The impact of sleep deprivation on the brain.

THE IMPACT OF SLEEP DEPRIVATION ON THE BRAIN.
Acta Clin Croat. 2016 09;55(3):469-73
Authors: Bobić TT, Šečić A, Zavoreo I, Matijević V, Filipović B, Kolak Ž, Kes VB, Ciliga D, Sajković D
Abstract
Each sleep phase is characterized by specific chemical, cellular and anatomic events
of vital importance for normal neural functioning. Different forms of sleep deprivation may lead to a
decline of cognitive functions in individuals. Studies in this field make a distinction between total sleep
deprivation, chronic sleep restriction, and the situation of sleep disruption. Investigations covering the
acute effects of sleep deprivation on the brain show that the discovered behavioral deficits in most cases
regenerate after two nights of complete sleep. However, some studies done on mice emphasize the
possible chronic effects of long-term sleep deprivation or chronic restriction on the occurrence of neurodegenerative
diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. In order to better understand the acute
and chronic effects of sleep loss, the mechanisms of neural adaptation in the situations of insufficient
sleep need to be further investigated. Future integrative research on the impact of sleep deprivation on
neural functioning measured through the macro level of cognitive functions and the micro molecular and
cell level could contribute to more accurate conclusions about the basic cellular mechanisms responsible
for the detected be...

Source: Acta Clinica Croatica - October 20, 2017 Category: General Medicine Tags: Acta Clin Croat Source Type: research