Sex-specific Effect of Restricted Sleep on Brain Health

The goal of this clinical trial is to compare the impact of restricted sleep on brain blood health in healthy men and women. The main question[s] it aims to answer are:

• Whether morning cerebral blood flow velocity is greater following a night of normal sleep compared to restricted sleep
• Whether the effect of sleep restriction on cerebral blood flow will be greater in males compared to females Participants will complete one 1-hour screening visit and two 2.5-hour study visits. Study visits will be conducted on two separate days.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Cerebrovascular Circulation
• Intervention / Treatment: Diagnostic test: Cerebral blood flow

Detailed Description

Transcranial Doppler (TCD) is a non-invasive diagnostic tool used to estimate cerebral blood flow velocity (CBFV), cerebral autoregulation, cerebrovascular reactivity (CVR), intracranial pressure, cerebral perfusion pressure as well as other indicators of cerebral hemodynamics and autoregulation. Whereas TCD has been widely used in research, clinical, and outpatient settings, studies specifically designed to examine the effect of limited sleep on brain health and potential impact of sex are sparse. Thus, the present study will investigate sex-specific differences in cerebral blood flow under conditions of normal and restricted sleep. Investigators will conduct measures of CBFV and CVR on two separate days under tightly controlled experimental conditions. This study hypothesizes greater morning cerebral blood flow velocity following a night of normal sleep compared to restricted sleep. This study further hypothesize the effect of sleep restriction on CBFV and CVR will be greater in males compared to females. Results from the present study will provide important data necessary to develop future, well-controlled studies examining the impact of long-term modifications in exercise and/or sleep on cerebral hemodynamics and, by extension, risk for cerebrovascular events (i.e. stroke).

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 16
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• United States
  • Missouri
    • Columbia, Missouri, United States, 65211
      • University of Missouri

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: Adult
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Healthy adult men and women, 18-45 years of age, BMI 18-30 kg/m2, non-pregnant, non-breastfeeding, and non-nicotine users

Exclusion Criteria:

• any medications known to affect sleep, autonomic, metabolic, or cardiovascular health, have a self-reported history of hepatic, renal, pulmonary, cardiovascular, or neurological disease, stroke or neurovascular disease, bleeding/clotting disorders, sleep apnea or other sleep disorders, diabetes, history of alcoholism or substance abuse, major cardiovascular event or surgical procedure within the past three months, or hypertension

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Other
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Single Group Assignment
• Masking: Single

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Placebo Comparator: Normal sleep; Participants will sleep for 7-9 hours the night prior to the study visit.	Diagnostic test: Cerebral blood flow; Transcranial Doppler (TCD) is a non-invasive diagnostic tool used to estimate cerebral blood flow velocity (CBFV), cerebral autoregulation, cerebrovascular reactivity (CVR), intracranial pressure, cerebral perfusion pressure as well as other indicators of cerebral hemodynamics and autoregulation.
Experimental: Restricted sleep; Participants will restrict sleep to four hours the night prior to the study visit.	Diagnostic test: Cerebral blood flow; Transcranial Doppler (TCD) is a non-invasive diagnostic tool used to estimate cerebral blood flow velocity (CBFV), cerebral autoregulation, cerebrovascular reactivity (CVR), intracranial pressure, cerebral perfusion pressure as well as other indicators of cerebral hemodynamics and autoregulation.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Cerebral blood flow velocity	Greater morning cerebral blood flow velocity following a night of normal sleep compared to restricted sleep	Two days

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: University of Missouri-Columbia

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): October 1, 2023
• Primary Completion (Actual): July 1, 2025
• Study Completion (Actual): September 1, 2025

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: June 16, 2023
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: June 16, 2023
• First Posted (Actual): June 27, 2023

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): November 26, 2025
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: November 20, 2025
• Last Verified: November 1, 2025

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Circulatory and Respiratory Physiological Phenomena; Cardiovascular Physiological Phenomena; Blood Circulation; Cerebrovascular Circulation
• Other Study ID Numbers: 2097207

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No
• product manufactured in and exported from the U.S.: Yes