Dissertation
The effects of sleep loss on dissociated components of executive functioning
Washington State University
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Washington State University
12/2008
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.7273/000005888
Abstract
The effects of sleep deprivation on executive functioning are poorly understood. A chief source of confusion is that although most executive functions tasks are a mixture of executive and non-executive components most researchers focus on a single global outcome score. Yet, a low score on an executive functions task does not necessarily mean a deficit in the executive function(s) of interest. Thus, the current study included a battery of executive functions tasks that each allowed for the dissociation of executive and nonexecutive components of performance. For contrast, a non-executive battery of tests known to be sensitive to sleep deprivation was also included. Twenty-three healthy adults (22-40 years; 12 females) spent 7 consecutive 24-hour days in a laboratory with continuous behavioral monitoring. 12 subjects were randomized to 62 hours of total sleep deprivation preceded and followed by two days with 10 hours time in bed; 12 controls had 10 hours time in bed each night. Executive functions testing was performed once at baseline, at 51 hours of total sleep deprivation, and after recovery; the non-executive functions battery was administered about every 2 hours throughout scheduled waking periods of the study. Well-known effects of sleep deprivation were replicated on psychomotor vigilance, digit-symbol substitution, and subjective sleepiness. However, working memory scanning efficiency, dissociated using a modified Sternberg task, was maintained at baseline levels during sleep deprivation. The ability to overcome proactive interference, dissociated with the modified Sternberg task as well as with a probed recall task, was similarly maintained. These findings challenge a prevailing view that executive functions are specifically vulnerable to impairment due to sleep deprivation. Instead, the current results suggest that specific components of executive functioning are resistant to the effects of sleep loss, and that previous observations of performance impairment on executive functions tasks during sleep deprivation may have been due to deficits in nonexecutive aspects of cognition.
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Details
- Title
- The effects of sleep loss on dissociated components of executive functioning
- Creators
- Adrienne Tucker
- Contributors
- Hans P. A. Van Dongen (Chair)Paul Michael Whitney (Committee Member) - Washington State University, Office of International ProgramsGregory Lucas Belenky (Committee Member)John M Hinson (Committee Member) - Washington State University, Department of Psychology
- Awarding Institution
- Washington State University
- Academic Unit
- Department of Psychology
- Theses and Dissertations
- Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Washington State University
- Publisher
- Washington State University
- Number of pages
- 68
- Identifiers
- 99901055139201842
- Language
- English
- Resource Type
- Dissertation