Sleep Deprivation and Hemispheric Asymmetry for Facial Recognition Reaction Time and Accuracy

• DOI: 10.2466/pms.98.3c.1305-1314
• Publication Date: 2010-09-20T10:38:27Z
• Authors: Ståle Pallesen; Bjørn Helge Johnsen; Anita Hansen; Jarle Eid; Julian F. Thayer; Trond Olsen; Kenneth Hugdahl
• Keywords: Right hemisphere; Sleep

We investigated the processing of emotional stimuli during a nonsleep-deprived state and following sleep deprivation in 36 right-handed men. Using visual half-field technique, cartoon line drawings facial expressions were flashed on computer screen for 250 msec. The participants instructed to remember content picture seen recognize it among nine alternatives shown immediately after display single picture. Compared nondeprived condition, response latencies increased accuracy decreased deprivation. Moreover, indicated that performance right hemisphere deteriorated more than did left hemisphere. results also showed hemispheric preference (for accuracy) tended favour when tested