sessions 2 and 3. Calculated circadian rhythm measures indicated nighttime movement increased and sleep quality decreased from Sessions 1 and 2 to Session 3. Parallel to the sleep/activity measures, PVT reaction time increased between Session 1 and Sessions 2 and 3 and resting state alpha EEG reactivity magnitude and PVT-evoked P3 ERP amplitude decreased between Session 1 and Sessions 2 and 3. Cross-sectional regressions showed PVT reaction time was negatively associated with average daily sleep, alpha reactivity, and P3 changes; sleep/circadian measures were associated with alpha reactivity and/or P3 changes.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Small, but persistent sleep deficits reduced cortical arousal and impaired vigilant attention.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Chronic sleep restriction impacts neurocognition in a manner similar to laboratory controlled sleep deprivation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA. Electronic address: Sadie.witkowski@utexas.edu.
authors.forename: Sarah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Witkowski
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA.
authors.forename: Logan T
authors.initials: LT
authors.lastname: Trujillo
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA.
authors.forename: Stephanie M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Sherman
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing, University of Texas at Austin, United States.
authors.forename: Patricia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Carter
authors.affiliation: Department of Behavioral Sciences & Leadership, United States Military Academy, United States.
authors.forename: Michael D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Matthews
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA.
authors.forename: David M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Schnyer
mesh_terms: D056044:Actigraphy; D001143:Arousal / Q000502:physiology*; D001288:Attention / Q000502:physiology*; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000503:physiopathology*; D002940:Circadian Rhythm / Q000502:physiology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004569:Electroencephalography; D005071:Evoked Potentials / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011597:Psychomotor Performance / Q000502:physiology; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000502:physiology; D012890:Sleep / Q000502:physiology; D012892:Sleep Deprivation / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology; D013334:Students; D014495:Universities; D014851:Wakefulness / Q000502:physiology; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Actigraphy; Chronic sleep restriction; Circadian rhythms; EEG; ERP; PVT