Widespread Changes in White Matter Microstructure after a Day of Waking and Sleep Deprivation

• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0127351
• Publication Date: 2015-05-28T14:21:14Z
• Authors: Torbjørn Elvsåshagen; Linn B. Norbom; Per Ø. Pedersen; Sophia H. Quraishi; Atle Bjørnerud; Ulrik F. Malt; Inge R. Groote; Lars T. Westlye
• Keywords: Sleep

Background Elucidating the neurobiological effects of sleep and waking remains an important goal neurosciences. Recently, animal studies indicated that is for cell membrane myelin maintenance in brain these structures are particularly susceptible to insufficient sleep. Here, we tested hypothesis a day deprivation would be associated with changes diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) indices white matter microstructure sensitive axonal alterations. Methods Twenty-one healthy adult males underwent DTI morning [7:30AM; time point (TP)1], after 14 hours (TP2), then another 9 (TP3). Whole voxel-wise analysis was performed tract based spatial statistics. Results A widespread increases fractional anisotropy, which were mainly driven by radial diffusivity reductions, anisotropy decreases, explained reductions axial diffusivity. In addition, larger decreases greater sleepiness. All remained significant adjusting hydration measures. Conclusions This first study humans. Although previous have observed localized cerebral over course few hours, further needed confirm within clarify whether such serve as substrates