Association between Enhanced Effective Connectivity from the Cuneus to the Middle Frontal Gyrus and Impaired Alertness after Total Sleep Deprivation.

Abstract

Background: Sleep deprivation (SD) can impair an individual's alertness, which is the basis of attention and the mechanism behind continuous information processing. However, research concerning the effects of total sleep deprivation (TSD) on alertness networks is inadequate. In this study, we investigate the cognitive neural mechanism of alertness processing after TSD.

Methods: Twenty-four college students volunteered to participate in the study. The resting-state electroencephalogram (EEG) data were collected under two conditions (rested wakefulness [RW], and TSD). We employed isolated effective coherence (iCoh) analysis and functional independent component analysis (fICA) to explore the effects of TSD on participants' alertness network.

Results: This study found the existence of two types of effective connectivity after TSD, as demonstrated by iCoh: from the left cuneus to the right middle frontal gyrus in the β3 and γ bands, and from the left angular gyrus to the left insula in the δ, θ, α, β1, β3, and γ bands. Furthermore, Pearson correlation analysis showed that increased effective connectivity between all the bands had a positive correlation with increases in the response time in the psychomotor vigilance task (PVT). Finally, fICA revealed that the neural oscillations of the cuneus in the α2 bands increased, and of the angular gyrus in the α and β1 bands decreased in TSD.

Conclusions: TSD impairs the alertness function among individuals. Increased effective connectivity from the cuneus to the middle frontal gyrus may represent overloads on the alertness network, resulting in participants strengthening top-down control of the attention system. Moreover, enhanced effective connectivity from the angular gyrus to the insula may indicate a special perception strategy in which individuals focus on salient and crucial environmental information while ignoring inessential stimuli to reduce the heavy burden on the alertness network.

Clinical trial registration: No: ChiCTR2400088448. Registered 19 August 2024, https://www.chictr.org.cn.