Neurochemistry of Sleep Deprivation
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.58445/rars.4299Keywords:
Sleep, neuroscience, sleep deprivation, neurotransmittersAbstract
Sleep, a process that repeats itself each night and adheres to the circadian rhythm, is an essential component in maintaining various functions throughout the human body. However, the significance of obtaining enough of this homeostatic process often goes underemphasized in many, such as adolescents and adults, possibly due to necessary further research to adequately understand specific mechanisms and pathways behind sleep’s role in the body. With a lack or deprivation of sleep, a multitude of adverse consequences deteriorate physiological and cognitive performance, such as memory consolidation, working memory, learning, awareness, attentiveness, and neural development. This review focuses on the results and methods of previous research examining the effects of sleep deprivation on the expression and abundance of molecules as well as components that influence neural signaling and development in various regions of the brain. This review aims to provide a thorough review on neurotransmitters, with functions including memory and learning, attentiveness and arousal, modulation of neurons, as well as inflammatory signaling in the brain resulting from sleep deprivation and causing deficits in cognitive performance.
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