Age-related vulnerability to sleep deprivation is task dependent and influenced by large inter-individual differences in younger adults.

ABSTRACT:

Study objectives

Healthy older adults appear more resilient to sleep loss relative to younger adults, particularly with respect to the likelihood of falling asleep. We examined task-dependent differences in age-related vulnerability to sleep deprivation focusing on outcomes reflecting sleep-initiation (microsleep, slow eye movements [SEMs], electroencephalography [EEG] delta power, and long lapses > 3 s) versus other non-sleep-initiation aspects of impairment (adjusted mean RT/lapses, reflexive attention, and inhibitory control).

Methods

Seventeen younger (M = 24.5 ± 3.2 years [range 21-33 years], 10 males) and 17 older (M = 57.3 ± 5.2 years [range 50-65 years], 9 males) healthy adults underwent 26 h of sleep deprivation. Test batteries (psychomotor vigilance test [PVT], Kar

SUBMITTER: Francis-Pester E 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12515600 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature