Abstract
Introduction
Detecting and correcting errors is important in preventing detrimental consequences of sleep loss. We report the first study to utilise both behavioural and EEG measures of error awareness, and we compare the effects of total sleep deprivation (TSD) and sleep restriction (SR).
Methods
Twenty-seven healthy adults (14F, age=27.2±5.1y) were studied both well-rested (
WR
9h sleep/night) and following SR (3 nights of 3h sleep/night), completing the Error Awareness Task (EAT) once/day (8-9h post-habitual wake). Thirteen healthy adults (3F, age=26.2±4.1y) underwent 34h TSD, completing the Error Awareness Task (at 3h and 27h post-wake). The EAT required participants to withhold responding to “nogo” stimuli and signal errors when they occurred. ERP measures included the Error Related Negativity (ERN) and Error Positivity (Pe).
Results
SR increased error rate (p<.001), decreased error awareness (p<.001) and slowed error recognition (p<.01). ERN amplitude was unaffected, and Pe amplitude was reduced. TSD did not significantly affect error rate, error awareness rate, the time taken to detect errors, or either ERP measure.
Discussion
SR impaired the ability to recognise errors in real time, despite a greater number of errors being made. EEG findings further indicate conscious error awareness is reduced following SR. However, unconscious error detection appears resilient to sleep loss. Findings suggest error awareness may be more sensitive to chronic versus acute sleep loss. In occupations where SR is common, recognition of errors may be reduced. Reduced error recognition may explain the increased accident and injury rates seen in contexts where sleep loss is common.