Impact of Sleep Deprivation on Cognitive Performance and Brain Activity

This study investigates the impact of sleep deprivation on cognitive performance and brain activity. Previous research has linked lack of sleep to diminished cognitive abilities, but the neural mechanisms underlying these effects remain less understood. Using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), the authors aim to explore how sleep deprivation alters brain activity during cognitive tasks.

Group 1

Your response to the question should be provided in six parts: A, B, C, D, E, and F. Write the response to each part of the question in complete sentences. Use appropriate psychological terminology in your response.

Source 1.1

Participants

The study involved 30 healthy adult participants aged 18-30, recruited from a university campus. Participants were screened for psychiatric or neurological disorders, substance abuse, and sleep disorders to ensure a homogeneous sample. They were randomly assigned to either a sleep-deprived group (n=15) or a well-rested control group (n=15).

Methodology

Participants in the sleep-deprived group underwent 24 hours of wakefulness, while control participants maintained a regular sleep schedule. After this period, both groups completed a series of cognitive tasks designed to assess attention, memory, and executive function. Neuroimaging was conducted using fMRI to observe brain activity during task performance.

Graph:

A bar graph presents the mean accuracy scores for cognitive tasks between the two groups. The y-axis represents accuracy percentage, while the x-axis compares the sleep-deprived group with the control group.

| Group          | Mean Accuracy (%) |

|---------------|-------------------|

| Sleep-Deprived| 68                |

| Well-Rested   | 87                |

Results

The results indicate that the sleep-deprived group exhibited significantly lower accuracy on cognitive tasks compared to the well-rested group (t(28) = -4.75, p < .001). fMRI data revealed reduced activation in the prefrontal cortex and increased activation in the amygdala for sleep-deprived participants, suggesting a shift in neural resources due to cognitive load under fatigue.

Source 1.2

Discussion
The findings support the hypothesis that sleep deprivation negatively affects cognitive functioning, as evidenced by both behavioral performance and brain activity. The decreased prefrontal cortex activation suggests impaired executive function, while heightened amygdala activity may indicate increased emotional reactivity. These results underscore the importance of sleep for maintaining cognitive health and highlight potential neural pathways that could be targeted in interventions for individuals suffering from sleep deprivation.

Question 1a

Short answer

Identify the research method used in the study.

Question 1b

Short answer

State the operational definition of cognitive performance.

Question 1c

Short answer

Describe the meaning of the differences in the means of both groups.

Question 1d

Short answer

Identify at least one ethical guideline applied by the researchers.

Question 1e

Short answer

Explain the extent to which the research findings may or may not be generalizable using specific and relevant evidence from the study.

Question 1f

Short answer

Explain how at least one of the research findings supports or refutes the researcher’s hypothesis that very few people would harm others just because they are instructed to do so.

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