The effect of acute sleep deprivation on visual evoked potentials in professional drivers

Abstract

Study Objectives: Previous studies have demonstrated that as little as 18 hours of sleep deprivation can cause deleterious effects on performance. It has also been suggested that sleep deprivation can cause a "tunnel-vision" effect, in which attention is restricted to the center of the visual field. The current study aimed to replicate these behavioral effects and to examine the electrophysiological underpinnings of these changes. Design: Repeated-measures experimental study. Setting: University laboratory. Patients or Participants: Nineteen professional drivers (1 woman; mean age = 45.3 ± 9.1 years). Interventions: Two experimental sessions were performed; one following 27 hours of sleep de..