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Updated: Jan 12, 2026
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Measuring Neural Mechanisms Underlying Sleep-Dependent Memory Consolidation During Naps in Early Childhood
Published on: October 2, 2019
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Associations of Sleep, Screen Time, and Extracurricular Activities With Cognitive Development: A Longitudinal Study.
Jiayi Zheng1, Emma Berg2, Michelle L Byrne3
1Neuroimaging Department, Institute of Psychology, Psychiatry & Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK.
Journal of Adolescence
|November 4, 2025
Summary
Healthy adolescent lifestyle choices like adequate sleep and limited screen time are linked to better cognitive development over time. These findings highlight the potential for interventions to support cognitive growth during this critical period.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Developmental Psychology
- Public Health
Background:
- Adolescence is a critical period for cognitive and neural development.
- Modifiable lifestyle factors during adolescence may significantly impact cognitive trajectories.
- Longitudinal data on lifestyle factors and cognitive development in adolescents is limited.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the longitudinal associations between modifiable lifestyle factors and cognitive development in adolescents.
- To explore the directionality of relationships between sleep, screen time, physical activity, and cognitive functions.
- To examine the moderating role of sex in these associations.
Main Methods:
- Utilized baseline and 2-year follow-up data from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) study (n=7043).
- Employed linear mixed-effect models to analyze associations between lifestyle factors and cognitive development.
- Assessed the moderating effect of sex on these relationships.
Main Results:
- Longer sleep duration and more non-physical activities were associated with increased cognitive scores.
- Shorter durations of physical activity and screen time (passive watching, social media, social engagement) correlated with cognitive gains.
- Sex moderated the association between passive screen watching and physical activity duration with inhibitory control and attention, with stronger negative effects in females.
Conclusions:
- Modifiable lifestyle factors demonstrate significant associations with adolescent cognitive development.
- Findings support the potential utility of lifestyle-based interventions to foster optimal cognitive development during adolescence.
- Understanding these associations can inform targeted strategies for supporting cognitive health in young people.
Keywords:
behavioral sciencechild developmentcognitive developmentdevelopmental psychologyextracurricular activitiespublic healthscreen timesleepMore Related Videos
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