The impact of sleep deprivation on the brain

Abstract

Each sleep phase is characterized by specifi c chemical, cellular and anatomic events of vital importance for normal neural functioning. Diff erent forms of sleep deprivation may lead to a decline of cognitive functions in individuals. Studies in this fi eld make a distinction between total sleep deprivation, chronic sleep restriction, and the situation of sleep disruption. Investigations covering the acute eff ects of sleep deprivation on the brain show that the discovered behavioral defi cits in most cases regenerate after two nights of complete sleep. However, some studies done on mice emphasize the possible chronic eff ects of long-term sleep deprivation or chronic restriction on the occurrence of neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease and dementia. In order to better understand the acute and chronic eff ects of sleep loss, the mechanisms of neural adaptation in the situations of insuffi cient sleep need to be further investigated. Future integrative research on the impact of sleep deprivation on neural functioning measured through the macro level of cognitive functions and the micro molecular and cell level could contribute to more accurate conclusions about the basic cellular mechanisms responsible for the detected behavioral defi cits occurring due to sleep deprivation.