0094 Losing Sleep and Losing Control: Sleep Deprivation Impairs Memory Control Ability. (12th April 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Harrington, Marcus O; Ashton, Jennifer E; Sankarasubramanian, Subbulakshmi; Anderson, Michael C; Cairney, Scott A
• Is Part Of: Sleep. Volume 42(2019)Supplement 1
• Page Start: A38
• Page End: A39
• Publication Date: 2019-04-12
• Subjects: Sleep -- Physiological aspects -- Periodicals; Sleep disorders -- Periodicals; Sommeil -- Aspect physiologique -- Périodiques; Sommeil, Troubles du -- Périodiques; Sleep disorders; Sleep -- Physiological aspects; Sleep -- physiological aspects; Sleep Wake Disorders; Psychophysiology; Electronic journals; Periodicals; 616.8498
• DOI: 10.1093/sleep/zsz067.093
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0161-8105

Abstract

Abstract: Introduction: Reminders about unpleasant experiences can trigger the intrusion of unwanted memories into conscious thought. There are tremendous individual differences in the capacity for suppressing intrusive memories. However, the factors that govern intrusion control ability are elusive. Identifying these factors could inform our understanding of vulnerability markers for affective disorders that are characterised by intrusive thoughts. We tested the hypothesis that sleep might modulate our ability to prevent the past from intruding on the present. Methods: After a night of sleep [ n =30, 13 male, age = 19.90 ± 0.31 years; mean ± SEM] or total sleep deprivation [ n =30, 12 male, age = 20.20 ± 0.32 years], participants attempted to suppress memories of emotionally negative and neutral scenes whilst reminder cues were presented in a think/no-think (TNT) task. Participants rated how successful they were at suppressing the 'no-think' scenes from memory after each trial. Indices of intrusion control were analysed using mixed ANOVAs including the factors group (sleep, sleep deprivation) and scene valence (negative, neutral). Results: Intrusions (i.e. unsuccessful suppression attempts) were more prevalent in the sleep deprivation group than the sleep group [p = .022, η p 2 = .089]. Moreover, intrusions became less frequent throughout the task in rested participants, but remained comparatively constant in sleep-deprived participants [p = .013, η p 2 = .104]. The sleep deprivation group were also more susceptible to intrusions from memories that they had successfully suppressed in previous trials (relapses) than the sleep group [p = .010, η p 2 = .111]. Finally, suppression reduced emotional reactivity to the negative scenes for rested participants according to subjective and physiological measures, but these effects were not observed in sleep-deprived participants. Conclusion: Our findings suggest that sleep deprivation might diminish prefrontal executive control over medial temporal lobe structures that support memory retrieval and affect regulation. More broadly, our results offer new insights into the complex relationship between sleep disturbance and affective disorders, emphasizing the importance of sleep as a therapeutic target for mental illness. Support (If Any): Medical Research Council (MRC) Career Development Award (MR/P020208/1) to S.A.C.