Information processing and coping style during the wake/sleep transition
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Updated: Oct 24, 2026

Eye Tracking, Cortisol, and a Sleep vs. Wake Consolidation Delay: Combining Methods to Uncover an Interactive Effect of Sleep and Cortisol on Memory
Published on: June 18, 2014
Abstract:
Information processing of meaningful events (subject's own name, neutral name and tones) was studied during the transition from wakefulness to sleep in two groups of subjects with opposing information processing styles, Monitors and Blunters. In two experimental sets, subjects were instructed to execute a fingerlift response to a predetermined stimulus type. Subject's own name produced the greatest number of K-complexes and arousals relative to other name and tones. A task relevance effect was found for arousals but not for K-complexes. The overall P3 amplitude was larger for Monitors than for Blunters, whereas Blunters showed a larger N350 to target stimuli than Monitors. The findings suggest that higher level processing continues during light sleep and that N350 may reflect a process related to sleep maintenance.
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