Related Experiment Video
Updated: Apr 7, 2026

Measuring Neural Mechanisms Underlying Sleep-Dependent Memory Consolidation During Naps in Early Childhood
Published on: October 2, 2019
Less Efficient Neural Processing Related to Irregular Sleep and Less Sustained Attention in Toddlers
Caroline P Hoyniak1, Isaac T Petersen, Maureen E McQuillan
1a Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences , Indiana University , Bloomington , Indiana.
Abstract:
The current study used event-related potentials to examine a candidate process through which sleep difficulties affect attentional processing in toddlers. Fifteen toddlers participated in an auditory Oddball task while neurophysiological data were collected. Sleep deficits were assessed using actigraphs, and attention was examined with a sustained attention task. A P3-like component was elicited from the toddlers, and longer target P3 latencies were associated with poorer sustained attention and irregular sleep. Findings suggest that irregular sleep is associated with less efficient attentional processing as reflected by the P3 component, and that longer target P3 latencies are associated with poorer sustained attention.
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