# Associations Between Sleep Deprivation, Circadian Gene Expression, Depressive Symptoms, and Psychomotor Performance—Preliminary Results

## TL;DR

This study explores how sleep deprivation affects mood and coordination, and how circadian genes might explain these effects.

## Contribution

The study links specific circadian gene expression patterns to individual differences in psychomotor performance after sleep deprivation.

## Key findings

- In non-responders, higher BMAL1, CRY1, PER1, and NR1D1 expression correlated with more coordination errors after sleep deprivation.
- PER1 gene expression explained 57.8% of the variability in coordination errors among non-responders.

## Abstract

Background: Deprivation of sleep (DS) might affect mood and cognitive abilities, including psychomotor functions (PF). Molecular mechanisms underlying these effects remain unclear, though studies suggest that the circadian rhythm plays a role. Methods: Seventy participants underwent polysomnography (PSG) and DS. PF was evaluated using Bimanual Eye–Hand Coordination Test (BEHCT). Mood, PF, and clock gene expression (Circadian Locomotor Output Cycles Kaput (CLOCK), Brain and Muscle ARNT-Like 1 (BMAL1), Period Circadian Regulator 1 (PER1), Cryptochrome Circadian Regulator 1 (CRY1), Nuclear Receptor Subfamily 1 Group D Member 1 (NR1D1), and Neuronal PAS Domain Protein 2 (NPAS2)) were analyzed post-PSG and post-DS. Mood changes after DS classified participants as responders (RE) or non-responders (NR). Results: In NRs, but not REs, the BEHCT error count positively correlated with the expression of BMAL1, CRY1, PER1, NR1D1 (R = 0.60, p = 0.002; R = 0.49, p = 0.018; R = 0.57, p = 0.023; and R = 0.53, p = 0.011, respectively), with PER1 explaining its variability in 57.8% (b = 0.174, R2 = 0.578, F = 20.144, and p < 0.001). Conclusions: Obtained results suggest that altered clock gene expression may contribute to individual differences in mood and PF following DS.