Sleep deprivation disrupts postural balance and sensorimotor integration: A combined psychophysiological–behavioral analysis

Acute sleep deprivation impairs postural stability by disrupting key nodes and networks involved in sensorimotor integration. This disruption manifests as reduced visual cortical excitability (affecting sensory input), weakened cognitive regulation within the frontoparietal network (impairing sensory processing and motor planning), and altered functional status of subcortical sensorimotor hubs (compromising motor coordination and feedback). These findings demonstrate that sleep deprivation compromises the neural circuitry governing the transformation of sensory information into appropriate motor outputs for balance control. This study provides comprehensive multimodal neuroimaging evidence for the neurobiological mechanisms linking insufficient sleep to impaired sensorimotor function.