New insights into the cognitive effects of sleep deprivation by decomposition of a cognitive throughput task

Abstract

While reduced cognitive throughput has been interpreted to reflect general cognitive slowing, such TSD-induced impairment appears to reflect cognitive instability, like on the PVT, rather than general slowing. Further, comparisons between task variants revealed not one, but three distinct underlying processes impacted by sleep deprivation. Moreover, the practice effect on the task was found to be independent of the TSD effect and minimized by a task pacing manipulation.