Neurocognitive Effect of Transient Sleep Deprivation

Seo, Wan Seok

Abstract

OBJECTIVES
This study was performed to evaluate intelligence, memory, and neurocognitive function differences after one night of sleep deprivation.
METHODS
: Healthy medical students were recruited and randomly divided into normal sleep and sleep deprivation groups. Each group was given an initial test of Korean Form of the WAIS (K-WAIS) and the Korean Form of Memory Assessment Scales (K-MAS). Each group also performed Continuous Performance Tests (CPT), Controlled Continuous Performance Tests (CCPT) and the Wisconsin Card Sorting Tests (WCST). The CPT and the CCPT had both visual and auditory components. One week later, the normal sleep group performed the same tests in the same conditions. The sleep deprivation group stayed up all night in a psychiatric ward and then repeated the same tests.
RESULTS
: The scores on the calculation subscale in the K-WAIS and the verbal memory subscale in the K-MAS were not increased by the repetition of the same tests for the sleep deprivation group. Thus, it seems that verbal functions were influenced by transient sleep deprivation. In visual CPT, the sleep deprivation group had decreased numbers of correct response, increased numbers of commission errors, and prolonged reaction times. Finally, increased reaction times were consistently observed in the sleep deprivation group in all forms of the CPT and CCPT.
CONCLUSION
: Even one night of sleep deprivation influences verbal function, visual function, and reaction time in cognitive tests. It was assumed that many sleep deprivation-related accidents might be associated with difficulties in visual attention and prolonged reaction times.