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Thesis
Sleep physiology and executive function during chronic partial sleep restriction
Master of Science (M.S.), Drexel University
05 Jun 2008
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17918/etd-2795
Abstract
Introduction: The detrimental effects of sleep deprivation on waking performance are well documented, but questions remain regarding the relationship between sleep physiology and specific domains of cognitive function. Research suggests sleep may also play a role in waking executive functions. However, the existing studies investigating executive functioning have generally been carried out under conditions of total sleep deprivation and only in one instance was the specific relationship between physiological sleep stages and waking executive function investigated. Methods: In this study, N = 137 (22 - 45y, 77m, 60f) participants completed a chronic sleep restriction protocol of four hours time in bed for sleep for five consecutive nights. Following sleep restriction, the Hayling and Brixton tests of executive functioning (HBT) were administered. Sleep variables, recorded the night prior to test administration, were regressed on the HBT measures. In a secondary analysis, the performance of a small group of control participants was compared to the group of sleep restricted participants using t-tests. Results: The results supported our hypothesis that slow wave sleep would be the best predictor of subsequent performance on tests of executive function, though the amount of variability accounted for was less than 10%. Additionally, the performance of sleep restricted individuals was relatively worse than individuals obtaining normal sleep on certain measures of cognitive functioning, including attention and certain aspects of executive function. Discussion: These findings indicate that having more slow wave sleep during sleep restriction predicts fewer errors, shorter response latencies, and better overall performance on tests of executive function. Implications are discussed for clinical neuropsychological practice with respect to the potential impact of sleep loss on neuropsychological testing.
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Details
- Title
- Sleep physiology and executive function during chronic partial sleep restriction
- Creators
- Robert L. Rider - DU
- Contributors
- Mary Spiers (Advisor) - Drexel University (1970-)
- Awarding Institution
- Drexel University
- Degree Awarded
- Master of Science (M.S.)
- Publisher
- Drexel University; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Resource Type
- Thesis
- Language
- English
- Academic Unit
- Psychological and Brain Sciences (Psychology); College of Arts and Sciences; Drexel University
- Other Identifier
- 2795; 991014632697304721