Sleep deprivation neurocognitive performance

A wide variety of tests have been used in sleep deprivation experiments ranging from simple tests of reaction time (e.g., Refs. 1,2,13) to complex tasks of higher-order cognitive capacity and PFC function (e.g., Refs. 9,14,15). The diversity of performance tests available for use in performance testing leads to a fundamental question What are the criteria for an effective neurocognitive assay under conditions of sleep deprivation, where effective means theoretically meaningful, empirically sensitive, and practically useful ... 

Changes in performance capability during continuous wakefulness can be conceptualized as a two-process interaction (33), derived from the two-process model of sleep regulation (54). Specifically, sleepiness and performance are influenced by the homeostatic sleep drive (producing monotonic increases in impairment) and by circadian rhythmicity (near 24-hr cycles) (33,58). Daily circadian modulation of neurocognitive performance has been consistently noted since the first studies of sleep deprivation and human performance (2,13). 

The PVT has been a primary performance assay for demonstrating the cumulative neurocognitive effects from chronic partial sleep deprivation... 

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