Recovery sleep and performance following sleep deprivation with dextroamphetamine

Twelve subjects were studied to determine the after-effects of using three 10-mg doses of dextroamphetamine to sustain alertness during sleep deprivation. Sleep architecture during recovery sleep was evaluated by comparing post-deprivation sleep after placebo. Performance and mood recovery were assessed by comparing volunteers who received dextroamphetamine first (during sleep deprivation) to those who received placebo first. Stages 1 and 2 sleep, movement time, REM latency, and sleep latency increased on the night after sleep deprivation with dextroamphetamine vs. placebo. Stage 4 was unaffected. Comparisons to baseline revealed more stage 1 during baseline than during either post-deprivation sleep period and more stage 2 during baseline than during sleep following placebo. Stage 4 sleep was lower during baseline and after dextroamphetamine than after placebo. Sleep onset was slowest on the baseline night. Next-day performance and mood were not different as a function of whether subjects received dextroamphetamine or placebo during deprivation. These data suggest dextroamphetamine alters post-deprivation sleep architecture when used to sustain alertness during acute sleep loss, but next-day performance and subjective mood ratings are not substantially affected. A recovery sleep period of only 8 h appears to be adequate to regain baseline performance levels after short-term sleep deprivation.