0201 Inattentive Traits Moderate the Impact of Sleep Restriction on Waking Electroencephalography Power in Adolescents

Abstract Introduction Insufficient sleep emerges in adolescents due to interacting biopsychosocial factors. Disrupted waking neurophysiology may account for negative outcomes associated with sleep loss. Adolescents with high inattentive traits, like those with attention-deficit/hyperactivity-disorder (ADHD) may be more vulnerable to sleep loss. We investigated the impact of sleep restriction on resting wake EEG and whether inattentive traits moderate its effects. Methods After removing data with excessive artifact (n=13), we analyzed resting waking EEG from 49 adolescents (Mean age=12.3±1.2 years, range: 10.1-15.7 years, 22M) with varying inattentive traits indexed by parent-rated Conners-3 t-scores (58.76±14.32, range: 40-90). Participants completed a 5-minute eyes-closed afternoon recording (ZMax EEG headband; 256 Hz; F7-FPz & F8-FPz) after two counterbalanced 5-night conditions: sleep optimization (SO; 10h time-in-bed) and sleep restriction (SR; 7.5 time-in-bed). We computed relative and absolute alpha (8- < 12 Hz), theta (4- < 8 Hz), delta (1- < 4 Hz), and slow (0.5- < 1 Hz) power using multitaper spectral analysis. Linear mixed-effects models tested effects of condition (SR vs. SO) and inattention-by-condition interactions on each age- and sex-residualized spectral estimate. Results SR was associated with several changes to the waking EEG relative to SO: lower relative delta (β=-0.37, p<.001) and theta (absolute: β=-0.30, p=.006, relative: β=-0.27, p=.022) power, but higher relative slow power (β=0.33, p=.007). Inattentive traits moderated the effect of SR on relative alpha power (β=0.24, p=.037); specifically, with lower inattentive traits, there was a stronger decrease in relative alpha power from SO to SR. Inattentive traits did not moderate any other effects of SR (p’s>.14). Conclusion These results indicate that sleep restriction alters resting wake EEG in adolescents. Decreases in relative delta and theta power, and increases in slow power, in frontal derivations, may indicate drowsy wakefulness (i.e., slow eye movements); we are currently investigating this hypothesis. These data also indicate that those high inattentive traits may be differentially sensitive to EEG changes, particularly at alpha frequencies. Future directions include examining whether these SR-changes in wake neurophysiology reflect neurobehavioral performance (e.g., attentional lapses). Support (if any) T32MH019927 (KPO); R01HD103655 (JMS); P20GM139743 (MAC)

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Journal
SLEEP
Published
2026-05-01
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1093/sleep/zsag091.0201
Primary Topic
Sleep and related disorders
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article
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article

0201 Inattentive Traits Moderate the Impact of Sleep Restriction on Waking Electroencephalography Power in Adolescents

Daniel Dickstein, Luna Sato, Mary Carskadon, Jared Saletin et al.
SLEEP
Sleep and related disorders
article

0201 Inattentive Traits Moderate the Impact of Sleep Restriction on Waking Electroencephalography Power in Adolescents

Daniel Dickstein, Luna Sato, Mary Carskadon, Jared Saletin, Kathleen O'Hora, Gina Mason, Claire Mayew Sherman, David Barker, Aashritha Sadu
article en

Abstract

Abstract Introduction Insufficient sleep emerges in adolescents due to interacting biopsychosocial factors. Disrupted waking neurophysiology may account for negative outcomes associated with sleep loss. Adolescents with high inattentive traits, like those with attention-deficit/hyperactivity-disorder (ADHD) may be more vulnerable to sleep loss. We investigated the impact of sleep restriction on resting wake EEG and whether inattentive traits moderate its effects. Methods After removing data with excessive artifact (n=13), we analyzed resting waking EEG from 49 adolescents (Mean age=12.3±1.2 years, range: 10.1-15.7 years, 22M) with varying inattentive traits indexed by parent-rated Conners-3 t-scores (58.76±14.32, range: 40-90). Participants completed a 5-minute eyes-closed afternoon recording (ZMax EEG headband; 256 Hz; F7-FPz & F8-FPz) after two counterbalanced 5-night conditions: sleep optimization (SO; 10h time-in-bed) and sleep restriction (SR; 7.5 time-in-bed). We computed relative and absolute alpha (8- < 12 Hz), theta (4- < 8 Hz), delta (1- < 4 Hz), and slow (0.5- < 1 Hz) power using multitaper spectral analysis. Linear mixed-effects models tested effects of condition (SR vs. SO) and inattention-by-condition interactions on each age- and sex-residualized spectral estimate. Results SR was associated with several changes to the waking EEG relative to SO: lower relative delta (β=-0.37, p<.001) and theta (absolute: β=-0.30, p=.006, relative: β=-0.27, p=.022) power, but higher relative slow power (β=0.33, p=.007). Inattentive traits moderated the effect of SR on relative alpha power (β=0.24, p=.037); specifically, with lower inattentive traits, there was a stronger decrease in relative alpha power from SO to SR. Inattentive traits did not moderate any other effects of SR (p’s>.14). Conclusion These results indicate that sleep restriction alters resting wake EEG in adolescents. Decreases in relative delta and theta power, and increases in slow power, in frontal derivations, may indicate drowsy wakefulness (i.e., slow eye movements); we are currently investigating this hypothesis. These data also indicate that those high inattentive traits may be differentially sensitive to EEG changes, particularly at alpha frequencies. Future directions include examining whether these SR-changes in wake neurophysiology reflect neurobehavioral performance (e.g., attentional lapses). Support (if any) T32MH019927 (KPO); R01HD103655 (JMS); P20GM139743 (MAC)

SLEEPVol. 49(Supplement_1)
Harvard University (US), Brown University (US), Bradley Hospital (US)
Openalex Percentile: Top 4%
Sleep and related disorders
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