Sleep deprivation and brain function

This article examines the effects of sleep deprivation on brain function from the perspective of functional neuroimaging studies. This field is relatively new, but some general findings have emerged. There are two types of brain responses to sleep deprivation: (1) diminished cerebral activation with reduced performance, relative to a well-rested state, and (2) increased cerebral activation and relatively intact performance. This article reviews the existing literature and summarizes one hypothesis designed to reconcile the various findings, the compensatory recruitment hypothesis. We end with ideas for future research aimed at better understanding the effects of sleep deprivation on brain function.