Noise Aftereffects and Brain Processes

Abstract

Abstract. Aftereffects of noise-induced sleep disturbance on executive functions were investigated with motivational traits as mediating variables. Thirty-two healthy young subjects performed a visual Go/Nogo task with simultaneous EEG recording after a quiet night and after 3 nights with railway noise at different noise levels. As motivational traits, the “hope of success” (HS) and “fear of failure” (FF) were assessed. Subjective sleep rating worsened with increased noise level, but, noise-induced sleep disturbances did not affect performance immediately following sleep. However, in the event-related potential (ERP) an attenuation of the N2 and P3 amplitude as well as an increase in N2 latency in Noise conditions were found. Only subjects who scored low in HS showed a reduction of the N2 after Noise, while subjects who scored high in HS did not. The N2 and P3 were larger in high HS than in low HS subjects in Nogo trials only. Similarly, low FF subjects had larger N2 and P3 than high FF subjects in Nogo trials only. The results suggest that achievement motivation modulates executive control and stimulus-response mapping processes as well as their resistance against aftereffects of noise-induced sleep disturbance.