Napping restores working memory and brain activation impaired by sleep deprivation

IF 2.9 Q3 NEUROSCIENCES

IBRO Neuroscience Reports Pub Date : 2025-09-25 DOI:10.1016/j.ibneur.2025.09.013

Anping Ouyang , Jun Jiang , Lin Wu , Xinxin Lin , Lingling Wang , Qiutao Yan , Xuqian Diao , Yan Li , Yuanqiang Zhu , Lingli Zeng , Jiaxi Peng , Qianqian Dong , Wei He , Peng Fang

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Abstract

Background

Sleep deprivation (SD) impairs working memory (WM), yet the restorative potential of brief daytime naps remains underexplored. This study examines how naps counteract SD-induced WM deficits through behavioral and neuroimaging mechanisms, focusing on task-positive networks and default mode network (DMN) dynamics.

Method

A within-subject fMRI study employed 2-back WM tasks in 50 participants under three conditions: baseline wakefulness, post-30h SD, and post-nap recovery. Behavioral metrics (reaction times, accuracy) and fMRI activation patterns were analyzed using repeated-measures ANOVA and mixed-effects models to assess SD and nap effects.

Result

Naps partially restored SD-induced WM declines, improving reaction times and accuracy. Post-SD, reduced activation in the cerebellum, insula, and thalamus (attention/executive regions) rebounded post-nap. SD weakened DMN suppression (middle frontal gyrus, precuneus, superior temporal gyrus), with maximal DMN suppression post-nap. Improved WM performance correlated with reactivated task-positive networks.

Conclusion

Daytime naps mitigate SD-related WM deficits by rebalancing task-positive network activation (cerebellum, thalamus) and enhancing DMN suppression. These findings elucidate neurophysiological mechanisms of sleep-cognition interactions, supporting naps as a practical intervention for SD-induced cognitive impairment

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小睡可以恢复因睡眠不足而受损的工作记忆和大脑活动

睡眠剥夺（SD）会损害工作记忆（WM），然而白天短暂小睡的恢复潜力仍未得到充分探索。本研究探讨了小睡如何通过行为和神经成像机制抵消sd诱导的WM缺陷，重点关注任务正性网络和默认模式网络（DMN）动力学。方法在受试者fMRI研究中，对50名受试者在基线清醒、30小时SD后和午睡后恢复三种情况下进行2-back WM任务。使用重复测量方差分析和混合效应模型分析行为指标（反应时间、准确性）和fMRI激活模式，以评估SD和午睡的影响。结果aps部分恢复sd诱导的WM下降，提高反应时间和准确性。小睡后，小脑、脑岛和丘脑（注意/执行区域）的激活减少，小睡后恢复。SD减弱DMN抑制（额叶中回、楔前叶、颞上回），午睡后DMN抑制最大。改进的WM性能与重新激活的任务正性网络相关。结论白天小睡通过重新平衡小脑、丘脑的任务正网络激活和增强DMN抑制来减轻sd相关的WM缺陷。这些发现阐明了睡眠-认知相互作用的神经生理机制，支持小睡作为sd诱导的认知障碍的实际干预措施

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