Human fronto-parietal response scattering subserves vigilance at night

摘要: Abstract Lack of sleep has a considerable impact on vigilance: we perform worse, make more errors, particularly at night, when should be sleeping. Measures brain functional connectivity suggest that decrease in vigilance during loss is associated with an impaired cross-talk within the fronto-parietal cortex. However, effective connectivity, which closely related to causal between regions, remains unexplored prolonged wakefulness. In addition, no study simultaneously investigated and wake-related changes vigilance, preventing concurrent incorporation two aspects. Here, used electroencephalography (EEG) record responses evoked by Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) applied over frontal lobe 23 healthy young men (18–30 yr.), while they performed task, 8 sessions spread 29 h sustained We assessed Response Scattering (ReSc), estimate as propagation TMS-evoked EEG Results disclose significant change ReSc time spent awake. When focusing night-time period, one sleeping, participants lower worse task. Conversely, association was detected well-rested, daytime period. Night-time also correlated objective measures sleepiness alertness. These were not accompanied variations response complexity. results decreased cortex increased failure This reveals novel facet detrimental effect function extended waking hours, increasingly common our societies.