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Optogenetic Manipulation of Neural Circuits During Monitoring Sleep/wakefulness States in Mice

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Published on: June 19, 2019

Cholinergic augmentation modulates visual task performance in sleep-deprived young adults.

Lisa Y M Chuah¹, Michael W L Chee

¹Cognitive Neuroscience Laboratory, Duke-National University of Singapore Graduate Medical School, Singapore.

The Journal of Neuroscience : the Official Journal of the Society for Neuroscience

|October 31, 2008

Summary

Sleep deprivation impairs cognitive function, particularly attention and visual processing. Acetylcholinesterase inhibitor donepezil can improve performance and brain activation in vulnerable individuals by enhancing cholinergic function.

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Area of Science:

Neuroscience
Cognitive Psychology

Background:

Sleep deprivation significantly impairs cognitive functions, including attention and memory.
Posterior cortical activation is crucial for visual short-term memory and perceptual load processing.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the effects of donepezil on cognitive performance and brain activation following sleep deprivation.
To explore the relationship between cholinergic augmentation and deficits induced by sleep loss.

Main Methods:

Double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover study with 28 healthy young adults.
Involved 24 hours of total sleep deprivation.
Utilized behavioral tasks manipulating visual short-term memory and perceptual load, alongside fMRI to assess brain activation.

Main Results:

Sleep deprivation reduced posterior cortical activation (intraparietal sulcus, extrastriate cortex) across memory and perceptual loads.
Donepezil modulated performance based on individual vulnerability to sleep deprivation.
Correlations found between increased neural activation and improved accuracy with donepezil treatment.

Conclusions:

Reduced visual short-term memory after sleep deprivation may stem from impaired visual attention and processing.
Cholinergic enhancement with donepezil can mitigate sleep deprivation-induced cognitive deficits in susceptible individuals.
Effects of donepezil may be neutral or detrimental in individuals resistant to sleep deprivation.