Sleep duration is associated with Caudate volume and executive function

The ineligible role of the caudate nucleus in sleep has been implicated. Previous literature showed that the caudate volume is associated with longer habitual sleep duration in older adults. However, the association between sleep duration and caudate volume remains unknown in the younger population. In this study, we examined the caudate volume in youth to older adults (10 to 85 years old) with a greater sample size (N = 464). The volumetric size of the caudate nucleus showed significantly positive association with habitual sleep duration, especially in younger population. Sleep duration showed a significant association with executive function performance. However, caudate volume did not significantly predict executive function. Our results suggested that sleep duration is associated with the caudate volume and executive function. It is also suggested that there are some external mechanisms that modulate executive function which prevent the caudate-sleep relation's effect on executive function.