SynthesisActa psychiatrica Scandinavica2021
Sleep deprivation as treatment for depression: Systematic review and meta-analysis.
Synthesis in Acta psychiatrica Scandinavica, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 38 papers, 4 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
38 citing papers in PubMed, 4 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 68 citations in OpenAlex.
- Transdiagnostic effects of combined sleep-circadian interventions on depressive symptoms and sleep outcomes in adults with mental disorders: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.Frontiers in psychiatry · 2026Pooled it
- Developing a translational research framework for MDD: combining biomolecular mechanisms with a spiraling risk factor model.Frontiers in psychiatry · 2024Pooled it
- Fasting Interventions for Stress, Anxiety and Depressive Symptoms: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.Nutrients · 2021Pooled it
- Meta-Analysis of Sleep Deprivation Effects on Patients With Depression.Frontiers in psychiatry · 2021Pooled it
- Effects of dynamic bedroom lighting on measures of sleep and circadian rest-activity rhythm in inpatients with major depressive disorder.Scientific reports · 2022Trial
- BMAL1 Overexpression in the SCN Confers Protection Against Anxiety-Like Behaviors of Chronic Sleep Restricted-Mice.Molecular neurobiology · 2026Article
- Sleep Deprivation and Neuronal Hyperexcitation Share Transcriptomic Signatures.Neuropsychopharmacology reports · 2026Article
- Tryptophan-Serotonin-Melatonin Pathway as a Contributor to Changes in Mood and Cognitive Functions Induced by Sleep Deprivation.International journal of molecular sciences · 2026Article
- Evaluation of the replicability of systematic reviews with meta-analyses of the effects of health interventions.Research synthesis methods · 2026Article
- Two-week prevalence and correlates of suicidal ideation among first-visit general-hospital psychiatric outpatients: a cross-sectional study using the PHQ-9 and EPQ.BMC psychiatry · 2026Article
- Can Physical Activity, Sleep Parameters, and Sleep-Wake Patterns Predict Outcome of Combined Chronotherapy in Mood Disorder During Routine Clinical Practice? An Exploratory Study.Journal of personalized medicine · 2026Article
- Ghrelin's role in sleep and sleep deprivation: a narrative review.Frontiers in psychiatry · 2026Review
- Restless nights, demanding days: assessment of the prevalence and associated factors of poor sleep quality among medical students in Mogadishu, Somalia.BMC medical education · 2025Article
- Assessing REM Sleep as a Biomarker for Depression Using Consumer Wearables.Diagnostics (Basel, Switzerland) · 2025Article
- Dualistic and inconsistent role of total and rapid-eye movement (REM) sleep deprivation on depressive-like behaviors in rats: a systematic review.Sleep and biological rhythms · 2025Review
- The Effects of Time-Restricted Feeding on Handgrip Strength, Vigilance, and Perceived Anxiety and Depression in Older Adults: A Comparative Study Between Active and Sedentary Populations.Health science reports · 2025Article
- Association between exclusive or dual use of combustible cigarettes and heated tobacco products and depressive symptoms.PloS one · 2025Article
- Assessment of Sleep Quality and Its Determinants Among Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus in Mogadishu, Somalia: A Cross-Sectional Study.Diabetes, metabolic syndrome and obesity : targets and therapy · 2025Article
- Prevalence and Associated Factors of Poor Sleep Quality Among Nurses in a Tertiary Care Hospital: A Cross-Sectional Study.Risk management and healthcare policy · 2025Article
- Role of Sleep in Depressive Disorders and the Potential Therapeutic Role of Short-Term Sleep Deprivation and Light Therapy: A Review.Medical science monitor : international medical journal of experimental and clinical research · 2024Review
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
10 authors at 3 institutions in 2 countries.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
objectiveTo systematically review evidence on the efficacy and safety of sleep deprivation (SD) as a treatment option for patients with unipolar or bipolar depression.
methodsA systematic review according to PRISMA guidelines was conducted. The certainty of evidence was assessed using the GRADE approach. Controlled trials were included in efficacy analysis, case series for evaluating complications and qualitative studies for patients' experiences.
resultsEight controlled studies (368 patients), one qualitative study and seven case series (825 patients) were included. One week after treatment start, SD combined with standard treatment did not reduce depressive symptoms compared with standard treatment (standardized mean difference, SMD = -0.29, [95% confidence interval, CI: -0.84 to 0.25], p = 0.29). When excluding a study in elderly patients in a post hoc analysis, the difference was statistically significant (SMD = -0.54 ([95% CI: -0.86 to -0.22], p < 0.001)) but it diminished two weeks after treatment start. No superiority of SD was found compared with antidepressants, but SD may be superior to exercise in certain settings. It is uncertain whether SD affects quality of sleep, quality of life, everyday functioning or length of stay. Apart from switch to mania (ranging between 2.7% and 10.7%), no other serious complications were reported.
conclusionSleep deprivation has been studied in a wide range of settings resulting in divergent results for the short-term efficacy on depressive symptoms. Post hoc analyses indicated that there may be a significant but transient effect in certain populations. Further studies should focus on identifying subgroups of responders as well as examining feasibility in routine clinical care.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.