title: Could BDNF be involved in compensatory mechanisms to maintain cognitive performance despite acute sleep deprivation? An exploratory study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Neuroimaging studies suggest that acute sleep deprivation can lead to adaptations, such as compensatory recruitment of cerebral structures, to maintain cognitive performance despite sleep loss. However, the understanding of the neurochemical alterations related to these adaptations remains incomplete.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  Investigate BDNF levels, cognitive performance and their relations in healthy subjects after acute sleep deprivation.
  
  
  METHODS
  Nineteen sleep deprived (22.11±3.21years) and twenty control (25.10±4.42years) subjects completed depression, anxiety and sleep quality questionnaires. Sleep deprived group spent a full night awake performing different playful activities to keep themselves from sleeping. Attention, response inhibition capacity and working memory (prefrontal cortex-dependent) were assessed with Stroop and Digit Span tests. Declarative memory (hippocampus-dependent) was assessed with Logical Memory test. Serum BDNF was measured by sandwich ELISA. Data were analyzed with independent samples T-test, ANOVA, ANCOVA and curve estimation regressions. p<0.05 was deemed statistically significant.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The sleep deprived group showed higher BDNF levels and normal performance on attention, response inhibition capacity and working memory. However, declarative memory was impaired. A sigmoidal relation between BDNF and Stroop Test scores was found.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Increased BDNF could be related, at least in part, to the maintenance of normal prefrontal cognitive functions after sleep deprivation. This potential relation should be further investigated.
authors.affiliation: Neurobiology and Developmental Biology Laboratory, Faculty of Biosciences, Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre 90619-900, Brazil; National Institute for Translational Medicine (INCT-TM), Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul 90035-003, Brazil.
authors.forename: Bruno Lima
authors.initials: BL
authors.lastname: Giacobbo
authors.affiliation: Neurobiology and Developmental Biology Laboratory, Faculty of Biosciences, Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre 90619-900, Brazil; National Institute for Translational Medicine (INCT-TM), Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul 90035-003, Brazil.
authors.forename: Márcio Silveira
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Corrêa
authors.affiliation: Neurobiology and Developmental Biology Laboratory, Faculty of Biosciences, Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre 90619-900, Brazil; Institute of Geriatrics and Gerontology, Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre 90619-900, Brazil; National Institute for Translational Medicine (INCT-TM), Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul 90035-003, Brazil.
authors.forename: Kelem
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Vedovelli
authors.affiliation: Neurobiology and Developmental Biology Laboratory, Faculty of Biosciences, Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre 90619-900, Brazil.
authors.forename: Carlos Eduardo Bruhn
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: de Souza
authors.affiliation: Neurobiology and Developmental Biology Laboratory, Faculty of Biosciences, Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre 90619-900, Brazil.
authors.forename: Letícia Martins
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Spitza
authors.affiliation: Neurobiology and Developmental Biology Laboratory, Faculty of Biosciences, Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre 90619-900, Brazil.
authors.forename: Lucas
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Gonçalves
authors.affiliation: Neurobiology and Developmental Biology Laboratory, Faculty of Biosciences, Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre 90619-900, Brazil.
authors.forename: Nathália
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Paludo
authors.affiliation: Institute of Geriatrics and Gerontology, Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre 90619-900, Brazil.
authors.forename: Rachel Dias
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Molina
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Molecular Psychiatry, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre 90035-003, Brazil.
authors.forename: Eduarda Dias
authors.initials: ED
authors.lastname: da Rosa
authors.affiliation: Institute of Geriatrics and Gerontology, Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre 90619-900, Brazil.
authors.forename: Irani Iracema de Lima
authors.initials: II
authors.lastname: Argimon
authors.affiliation: Neurobiology and Developmental Biology Laboratory, Faculty of Biosciences, Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre 90619-900, Brazil; National Institute for Translational Medicine (INCT-TM), Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul 90035-003, Brazil. Electronic address: bromberg@pucrs.br.
authors.forename: Elke
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bromberg
mesh_terms: D000222:Adaptation, Physiological / Q000502:physiology*; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor / Q000097:blood*; D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008570:Memory, Short-Term / Q000502:physiology*; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D012892:Sleep Deprivation / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology*; D014851:Wakefulness / Q000502:physiology; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor; C579455:BDNF protein, human