White blood cells and cortisol after sleep deprivation and recovery sleep in humans

Abstract

Sleep deprivation (SD) has enriched our treatment programme for major depression. SD has been demonstrated to modify different host defence activities. There is some evidence that there are reciprocal relationships between immune function and increased hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical (HPA) axis activity in depression. We therefore investigated the number of leukocytes, granulocytes, monocytes, lymphocytes, B cells, T cells, helper T cells, cytotoxic T cells, NK cells and salivary cortisol in 10 healthy men before and after total SD (TSD) as well as after recovery sleep. Blood samples were drawn on 3 consecutive days at 7 am, 1 pm and 7 pm, respectively. Comparison of the 7 am values by contrast analysis yielded significant differences for granulocytes (p = 0.044) and NK cells (p = 0.001) after SD and recovery sleep. NK cells decreased and granulocytes increased after SD and after recovery sleep. Significant differences between single points in time across the day were found for granulocytes (p = 0.022), monocytes (p = 0.031), T cells (p = 0.005), helper T cells (p = 0.004), cytotoxic T cells (p = 0.005) and NK cells (p = 0.017). No significant difference could be detected for leukocytes, lymphocytes and B cells counts. These results favour the thesis that SD and recovery sleep lead to changes in the distribution of peripheral leukocytes, especially in a reduction of NK cells after SD and recovery sleep. The cortisol rhythm was affected neither by SD nor recovery sleep.

Dolphins maintain cognitive performance during 72 to 120 hours of continuous auditory vigilance

“…Sleep deprivation changes result from many human clinical blood measurements (Dinges et al, 1994;Heiser et al, 2000;Suchecki et al, 1998). Using the same measurements as had been used for humans, we quantified 57 parameters from whole blood, serum and plasma samples taken at the start and at the end of one 120 h continuous vigilance session for dolphin SAY.…”

Dolphin continuous auditory vigilance for five days

“…Sleep deprivation is known to change results of many clinical blood measurements (Dinges et al, 1994;Suchecki et al, 1998;Heiser et al, 2000). Overall, we quantified 57 parameters from whole blood, serum and plasma samples taken at the start and at the end of two of the vigilance sessions (WEN A and B).…”

Effects of Fatigue on Immune Function in Nurses Performing Shift Work

“…There are several laboratory studies that have used simulated night work to investigate the effects of partial or total sleep deprivation on immune function [6][7][8][9][10][11] . Both enhancing and suppressive effects on NK cell activity and lymphocyte subsets have been reported.…”