Sleep deprivation-induced dermatitis: further support of nicotinic acid depletion in sleep deprivation.

It is noted that some of the manifestations of prolonged sleep deprivation are similar to changes seen in pellagra. Dermatitis is one of the cardinal clinical manifestations of human pellagra. Prolonged sleep deprivation also typically induces a dermatitis in experimental animals. Both dermatidities are histopathologically similar. It is plausible that both may have a similar etiology, i.e. depletion of nicotonic acid and products derived from it.