Sleep loss is common and affects health and safety, say researchers at the University of Zurich. The team looked for metabolic signs of sleep deprivation in saliva and tested whether one saliva sample can reveal acute sleep loss.
Twenty healthy young men who usually sleep seven to nine hours completed three conditions in random order: one night without sleep, four nights with six hours of sleep, and a control with eight hours. The researchers analysed saliva with high-resolution mass spectrometry and used machine-learning to search tens of thousands of molecules.
They found that acute sleep deprivation affects about 10% of saliva biomolecules and identified ten biomarkers that indicate fatigue. The group will validate the patented biomarker set in a large international field study under realistic conditions, with the aim of developing a rapid on-site fatigue test to improve road and workplace safety.
Difficult words
- metabolic — related to chemical processes in the body
- saliva — the liquid produced in the mouth
- biomolecule — a molecule produced by living organismsbiomolecules
- biomarker — a measurable sign of a biological conditionbiomarkers
- acute — happening suddenly and lasting a short time
- validate — to check that something works or is correct
- machine-learning — computer methods that find patterns in data
- fatigue — strong tiredness that reduces a person's energy
Tip: hover, focus or tap highlighted words in the article to see quick definitions while you read or listen.
Discussion questions
- Do you think a rapid on-site fatigue test would improve road and workplace safety? Why or why not?
- Would you trust a single saliva sample to show recent sleep loss? Explain your view.
- How could employers or transport companies use a portable fatigue test in everyday work? Give two examples.
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