Large-Scale Brain Network Coupling Predicts Total Sleep Deprivation Effects on Cognitive Capacity

Abstract

Interactions between large-scale brain networks have received most attention in the study of cognitive dysfunction of human brain. In this paper, we aimed to test the hypothesis that the coupling strength of large-scale brain networks will reflect the pressure for sleep and will predict cognitive performance, referred to as sleep pressure index (SPI). Fourteen healthy subjects underwent this within-subject functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) study during rested wakefulness (RW) and after 36 h of total sleep deprivation (TSD). Self-reported scores of sleepiness were higher for TSD than for RW. A subsequent working memory (WM) task showed that WM performance was lower after 36 h of TSD. Moreover, SPI was developed based on the coupling strength of salience network (SN) and default mode network (DMN). Significant increase of SPI was observed after 36 h of TSD, suggesting stronger pressure for sleep. In addition, SPI was significantly correlated with both the visual analogue scale score of sleepiness and the WM performance. These results showed that alterations in SN-DMN coupling might be critical in cognitive alterations that underlie the lapse after TSD. Further studies may validate the SPI as a potential clinical biomarker to assess the impact of sleep deprivation.

Structural Alterations in Large-scale Brain Networks and Their Relationship with Sleep Disturbances in the Adolescent Population

“…Its magnitude remained strong, even after we controlled for relevant covariates (i.e., age, sex, TIV) and type I errors. Interestingly, we also found that these identified global regions are components of large-scale brain networks categorized by a large body of functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) studies with adult study populations in clinical settings and nonclinical settings 32,[35][36][37][38][39][40][41][42][43] . The networks include the default mode network (DMN), central executive network (CEN), visual network (VN), somatosensory network (SSN), and salience network (SN).…”

The sleep-deprived human brain

“…For example, increased connectivity between the hippocampus, the thalamus and the DMN predicts higher subjective sleepiness and is associated with worse working-memory performance under sleep-loss conditions 34,35 . By contrast, increased connectivity between the thalamus and the precuneus under SD conditions predicts greater recovery of working-memory performance, relative to the sleep-rested state.…”

Effects of sleep deprivation on cognitive and physical performance in university students

“…Moreover, sleep deprivation has been shown to have a detrimental effect on certain aspects of working memory, such as filtering efficiency, whilst Stroop test scores show degradation; however, this has been evidenced to be due to deficits in reaction time rather than processing skills [5,[11][12][13][14][15][16][17]. Taken together, these data suggest that sleep deprivation may have a limited effect on cognitive ability in university students.…”