Citation

Slama H, Chylinski DO, Deliens G, Leproult R, Schmitz R, Peigneux P. Sleep 2017; ePub(ePub): ePub.

Affiliation

UR2NF - Neuropsychology and Functional Neuroimaging Research Group at CRCN - Center for Research in Cognition and Neurosciences and UNI - ULB Neurosciences Institute, Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Brussels, Belgium.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2017, American Academy of Sleep Medicine, Publisher Associated Professional Sleep Societies)

DOI

10.1093/sleep/zsx200

PMID

29244170

Abstract

STUDY OBJECTIVES: This study investigates the impact of sleep deprivation (SD) on task-goal switching, a key component of cognitive flexibility.

METHODS: Task-goal switching performance was tested after one night of regular sleep (n = 17 participants) or of total SD (n = 18). To understand the relationships between task-switching performance and other cognitive processes following SD, participants were tested for other key attentional (alertness and vigilance) and executive (inhibition and working memory) functions. Spontaneous eye blink rate (EBR) was also measured as an indirect marker of striatal dopaminergic function.

RESULTS: SD negatively impacts task-goal switching as well as attentional and inhibition measures, but not working memory. Changes in task-goal switching performance were not significantly correlated with changes in objective and subjective markers of fatigue and sleepiness, response inhibition, or spontaneous EBR.

CONCLUSIONS: Altogether, our results show differentiated effects of SD on key executive functions such as working memory, inhibition and task-goal switching.

Language: en

Keywords

cognitive control; cognitive flexibility; dopamine; eye blink; sleep deprivation; task switching