Influence of Cognition and Physiological Function by Partial Sleep Deprivation
Condition: Sleep Deprivation
MeSH terms: Sleep Deprivation
Study type: Observational

Summary: 
      Partial sleep deprivation (PSD), is a common problem among current university students in
      Taiwan. Students often get inadequate sleep time due to burden schoolwork during exam period.
      In recent years, Issue of sleep quality has gradually been emphasized. According to previous
      research, lacking in sleep easily results in sleepiness, fatigue, and poor problem-solving
      performance. Sleep deprivation may also affects cognitive performance, like reducing working
      memory performance. Furthermore, sleep deprivation will probably alter autonomic nervous
      function, such as sympathetic/parasympathetic activity change. Previous researches also
      suggested that sleep deprivation may associated with the risk of being obesity or suffering
      from diabetes. However, most researches focused on the effects of total sleep deprivation,
      especially those who usually have night shift work, such as medical staff. Few studies
      investigated the cognitive function and physiological function of university students after a
      period of time of partial sleep deprivation. As a results, the aim of the study is to
      investigate how partial sleep deprivation affects the cognitive performance and physiological
      function before and after the final exam period in healthy young university students between
      20 and 30 years old in Taiwan, in order to promote the importance of healthy sleep and
      improve sleep quality among university students.
    

Detailed description: 
      40 healthy young university students who meet the inclusion criteria will be enrolled to the
      study. The investigators will detailed explain the research process to participants, and make
      sure all participants provide written informed consent. The study will be conducted in
      clinical cardiopulmonary function lab in school and graduate institute of physical therapy,
      college of medicine, National Taiwan University. Baseline evaluation will be conducted after
      all the midterm exam complete, and make sure there is no sleep deprivation events two weeks
      before and after baseline evaluation. Outcome measurement will be on the day after all final
      exams complete.

      Participants will need to wear ActiGraph GT3X monitor (ActiGraph LLC, Pensacola, FL, USA),
      which is a non-invasive sleep monitoring device in order to record precise sleep hours and
      sleep condition, five days before baseline and outcome evaluation. On the days of both
      baseline and outcome evaluation, the investigators will provide computer device for
      participants to perform cognitive performance test, which will take around 15 minutes to
      complete. Next, participants can take a rest for 10 minutes on the bed in supine position
      before heart rate variability measurement starts. The investigators will place electrode on
      participant's right forearm, then the non-invasive device will record heart rate variability
      data for about 5 to 10 minutes. At last, the investigators will evaluate participant's
      dominant hand grasp strength (kg) by Jamar hand dynamometer (Jackson, MI, USA) devices in
      standing position.
    

Observational model: Cohort
Time perspective: Prospective
Sampling method: Non-Probability Sample
Study population: 
        The investigators will recruit 40 healthy young university students between 20 to 30 years
        old as research participants