Dynamics of neurobehavioral performance variability under forced desynchrony: evidence of state instability.

ABSTRACT:

Study objectives

The state instability hypothesis posits that increasing sleep drive brings about escalating state instability in attention, making neurobehavioral performance increasingly variable. This hypothesis predicts that performance variability is a function of prior wake, circadian phase, and time on task. These predictions have been supported when wakefulness is beyond the habitual wake period. Our study aimed to test these predictions within the habitual wake period.

Design

A 12-calendar-day 28-h forced desynchrony protocol consisting of 7 repetitions of a 28-h sleep/wake cycle, with two-thirds time awake and one-third time in bed. Each wake period included 7 equally spaced 1-h testing sessions.

Setting

A time-isolation sleep laboratory.

Participants

SUBMITTER: Zhou X 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3001796 | biostudies-literature | 2011 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature