This study will test the effect of race-based social rejection on polysomnography derived sleep outcomes and nocturnal cardiovascular psychophysiology in a sample of 80 African Americans and 80 Caucasian Americans. The investigators will test group differences on these outcomes as well as within subjects by testing impact of rejection compared to a non-rejection control night in the sleep laboratory.
African Americans (AA) are disproportionally burdened by cardiovascular disease compared to Caucasian Americans (CA). Poor sleep, which is more common among AA, may serve as an important pathway in understanding these disparities. Race-based rejection has been cross-sectionally related to poor sleep and negative cardiovascular outcomes. To test the links between social experiences and sleep, participants will spend two nights in the sleep laboratory. One night will be a control night where participants complete low arousal tasks prior to bedtime. On a second night, the investigators will randomize 80 AA and 80 CA to either race-based social rejection (i.e., being rejected by an out-group member) or same-race social rejection prior to bedtime to test the causal influences of race-based rejection on objective sleep parameters, measured using polysomnography, and nocturnal cardiovascular functioning. The investigators will test group differences on these outcomes as well as within subjects by testing impact of rejection compared to a non-rejection control night in the sleep laboratory. The order of the control and rejection task night will be counterbalanced.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
BASIC_SCIENCE
Masking
DOUBLE
Enrollment
139
Social rejection paradigm
University of California, San Francisco
San Francisco, California, United States
Change in sleep onset latency, as determined by polysomnography
Sleep onset latency is the time (in minutes) from "lights out" to sleep onset on the nights following the social rejection task and the control task laboratory to onset of sleep, as measured via polysomnography
Time frame: Assessed on the night of the social rejection task and compared to the control task night; it is anticipated that these nights will take place consecutively
Change in minutes of wake after sleep onset (WASO), as determined by polysomnography
Number of minutes awake once sleep is initiated, measured via polysomnography on the nights following the social rejection task and the control task
Time frame: Assessed on the night of the social rejection task and the night of the control task; it is anticipated that these nights will take place consecutively
Change in total sleep time, as determined by polysomnography
Total number of minutes scored as sleep, measured via polysomnography on the nights following the social rejection task and the control task
Time frame: Assessed on the night of the social rejection task and the night of the control task; it is anticipated that these nights will take place consecutively
Change in pre-ejection period (PEP) in response to rejection task
Pre-ejection period is measured via impedance cardiography, averaged over a 5-minute baseline period and in the minutes during the rejection task
Time frame: Baseline to Post-rejection task, anticipated average of 30 minutes
Change in heart rate variability (HRV) in response to rejection task
Heart rate variability is measured via EKG, averaged over a 5-minute baseline period and in the minutes during the rejection task
Time frame: Baseline to Post-rejection task, anticipated average of 30 minutes
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Change in nocturnal heart rate variability
Heart rate variability is measured via EKG, beginning at "lights out" and collected across the night following the rejection task and control task; it is anticipated that the two nights will occur consecutively.
Time frame: Assessed on the night of the social rejection task and the night of the control task; it is anticipated that these nights will take place consecutively
Change in nocturnal pre-ejection period
Pre-ejection period will be measured by impedance cardiography, beginning at "lights out" and collected across the night following the rejection task and control task; it is anticipated that the two nights will occur consecutively.
Time frame: Assessed on the night of the social rejection task and the night of the control task; it is anticipated that the two nights will occur consecutively