How A Lack Of Sleep Affects The Brain

Author: Simon Dexter

A lack of sleep results in people making silly decisions because it affects a “gambling casino” in the brain, scientists have found.

The brains of volunteers were scanned while they gambled using a computer programme that simulated every day decision making.

The experiment centred around the part of the brain known as the nucleus accumbens which regulates the anticipation of reward. All volunteers were deprived of sleep and then set the scientist’s test.

The volunteers who had been deprived of sleep began to make rash decisions in the anticipation of a higher, though much riskier, reward.

The findings add to previous research showing that those volunteers deprived of much needed shut eye did not give a proverbial toss about the outcome of the results.

The standard psychological test employed two decks of cards – one good and one bad set.

Although the players know that the good deck will eventually give them a small reward, they are still tempted by the bad deck, which although sometimes paying out higher, will eventually lead to a loss.

Most volunteers undergoing the experiment start by picking cards from either deck, but after about 30 selections tend to choose the better deck. The people with the more risk-taking nature are unable, especially when tired, from taking rash decisions which end up costing them money.

It is recommended that any gambler should take between 8 and 10 hours sleep per evening in order to maintain a healthy lifestyle.

Casino’s do not just offer a place to gamble these days, they are centres for entertainment and special events and one of the most bizarre is happening at the Hard Rock Café in Las Vegas.

The casino is staging the world’s biggest (and most important) auction of Michael Jackson memorabilia.

Over 1000 original Michael Jackson costumes will be on sale to the general public along with other oddities.

The goods had originally been bought as part of a bankruptcy sale of Jackson’s belongings and although the singer tried to stop the sale - things were settled out of court – the sale will go ahead.

Some of the most popular items that will be offered at the casino auction are:

Bill Whitten-designed militaristic red coat with gold rope that belonged to Michael Jackson

The 1987 contract detailing his million purchase of the California ranch now known as “Neverland.”

A good luck telegram from another famous recluse, Marlon Brando, before an 80’s show.

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