Brain Functional Connectivity Study Of Effects Of Sleep Deprivation On Vigilance And Attention

BackgroundSleep deprivation is defined as a state of multiple deficits of cognitive performance resulting from sleep loss,along with a series of psychological and physiological dysfunction.With the continuous development of science and technology,people’s lifestyles are constantly changing.Due to the increasing frequency of overtime and the use of electronic devices before bedtime,sleep deprivation has gradually become a common social phenomenon.Sleep deprivation impairs cognitive function and work performance,most notably in people working in high-cognition-loaded industries such as healthcare,transportation,and the military.Completing complex cognitive processing requires constant vigilance and attention,which are the basis of higher-level cognition.ObjectiveIn this study,we used functional magnetic resonance imaging(f MRI)and constructed a total sleep deprivation(TSD)model under laboratory conditions to investigate the brain activation and brain connectivity characteristics of vigilance and motion perceptual attention affected by sleep deprivation.We aim to provide a scientific foundation for the development of a sleep-deprived-induced cognitive impairment evaluation and protection system.MethodsThirty-seven healthy male volunteers were recruited in this experiment with a selfcontrolled design and divided into two groups.Using functional magnetic resonance imaging(f MRI),seed-based resting state functional connectivity(seed-based rs-FC),general linear model(GLM),and psychophysiological interaction(PPI)analysis,we investigated the variable pattern of the brain involved with TSD in subjective and objective vigilance and motion perceptual attention.Results1.A study of rs-FC on the effect of TSD on subjective and objective vigilanceThe Stanford sleepiness scale(SSS)and the psychomotor vigilance task(PVT)were used to evaluate subjective and objective vigilance,respectively.The changes in subjective and objective vigilance after sleep deprivation were compared.Moreover,the pontine tegmental area and caudal midbrain(PTA-c Midbrain)were defined as a region of interest(ROI)to analyze the difference in functional connectivity patterns between the TSD and rested wakefulness(RW)states and their relationship with subjective and objective vigilance.The results showed that:(1)sleep-deprived subjects showed decreased subjective and objective vigilance,there was no significant association between the two changes in vigilance;(2)sleep-deprived subjects showed increased PTAc Midbrain functional connectivity with the thalamus and cerebellum and decreased PTAc Midbrain functional connectivity with the occipital,parietal,and sensorimotor regions;(3)TSD-induced PVT reaction time increase was negatively correlated with altered PTAc Midbrain functional connectivity in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex,extrastriate visual cortex,and precuneus;(4)TSD-induced subjective sleepiness increase was positively correlated with altered PTA-c Midbrain functional connectivity in default mode regions including the medial prefrontal cortex and precuneus.2.A study of task-related brain activation on the effect of TSD on motion perceptual attentionThe effect of TSD on motion perceptual attention was studied using a speed discrimination task combined with f MRI scanning.The effect of TSD on brain activation during motion perceptual attention was studied by GLM.Additionally,the correlation between changing brain activation signals and speed discrimination task performance was analyzed.The results showed that:(1)sleep-deprived subjects showed significant increased lapse probability and mean reaction time and showed significant reduced correct probability during the speed discrimination task;(2)TSD led to a decrease in the activation range of the prefrontal,parietal,insular,and occipital cortex regions during the speed discrimination task;(3)sleep-deprived subjects showed a significant positive correlation between the decreased correct probability of the speed discrimination task and the f MRI signals of the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and the middle occipital gyrus during the speed discrimination task.3.A study of task-modulated functional connectivity on the effect of TSD on motion perceptual attentionCombining the speed discrimination task with f MRI scanning,we used PPI method to study the change pattern of TSD on the connectivity between brain functional networks during motion perceptual attention,and analyzed the correlation between the changed brain functional network connectivity pattern and the performance of the speed discrimination task.The results showed that:(1)sleep-deprived subjects exhibited significantly reduced functional connectivity between the salience network,visual network,dorsal attention network,and default mode network during the speed discrimination task;(2)sleep-deprived subjects showed a significant negative correlation during the speed discrimination task between the changed lapse probability and mean reaction time and the changed functional connectivity between the salience networkvisual network/dorsal attention network,and the visual network-dorsal attention network.ConclusionIn summary,our study indicated the variable pattern of spontaneous activity and attentional task-related activity in the brain after sleep deprivation from the perspective of brain functional connectivity and the brain network using f MRI.We found that the alteration of different PTA-c Midbrain functional connectivity was the neural basis of TSD induced decreased subjective and objective vigilance,revealing the changed functional connectivity patterns between the salience network,visual network,dorsal attention network,and default mode network of TSD affecting motion perceptual attention.The results are important for understanding the neural mechanisms by which sleep deprivation impacts cognitive performance and developing an effective intervention strategy against sleep deprivation.