Circadian phenotype impacts the brain’s resting state functional connectivity, attentional performance and sleepiness

Elise Facer-Childs, Brunno Machado de Campos, Benita Middleton, Debra Skene, Andrew Bagshaw

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

19 Citations (Scopus)
212 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

Introduction
Functional connectivity (FC) of the human brain’s intrinsically connected networks underpins cognitive functioning and disruptions of FC are associated with sleep and neurological disorders. However, there is limited research on the impact of circadian phenotype and time of day on FC.

Study Objectives
The aim of this study was to investigate resting-state FC of the default mode network (DMN) in Early and Late circadian phenotypes over a socially constrained day.

Methods
Thirty-eight healthy individuals (14 male, 22.7 ± 4.2 years) categorized as Early (n = 16) or Late (n = 22) using the Munich ChronoType Questionnaire took part. Following a 2-week baseline of actigraphy coupled with saliva samples for melatonin and cortisol rhythms, participants underwent testing at 14:00 hours, 20:00 hours, and 08:00 hours the following morning. Testing consisted of resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), a structural T1 scan, attentional cognitive performance tasks, and self-reported daytime sleepiness. Seed-based FC analysis from the medial prefrontal and posterior cingulate cortices of the DMN was performed, compared between groups and linked with behavioral data.

Results
Fundamental differences in the DMN were observed between Early and Late circadian phenotypes. Resting-state FC of the DMN predicted individual differences in attention and subjective ratings of sleepiness.

Conclusion
Differences in FC of the DMN may underlie the compromised attentional performance and increased sleepiness commonly associated with Late types when they conform to a societally constrained day that does not match their intrinsic circadian phenotype.
Original languageEnglish
Article numberzsz033
JournalSleep
Volume42
Issue number5
Early online date15 Feb 2019
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - May 2019

Bibliographical note

© Sleep Research Society 2019. Published by Oxford University Press [on behalf of the Sleep Research Society].

Keywords

  • Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI)
  • attentional performance
  • circadian phenotype
  • circadian rhythms
  • default mode network
  • sleep
  • sleepiness

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