Effects of Caffeine Intake on Cognitive Performance Related to Total Sleep Deprivation and Time on Task: A Randomized Cross-Over Double-Blind Study

Michael Quiquempoix; Fabien Sauvet; Mégane Erblang; Pascal Van Beers; Mathias Guillard; Catherine Drogou; Aurélie Trignol; Anita Vergez; Damien Léger; Mounir Chennaoui; Danielle Gomez-Merino; Arnaud Rabat

doi:10.2147/NSS.S342922

Effects of Caffeine Intake on Cognitive Performance Related to Total Sleep Deprivation and Time on Task: A Randomized Cross-Over Double-Blind Study

Nat Sci Sleep. 2022 Mar 16:14:457-473. doi: 10.2147/NSS.S342922. eCollection 2022.

Authors

Michael Quiquempoix^{1

2}, Fabien Sauvet^{1

2}, Mégane Erblang^{1

2

3}, Pascal Van Beers^{1

2}, Mathias Guillard^{1

2}, Catherine Drogou^{1

2}, Aurélie Trignol^{1

2}, Anita Vergez^{1

2}, Damien Léger^{2

4}, Mounir Chennaoui^{1

2}, Danielle Gomez-Merino^{1

2}, Arnaud Rabat^{1

2}

Affiliations

¹ Department of Operational Environments, Fatigue and Vigilance Team, French Armed Forces Biomedical Research Institute (IRBA), Paris, France.
² VIFASOM Team (EA 7330), University of Paris - Hôtel Dieu AP-HP Hospital, Paris, France.
³ LBEPS, Univ Evry, IRBA, University of Paris-Saclay, Paris, France.
⁴ Centre du sommeil et de la vigilance, Hôpital Hôtel Dieu AP-HP, Paris, 75004, France.

Abstract

Introduction: It is widely admitted that both total sleep deprivation (TSD) and extended task engagement (Time-On-Task, TOT) induce a cognitive fatigue state in healthy subjects. Even if EEG theta activity and adenosine both increase with cognitive fatigue, it remains unclear if these modifications are common mechanisms for both sustained attention and executive processes.

Methods: We performed a double-blind counter-balanced (placebo (PCBO) and caffeine (CAF) - 2×2.5 mg/kg/24 h)) study on 24 healthy subjects (33.7 ± 5.9 y). Subjects participated in an experimental protocol including an habituation/training day followed by a baseline day (D0 and D1) and a total sleep deprivation (TSD) day beginning on D1 at 23:00 until D2 at 21:00. Subjects performed the psychomotor vigilance test (PVT) assessing sustained attention, followed by the executive Go-NoGo inhibition task and the 2-NBack working memory task at 09:15 on D1 and D2.

Results: We showed differential contributions of TSD and TOT on deficits in sustained attention and both executive processes. An alleviating effect of caffeine intake is only observed on sustained attention deficits related to TSD and not at all on TOT effect. The caffeine dose slows down the triggering of sustained attention deficits related to TOT effect.

Discussion: These results suggest that sustained attention deficits induced by TSD rely on the adenosinergic mechanism whereas TOT effect observed for both sustained attention and executive would not.

Keywords: caffeine; cognitive fatigue; healthy subjects; inhibition; mental fatigue; sustained attention; time on task; total sleep deprivation; working memory.

Grants and funding

Financial supports were provided by the French General Directorate for Armament (Direction Générale de l’Armement), Department of Defense, Contract N°: PDH-1-SMO-2-509/SAN-1-509.