Fortunately, for humans, a complete absence of sleep cannot be maintained over an extended period of time, as brief periods of sleep (micro-sleeps) are unavoidable.

Cognitive brain function is adversely affected when the subject is deprived of normal sleep. A study, in 2000, used a technology known as Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging to monitor the brain activity of sleep-deprived test subjects. This study indicated that regions of the (brain’s) prefrontal cortex increased their activity in subjects who were the sleepiest – depending on the complexity of the task being performed. This was interpreted as the brain’s method of compensation for sleep deprivation’s adverse effects.

The brain’s temporal lobe (which processes language) was shown to be inactive during verbal learning in sleep-deprived subjects as opposed to being active in rested subjects. In addition, the brain’s parietal lobe was more active, in sleep-deprived subjects, during these verbal learning tasks, than in rested subjects. Even though memory efficiency was lowered in sleep-deprived subjects, the increase in the parietal region’s activity was linked with better memory.

Another study, in 2001, suggested that certain serious diseases could be linked with sleep deprivation. These illnesses included heart disease and certain mental illnesses – such as bipolar disorder and psychotic episodes. This was further documented in 2007 in a Harvard Medical School study. That study showed (using MRI scans) that sleep deprivation cause an inability to place emotional events in proper perspective. This prevented the subjects from making controlled appropriate responses to emotional events.

Please note that this article is for informational purposes only and is not intended as legal advice.

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