Effect of Partial Sleep Deprivation on Cognition in Young Adults

Abstract

Background: Sleep deprivation (SD) is an emerging pandemic. Young adults voluntarily sleep deprive due
to increased social demands and to achieve better in academics. The present study is therefore intended to
observe if partial sleep deprivation improves performance of cognitive functions.
Objective: To compare cognitive performance in partially sleep deprived young adults and subjects with
adequate sleep duration.
Materials and Method: A total of 56 young adults 18-25 years of age were recruited based on inclusion and
exclusion criteria. By recall method they were allotted into partially sleep deprived group (n=30) (<6 hr/day
for 5 consecutive days) and group with normal sleep duration (7-9 hours/day) (n=26). Epworthsleepscale
(ESS) was used to measure day time sleepiness. Cognitive domain like sustained attention, executive function,
learning and memory were tested for all subjects in both the groups by neuropsychological battery from “A
compendium of neuropsychological test” by Strauss and Spreen. Descriptive statistics and Independent “t”
test were used for statistical analysis.
Results: Daytime sleepiness was significantly higher in partially sleep deprived group (P=0.0235).Sustained
attention score was significantly lower (p=0.026) in partially sleep deprivation group than the other group.
There was no significant difference between the groups in parameters like executive functions, learning and
memory.
Conclusion: Partially sleep deprived group showed impaired attention as attention being associated with
frontal regions of the brain that are the first to be affected by sleep deprivation. Executive functions, learning
and memory were not statistically different between the 2 groups as other regions of brain involved would
remain active until the sleep deprivation becomes more severe.