Countermeasures to Neurobehavioral Deficits from Cumulative Sleep Deprivation During Space Flight: Dose-Response Effects of Recovery Sleep Opportunities

Data collection is now complete. Seventy-two subjects completed the 16 day in-laboratory study protocol (for a total of 1152 laboratory days). We are currently in the process of performing analyses on the data collected. Specifically, we are analyzing the neurobehavioral performance changes across the experimental protocol, and the recovery phase. We are in the process of manual scoring and analysis of the polysomnographic and cardiovascular data. Preliminary data suggests that a single sleep period of 8h, 10h or 12h after 5 nights of 4h sleep, provides substantial acute recovery, but not protection against the immediate reappearance of performance deficits when it is followed by 5 additional nights of sleep restriction.

The primary aim is to determine the sleep dose-response effects of an acute change in sleep duration that occurs between two periods of chronic sleep restriction, on neurocognitive performance functions, subjective states, and waking and sleep physiology. The experiment will determine the countermeasure benefits for performance (during critical operations and subsequent days of sleep restriction) from an acute increase in sleep duration (i.e., single night of recovery sleep). The knowledge gained has the potential to change work scheduling and further understand the effect of sleep lose and recovery on neurobehavioral function in many Earth-based safety-sensitive occupations, such as transportation workers (e.g., truck drivers, train conductors, airline pilots); operators in safety-sensitive industries (e.g., power plant control rooms); and military personnel.

This is early/mid-stage (TRL 6) — the most realistic path in is NASA SBIR/STTR, which funds small businesses and research institutions to develop technology aligned with NASA's needs (equity-free, phased funding). Check whether a current SBIR/STTR solicitation topic overlaps with this project's technology area, or contact the project directly (above) to ask.

None of these are guaranteed paths for this specific project — TechPort itself doesn't have an "apply" button. Reaching out to the contact(s) above with a specific question is usually the fastest way to find out what's actually open.