Sleep Deprivation and the PER3 Gene

Earlier this week, the National Sleep Foundation reported that more than half of American women are suffering from sleep deprivation. These women are too tired to have a good work and personal life and are completely stressed out. (I’m sure many of us can identify!) And if they also happen to have the long version of the PER3 gene, they’d also have issues with cognitive function.

A small study of 24 people, half of whom carried two copies of the long version of PER3 and the other half with two copies of the short version, found that those with the long version performed poorly on cognitive function tests after being deprived of sleep for 24 hours. People with the long version of PER3 also spend more of their sleep time in deep sleep suggesting that they need more of this type of restorative sleep than others.

It’s estimated that 10% of people in the UK have two copies of the long version of PER3. They’re probably more susceptible to sleep deprivation and have trouble working odd hours. Worst of all, bad moods have a lot to do with how little sleep a person gets. So combined with the serotonin receptor 2C gene, mood swings are inevitable in our household.

New Scientist, March 8, 2007