Brain connectivity changes associated with acute sleep deprivation: a systematic review

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Cognitive Science
• Medical Research

Background:

• Sleep deprivation impacts brain function, with implications for conditions like delirium and professions involving shift work.
• Characterizing brain connectivity changes after acute sleep deprivation (ASD) is crucial but remains poorly understood.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically review and describe functional and effective brain connectivity alterations following acute sleep deprivation.

Main Methods:

• A comprehensive literature search was conducted across major databases (OvidSP Embase, PubMed, Web of Science) for studies published up to September 2024.
• Studies analyzing brain connectivity (strength or topology) using neuroimaging techniques (EEG, fMRI, fNIRS, MEG, PET) after ASD were included.
• Extracted data focused on neuroimaging modality, connectivity analysis types, and results, with studies grouped by modality and measure for synthesis.

Main Results:

• Despite methodological heterogeneity in 109 reviewed articles, a consistent finding emerged: ASD robustly alters functional and effective brain connectivity.
• Significant changes were observed across multiple brain networks, with a notable impact on the default mode network.

Conclusions:

• This review synthesizes the primary functional and effective connectivity changes associated with acute sleep deprivation.
• The findings provide a valuable reference for researchers and clinicians studying delirium, shift work, and the neurological effects of sleep loss.