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Physical Activity and Executive Function in Children With ADHD: The Mediating Role of Sleep

Xiao Liang1, Ru Li2, Stephen H S Wong1

  • 1Department of Sports Science and Physical Education, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.

Frontiers in Pediatrics
|February 7, 2022
PubMed

Insights

Physical activity improves executive functions like working memory and cognitive flexibility in children with ADHD by positively impacting sleep quality. Sleep latency, a key factor, mediates this relationship, highlighting activity

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Pediatrics
  • Sleep Medicine

Background:

  • Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is associated with executive function deficits.
  • Sleep disturbances are common in children with ADHD and may impact cognitive functions.
  • The interplay between physical activity, sleep, and executive function in ADHD requires further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the mediating role of sleep, specifically sleep latency (SL), in the relationship between physical activity and executive functions (working memory [WM] and cognitive flexibility [CF]) in children with ADHD.

Main Methods:

  • Fifty-six children diagnosed with ADHD participated in the study.
  • Objective measures of physical activity (moderate-to-vigorous physical activity [MVPA]) and sleep parameters (SL, sleep efficiency, total sleep time, wake after sleep onset) were collected using accelerometers over seven days.
  • Executive functions, including inhibitory control, WM, and CF, were assessed using computer-based tasks.

Main Results:

  • Moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) was negatively associated with sleep latency (SL).
  • Working memory (WM) was positively associated with MVPA and negatively with SL.
  • Cognitive flexibility (CF) was negatively associated with MVPA and positively with SL.
  • Sleep latency (SL) partially mediated the relationship between MVPA and WM, and between MVPA and CF.

Conclusions:

  • Sleep latency plays a significant mediating role in how physical activity influences executive functions in children with ADHD.
  • Promoting physical activity may be a viable strategy to improve sleep quality and, consequently, executive functions in children with ADHD.
  • Targeting sleep quality through interventions could be beneficial for enhancing cognitive functions in this population.

Keywords:
ADHDchildrenexecutive functions (EF)physical activitysleep quality

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