This study is designed to assess neurobehavioral performance, as well as genetic and other physiological changes associated with variations in timing and quantity of sleep.
During a 1.5 week inpatient laboratory protocol, subjects will undergo one of four parallel sleep conditions. Subjects will be randomly assigned to each condition group. During their time in the laboratory, biological samples (e.g., blood) will be collected for genetic and other analyses, and sleep quantity and quality will be monitored. Additionally responses on neurobehavioral tests and surveys will be monitored for differences among the groups.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
OTHER
Masking
SINGLE
Enrollment
59
Duration and timing of sleep will be assigned and monitored in a controlled laboratory environment with controlled lighting and meals.
Brigham and Women's Hospital
Boston, Massachusetts, United States
FAA Civil Aerospace Medical Institute
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, United States
Gene expression changes associated with different sleep patterns.
Levels of expression of all genes may be compared across time and among study arms with different sleep patterns using RNA-Seq and differential expression analysis with generalized linear models. Patterns may be sought with and potential relevance to sleep, circadian rhythms, and/or neurobehavioral performance.
Time frame: Samples for gene expression will be collected at frequent intervals over 10 days in a sleep laboratory. Subjects will be in a time-free environment, and not told sampling frequency.
Neurobehavioral performance changes associated with different sleep patterns.
Neurobehavioral performance may be compared across time and among study arms with different sleep patterns. Specifically, differences will be examined in subjective and objective neurobehavioral assays (Karolinska sleepiness scale, Performance effort and evaluation rating scale, Digit symbol substitution test, Stroop performance, Raven matrix task, Comparative visual search, Face-name task, Psychomotor vigilance test, Visual analog scale, Track test, and the Balloon analog risk task). Patterns may be sought with relevance to sleep, circadian rhythms, and/or other outcome measures.
Time frame: Neurobehavioral assays may be conducted at frequent intervals over 10 days in a sleep laboratory. Subjects will be in a time-free environment, and not told assay frequency.
DNA genetic variants associated with sleep and/or neurobehavioral performance.
Analysis of genetic variants may be used to assess inherited genetic differences among subjects and potential relevance to sleep, circadian rhythms, and/or neurobehavioral performance.
Time frame: Approximately two oral samples may be taken for DNA analyses during the 10 days in a sleep laboratory.
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