Sleep, attention, and executive functioning in children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder
Vincent Moreau1, Nancie Rouleau, Charles M Morin
1École de psychologie, Université Laval, Québec, Canada.
Summary
Children with ADHD experiencing shorter sleep duration showed more executive functioning issues. Lower sleep efficiency in ADHD was linked to inconsistent reaction times on attention tests.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Pediatrics
- Sleep Medicine
Background:
- Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is frequently associated with sleep disturbances.
- Executive functions, crucial for daily life, may be impacted by sleep impairments in children.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine the association between sleep duration and sleep efficiency (SE) with attention and executive functioning in children with ADHD.
Main Methods:
- Utilized parent-reported sleep and behavior questionnaires for 43 children with ADHD.
- Employed wrist actigraphy for objective sleep monitoring over seven nights.
- Assessed attention and executive functioning using the Conners' Continuous Performance Test (CPT)-2.
Main Results:
- Lower SE correlated with increased reaction time variability on the CPT.
- Shorter sleep duration was linked to various executive functioning deficits reported by parents.
- Sleep duration's association with executive functioning persisted after controlling for covariates, unlike SE.
Conclusions:
- Sleep quantity appears to be a significant factor associated with executive functioning in children diagnosed with ADHD.
- Sleep efficiency may influence specific aspects of attention, such as reaction time consistency.
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