White matter structural topologic efficiency predicts individual resistance to sleep deprivation

Abstract

BackgroundSleep deprivation (SD) is commonplace in modern society and there are large individual differences in the vulnerability to SD. We aim to identify the structural network differences based on diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) that contribute to the individual different vulnerability to SD.MethodsThe number of psychomotor vigilance task (PVT) lapses was used to classify 49 healthy subjects on the basis of whether they were vulnerable or resistant to SD. DTI and graph theory approaches were used to investigate the topologic organization differences of the brain structural connectome between SD‐vulnerable and ‐resistant individuals. We measured the level of global efficiency and clustering in rich club and non‐rich club organizations.ResultsWe demonstrated that participants vulnerable to SD had less global efficiency, network strength, and local efficiency but longer shortest path length compared with participants resistant to SD. Lower efficiency was mainly distributed in the right insula, bilateral thalamus, bilateral frontal, temporal, and temporal lobes. Furthermore, a disrupted subnetwork was observed that consisted of widespread connections. Moreover, the vulnerable group showed significantly decreased strength of the rich club compared with the resistant group. The strength of rich club connectivity was found to be correlated negatively with PVT performance (r = −0.395, p = 0.005). We further tested the reliability of the results.ConclusionThe findings revealed that individual differences in resistance to SD are related to disrupted topologic efficiency connectome pattern, and our study may provide potential connectome‐based biomarkers for the early detection of the vulnerable degree to SD.

Gray matter volume alterations in de novo Parkinson's disease: A mediational role in the interplay between sleep quality and anxiety

“…These findings are congruent with an emerging consensus that structural brain changes are integral to the non‐motor manifestations of PD 54,55 . Our research supports the idea that primary insomnia and sleep deprivation are linked to alterations in critical brain regions that govern emotional regulation, including the amygdala, prefrontal cortex, hippocampus, FG, and ITG 56–61 . The FG and ITG, as our mediation analysis suggests, are pivotal in the nexus between sleep quality and anxiety in A‐PD patients.…”

“…54,55 Our research supports the idea that primary insomnia and sleep deprivation are linked to alterations in critical brain regions that govern emotional regulation, including the amygdala, prefrontal cortex, hippocampus, FG, and ITG. [56][57][58][59][60][61] The FG and ITG, as our mediation analysis suggests, are pivotal in the nexus between sleep quality and anxiety in A-PD patients. The ramifications of our findings are significant: they contribute to the neurobiological framework of A-PD and imply that interventions focused on enhancing sleep quality may be a viable approach for mitigating anxiety symptoms.…”

The role of the fronto-parietal network in modulating sustained attention under sleep deprivation: an functional magnetic resonance imaging study

“…In fact, greater white matter integrity facilitates efficient signal communication between frontal and parietal regions, potentially conferring enhanced resistance to sleep deprivation (24). Recent studies further affirm that the integrity of the SLF, along with the topological efficiency of the white matter network that includes frontal and parietal tracts, plays a pivotal role in individual variability in sleep deprivation resistance (14,24). Moreover, research focusing on mild cognitive impairment (MCI) has also suggested that elevated FPN activity is linked with both improved sleep quality and enhanced cognitive performance (25).…”

“…The PVT was chosen because it provides a direct, objective, and reliable measure of sustained attention, separate from other cognitive functions. Its simplicity, real-world relevance, and adaptability make it particularly useful for research into the factors that can impair or enhance human alertness and attentional performance ( 14 ). During the test, red dots were displayed on a screen, and participants were instructed to respond as rapidly as possible by pressing a designated key on the keyboard when the red dots appeared.…”