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Relations between 24-h movement behaviors, declarative memory, and hippocampal volume in early childhood
Christine W St Laurent1,2, Sanna Lokhandwala3, Tamara Allard4
1Department of Kinesiology, University of Massachusetts Amherst, 30 Eastman Lane, Amherst, MA, 01003, USA. cstlaurent@umass.edu.
Insights
Adequate sleep duration and physical activity in preschoolers are linked to larger hippocampal volumes, crucial for memory. Meeting sleep recommendations positively impacts total and regional hippocampal growth.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Developmental Psychology
- Pediatric Health
Background:
- Early childhood is a critical period for brain development, particularly the hippocampus, which is vital for memory formation.
- Understanding the influence of 24-hour movement behaviors (sedentary time, physical activity, sleep) on brain structure is essential for promoting healthy cognitive development.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the associations between 24-hour movement behaviors and declarative memory and hippocampal volume in preschool-aged children.
- To examine these associations both independently and when considered together, including adherence to sleep recommendations.
Main Methods:
- Observational study using actigraphy to measure movement behaviors in preschool children over two timepoints.
- Assessment of declarative memory and hippocampal subregion volumes (MRI).
- Statistical analysis using multilevel and linear regression models to explore independent and compositional effects of movement behaviors.
Main Results:
- Sleep duration was positively associated with total hippocampal volume.
- Moderate-to-vigorous physical activity showed a positive association with right hippocampal volume.
- Children meeting sleep recommendations exhibited larger total, right, and left hippocampal volumes, including specific subregions.
Conclusions:
- Sleep duration and physical activity are positively associated with hippocampal volume in early childhood, independent of age.
- Adherence to sleep recommendations appears particularly beneficial for hippocampal development.
- Further research with larger samples and detailed analysis of movement behavior components is warranted to fully elucidate these relationships.
Abstract:
This study aimed to determine if 24-h movement behaviors (sedentary time, physical activity, and sleep), considered independently and together, were associated with declarative memory and hippocampal volume in late early childhood. Observational data were obtained from preschool-aged children (timepoint 1: n = 35 children, 3.9 ± 0.5 years; 6 months later: n = 28 children, 4.5 ± 0.5 years). Movement behaviors were measured with actigraphy. Outcomes were declarative memory and hippocampal subregion volumes. Multilevel models explored movement behaviors independently as absolute values, and with both absolute total activity, 24-h sleep duration, and night sleep efficiency. Movement behaviors were also explored as compositions in linear regression models. In independent models, sleep duration and moderate to vigorous physical activity were positively associated with total and right hippocampal volumes, respectively. When examined together, children meeting sleep recommendations were more likely to have larger total, right and left hemisphere, body, and tail hippocampal volumes. In our sample of preschool children, we observed positive associations between sleep duration and hippocampal volume, independent of age. To improve our understanding of the connections between 24-h behaviors and brain health in early childhood, larger samples that also consider the context and subcomponents of movement behaviors may be warranted.
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