Assessment of the Impact of Sleep Deprivation and Diet On Growth, Cognition, Inflammation, Oxidative Stress, and Tissue Histology
Authors: Usman Lutfat A. , Ajani Emmanuel O. , Akinmoladun Afolabi C. , Ibrahim Rasheed B. , Oyedeji Bukola R. , Adedotun Toheeb A. , Mustapha Ganiyat A. , Abduwahab Ramat Y. , Banuso Awanat I. , Oyedokun Oladapo O. , Olatunji Ayobami R. , Akande Kolawale , Oni Opeyemi Grace , Oduola Olamide , Oguntayo Oladimeji B. , Saka Dauda K. , Hussain Abdul-Hafeez O. 
Published: October 2024

This study explores the interplay encompassing amino acids’ roles, metabolic processes, growth, and the intricate relationships between sleep patterns, amino acid-deficient diet, and caffeine consumption, with emphasis on the vital connections between diet, oxidative stress, and cognitive health while investigating the essential role of quality sleep in maintaining cognitive function. This study investigates the intricate connections among amino acids, metabolic processes, growth, sleep patterns, amino acid-deficient diets, and caffeine consumption. Emphasizing the crucial links between diet, oxidative stress, and cognitive health, the research underscores the essential role of quality sleep in maintaining cognitive function. The bidirectional relationship between disrupted sleep and cognitive health, as well as the impact of caffeine on cognitive function, is explored. The study involved adult male Wistar rats divided into 10 groups A - J based on cage conditions and diet. Group A-E were kept in a normal cage with diets containing varying levels of tryptophan and other essential amino acids, while Group F-J underwent sleep deprivation using a disk-over-water method and received diets with varying tryptophan and other essential amino acid levels, in addition to caffeine. The experiment spanned 2 weeks, blood samples were collected on days 1,4,7, and 13 for relevant biochemical serum analyses, and the rats were sacrificed on the fourteenth day for blood sample collection, biochemical assays, and brain histology. The 2-week experiment revealed a linear decrease in melatonin and serotonin levels across all caffeine-administered groups, possibly due to stress and anxiety as compared with the reduction in these parameters observed in control rats, suggesting melatonin and serotonin as potential sleep deprivation biomarkers. Testosterone and insulin-like growth hormone assays showed a significant decrease in sleep-deprived rats with caffeine, impacting secondary sex characteristics and growth. Elevated TNF-α and interleukin-1b levels in the caffeine-administered, sleep-deprived group suggest potential health risks associated with sleep deprivation and caffeine. Serum assays for antioxidant enzymes indicated heightened oxidative stress in sleep-deprived rats with caffeine. Histopathological studies revealed cellular abnormalities in the sleep-deprived group, indicating increased cellular metabolism and potential pathological conditions. This study elucidates the complex relationships among sleep, dietary factors, and hormonal and inflammatory responses. It underscores the potential neurotoxic effects associated with caffeine consumption when coupled with sleep deprivation. These results underscore the urgent need for further investigation into dietary strategies that could alleviate these adverse effects and promote better health.