Impact of acute sleep deprivation on dynamic functional connectivity states

Abstract

Sleep deprivation (SD) could amplify the temporal fluctuation of spontaneous brain activities that reflect different arousal levels using a dynamic functional connectivity (dFC) approach. Therefore, we intended to evaluate the test-retest reliability of dFC characteristics during rested wakefulness (RW), and to explore how the properties of these dynamic connectivity states were affected by extended durations of acute sleep loss (28/52 hr). We acquired resting-state fMRI and neuropsychological datasets in two independent studies: (a) twice during RW and once after 28 hr of SD (n = 15) and (b) after 52 hr of SD and after 14 hr of recovery sleep (RS; n = 14).Sliding-window correlations approach was applied to estimate their covariance matrices and corresponding three connectivity states were generated. The test-retest reliability of dFC properties demonstrated mean dwell time and fraction of connectivity states were reliable. After SD, the mean dwell time of a specific state, featured by strong subcortical-cortical anticorrelations, was significantly increased. Conversely, another globally hypoconnected state was significantly decreased. Subjective sleepiness and objective performances were separately positive and negative correlated with the increased and decreased state. Two brain connectivity states and their alterations might be sufficiently sensitive to reflect changes in the dynamics of brain mental activities after sleep loss. K E Y W O R D Sacute sleep deprivation, dynamic connectivity states, light sleep/drowsiness, resting-state fMRI, test-retest reliability

An altered balance of integrated and segregated brain activity is a marker of cognitive deficits following sleep deprivation

“…Information generated by the brain would theoretically decrease if dynamic states become more homogenous (indicated by an increase in total and within-network integration or global signal amplitude). Evidence from resting state fMRI studies have demonstrated that SD results in increased time spent in dynamic states associated with low vigilance [46][47][48]. Also, it has recently been shown that brain connectivity integration changes during resting state are coupled with arousal fluctuations [49].…”

Age-related abnormalities of thalamic shape and dynamic functional connectivity after three hours of sleep restriction

“…However, these studies are all based on the assumption that the resting-state FC is stationary during scanning, thus ignoring the dynamic features of FC on a smaller time scale ( Allen et al, 2014 ; Preti, Bolton & Ville, 2017 ). Sleep deprivation studies have shown altered dwell time and transit between FC states using whole brain dynamic FC analysis ( Li et al, 2020 ; Xu et al, 2018 ). Hence, the effects of sleep deprivation on the dynamics of thalamic FC remain unclear.…”

An altered balance of integrated and segregated brain activity is a marker of cognitive deficits following sleep deprivation

“…Information generated by the brain would theoretically decrease if dynamic states become more homogenous (indicated by an increase in total & within-network integration or global signal amplitude). Evidence from resting state fMRI studies have demonstrated that SD results in increased time spent in dynamic states associated with low vigilance (Li et al 2020, Teng et al 2019, Xu et al 2018, however how SD impacts state dynamics during the performance of cognitive tasks remains to be seen.…”