Neurophysiological Mechanisms Underlying Sleep Deprivation-Induced Cognitive Impairment

Background: Sleep deprivation (SD) significantly compromises cognitive functioning, affecting attention, memory, and executive control. Neurophysiological alterations, particularly within the prefrontal cortex and thalamocortical pathways, are closely linked to these impairments. Objective: To evaluate the cognitive and neurophysiological effects of acute sleep deprivation Study Design: Cross-sectional observational study. Place and Duration of Study: This study was conducted at the Department of Physiology, Watim Medical & Dental College Rawat, Pakistan, from February to August 2023. Methods: Eighty healthy individuals between 18 and 25 years of age participated. According to their last night’s sleep individuals were assigned to either sleep deprivation or normal sleep groups. Participants completed the Stroop Test, Digit Span and Reaction Time tasks as well as electroencephalogram (EEG) recordings. Both cortical excitability levels and activity in the alpha-theta band were investigated. Results: The average age of the participants was 21.6 years with a standard error of 2.3 years. The group that had not slept well was found to react slower (p < 0.001), perform worse on working memory (p = 0.012) and show increased theta activity in the frontal region of their EEG (p = 0.008). It was also seen that alpha band suppression occurred when people performed poorly on executive tasks. Conclusion: Acute lack of sleep reduces cognitive skills by stopping brainwaves in the frontal cortex and altering them. These results stress that enough sleep promotes the best brain function in young adults.