This literature review explores the effect of sleep deprivation on emotion processing. Relevant behavioral, neurobiological, and neuroimaging studies related to the effects of sleep deprivation on emotional reactivity, emotion discrimination, and empathy are summarized. Given the current global sleep-loss epidemic and the association of sleep and neurological and psychiatric disorders, this topic is highly relevant. Neurochemical correlates are not well understood at this point, but noradrenaline seems to be a key factor. Both neuroimaging and behavioral studies indicate that sleep deprivation amplifies emotional reactivity, visible in heightened sensitivity of the amygdala, insula, and cingulate cortices. Functional connectivity between the amygdala and prefrontal regions is reduced. This loss in connectivity, together with disruptions in brain-body communication, may explain findings that indicate impairments in emotion recognition and emotion discrimination among sleep-deprived individuals. Several studies further indicate that sleep deprivation can impair empathy and interpersonal functioning. There are several inconsistent findings of emotion reactivity, emotion discrimination, and empathy. Possible reasons for that include sample sizes, control variables, and varying operationalizations of sleep deprivation. The field would benefit from studies exploring the effect of chronic sleep deprivation and how individuals differ in their vulnerability.
Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)
- Introduction
- Sleep and emotional brain functioning
- Sleep deprivation and emotional reactivity
- Behavioral studies
- Neuroimaging studies
- Anticipatory brain responses
- Sleep deprivation and emotion discrimination
- Neuroimaging studies
- Behavioral studies
- Sleep deprivation and empathy
Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)
This literature review explores the effects of sleep deprivation on emotion processing, focusing on how it impacts emotional reactivity, emotion discrimination, and empathy. Given the widespread sleep deprivation in industrialized nations and its association with neurological and psychiatric disorders, this topic is highly relevant for understanding public and professional health implications.
- The role of sleep in emotional brain functioning
- The effects of sleep deprivation on emotional reactivity
- The impact of sleep deprivation on emotion discrimination
- The relationship between sleep deprivation and empathy
- The potential for future research on chronic sleep deprivation and individual vulnerability
Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)
The review begins by outlining the importance of sleep for emotional brain function, highlighting the role of REM sleep and the interplay between the amygdala and the mPFC. The review then examines the impact of sleep deprivation on emotional reactivity, summarizing findings from both behavioral and neuroimaging studies indicating an increased reactivity to negative stimuli, including weapons, spiders, snakes, and facial expressions. It also explores the role of anticipatory brain responses, suggesting that sleep deprivation may contribute to anxiety by increasing cue-evoked activity in brain regions involved in anticipation. The review then shifts to the topic of emotion discrimination, highlighting the findings of neuroimaging studies indicating that sleep deprivation may lead to a general excess in emotional sensitivity, potentially resulting in impairments in emotion recognition. The review concludes by examining the implications of sleep deprivation for empathy and interpersonal functioning, pointing to potential connections between impaired emotion discrimination and reduced empathy.
Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)
The core focus of this review lies on understanding the relationship between sleep deprivation and emotion processing. It delves into the effects of sleep deprivation on emotional reactivity, particularly in response to negative stimuli. Key concepts include amygdala hyper-reactivity, reduced connectivity between the amygdala and prefrontal regions, and the impact on emotion discrimination, highlighting the role of salience detection and the brain-body communication involved in emotion recognition. Finally, the review explores the implications of sleep deprivation for empathy and interpersonal functioning, emphasizing the potential for impaired emotion discrimination to affect empathy and social interactions.
- Quote paper
- Marie Klamer (Author), 2021, The Effect of Sleep Deprivation on Emotion Processing. A Review, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/1263727
