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Human Circadian Phenotyping and Diurnal Performance Testing in the Real World
Published on: April 7, 2020
DQB1*0602 predicts interindividual differences in physiologic sleep, sleepiness, and fatigue
Namni Goel1, Siobhan Banks, Emmanuel Mignot
1Division of Sleep and Chronobiology, Unit for Experimental Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, 1013 Blockley Hall, Philadelphia, PA 19104-6021, USA. goel@mail.med.upenn.edu
Neurology
|October 27, 2010
Summary
The human leukocyte antigen (HLA) DQB1*0602 allele is linked to sleep differences in healthy adults, impacting sleepiness and fatigue but not cognition. This genetic marker may predict individual responses to sleep loss.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Genetics
- Sleep Medicine
Background:
- The human leukocyte antigen (HLA) DQB1*0602 allele is strongly associated with narcolepsy.
- Narcolepsy is characterized by excessive daytime sleepiness, fragmented sleep, and altered REM sleep patterns.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate if the DQB1*0602 allele serves as a marker for individual differences in sleep homeostasis, sleepiness, and cognitive function.
- To assess these differences under baseline and chronic partial sleep deprivation (PSD) conditions.
Main Methods:
- A study involving 92 DQB1*0602-negative and 37 DQB1*0602-positive healthy adults.
- Participants underwent 2 baseline nights with 10 hours time in bed (TIB) followed by 5 nights with 4 hours TIB (PSD).
- Sleep parameters, sleepiness, fatigue, and cognitive performance were measured.
Main Results:
- DQB1*0602-positive subjects reported higher sleepiness and fatigue, with more fragmented sleep and reduced sleep homeostatic pressure during baseline.
- During PSD, DQB1*0602-positive individuals remained sleepier, exhibited more fragmented sleep, and showed greater REM sleep latency reductions.
- Cognitive performance declines were comparable between groups despite physiological differences.
Conclusions:
- DQB1*0602 positivity in healthy individuals may indicate a spectrum of sleep-wake features seen in narcolepsy.
- The DQB1*0602 allele is associated with interindividual variations in sleep homeostasis, sleep physiology, sleepiness, and fatigue.
- This allele may function as a genetic biomarker for predicting individual differences in response to basal and sleep-deprived states, excluding cognitive measures.
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