Sleepless Night Triggers Rapid, Potent Antidepressant Response
Sleep deprivation can have various negative effects on mood, focus and health. However, some people may experience a rapid and strong antidepressant effect after staying awake for one night, according to neuroscientists at Northwestern University.
The researchers published their findings in the journal Biological Psychiatry. They studied 18 patients with major depressive disorder and found that one night of total sleep deprivation improved their mood significantly. This improvement lasted for almost a day before fading away.
“The effect we observed was immediate and large— larger than antidepressant medications,” said Dr. Sheila Nguyen, the first author of the study. “We were also surprised that this rapid antidepressant response persisted for eight months in patients we could follow up with.”
The researchers did not observe any mood changes in healthy control subjects who also stayed awake all night.
The researchers suggest that two factors may explain the temporary antidepressant effect of sleep deprivation: a boost in dopamine, a brain chemical that regulates mood; and quick changes in brain connections in areas related to emotion processing.
“Our results show that sleep deprivation activates parts of the brain that are impaired in depression,” said Dr. Jonathan Wirz, the senior author of the study. “This could help us identify and repair brain circuits that cause mood disorders.”
Previous studies have reported the antidepressant effect of sleep deprivation, but the underlying brain mechanisms were unknown. This study sheds new light on how sleep, mood, and brain biology are connected.
