The effect of chronotype on emotional memory, sustained attention and stress response. Polymorphisms of the PER3 gene are associated with extreme circadian rhythm sleep disorders: Advanced Sleep Phase Syndrome (ASPS) and Delayed Sleep Phase

The effect of chronotype on emotional memory, sustained attention and stress response. Report Title Polymorphisms of the PER3 gene are associated with extreme circadian rhythm sleep disorders: Advanced Sleep Phase Syndrome (ASPS) and Delayed Sleep Phase Syndrome. PER3 polymorphisms result in either shortened circadian rhythms (as exhibited in ASPS) or extended circadian rhythms (as associated with DSPS) and affect an individual’s preferred time of day to function, or chronotype. It has been demonstrated that psychological functioning and stress response vary among these different circadian rhythm sleep disorders. The present study examined the extent to which chronotypes and polymorphisms associated with extreme circadian rhythm sleep disorders affect the interaction between stress and performance on an emotional memory and sustained attention task during the morning versus evening. Our results suggest that sleep quality has the greatest effect on psychosocial variables (i.e. depressive symptoms, total mood disturbances, confusion, fatigue, and vigor), correct as well as false recognition of emotional stimuli, and response inhibition. Sleep duration affects false recognition of negative stimuli and attention. Furthermore, time of day effects were only present for a component of an attention task, suggesting that time of day seems to specifically have an effect on a non-emotional task versus an emotional one. Combined, these data suggest that sleep quality’s effects of psychological functioning may affect sensitivity to negative stimuli. In addition, inadequate sleep results in decreased attention performance demonstrated through a deficit in response inhibition and cognitive slowing.