Chronotype and time-of-day effects on spatial working memory in preschool children
- PMID: 37143359
- PMCID: PMC10545990
- DOI: 10.5664/jcsm.10650
Chronotype and time-of-day effects on spatial working memory in preschool children
Abstract
Study objectives: Spatial working memory (SWM) capacity subserves complex cognitive functions, yet it is unclear whether individual diurnal preferences and time-of-day influence SWM in preschool children. The main and interaction effects of chronotype and time-of-day on SWM and SWM differences in preschoolers with different chronotypes within each time-of-day group will be examined.
Methods: We studied a subset of typically developing 4.5-year-olds taking part in a birth cohort study (n = 359). The Children's Chronotype Questionnaire categorized children into morning-, intermediate-, and evening-types. Using a computerized neuropsychological test (Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery), SWM was determined from the total number of between-search errors (ie, between search-total errors) and Strategy scores. Higher between search-total errors or lower Strategy scores indicated worse SWM. Time-of-day was categorized into late morning (10:00 am to 11:59 am), afternoon (12:00 pm to 3:59 pm), and late afternoon (4:00 pm to 6:30 pm). In a subsample (n = 199), caregiver-reported chronotype was validated using actigraphy-measured sleep midpoint.
Results: After controlling for ethnicity, no significant main and interaction effects of chronotype and time-of-day on between search-total errors and Strategy scores were seen (all P > .05). However, evening-types outperformed morning-types (ie, lower mean between search-total errors) in the late afternoon (P = .013) but not in the late morning and afternoon (all P > .05). Actigraphy data in the subsample confirmed that evening-types had later sleep midpoints during weekdays and weekends (P < .001).
Conclusions: Since evening-type preschoolers had better SWM in the late afternoon compared to morning-type preschoolers, this gives insights into optimal learning opportunities in early childhood education.
Citation: Abdul Jafar NK, Tham EKH, Eng DZH, et al. Chronotype and time-of-day effects on spatial working memory in preschool children. J Clin Sleep Med. 2023;19(10):1717-1726.
Keywords: actigraphy; chronotype; preschool children; spatial working memory; time-of-day.
© 2023 American Academy of Sleep Medicine.
Conflict of interest statement
All authors have seen and approved the final manuscript. Work for this study was performed at the Singapore Institute for Clinical Sciences, Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR) and supported by the Singapore National Research Foundation under its Translational and Clinical Research (TCR) Flagship Programme and administered by the Singapore Ministry of Health’s National Medical Research Council (NMRC), Singapore-NMRC/TCR/004-NUS/2008; NMRC/TCR/012-NUHS/2014. Additional funding is provided by the Singapore Institute for Clinical Sciences, A*STAR, Singapore. Dr. Yap-Seng Chong received lecture fees from companies that sell nutritional products. They are part of an academic consortium that has received research funding from Abbott Nutrition, Nestec, and Danone. The other authors report no conflicts of interest.
Similar articles
-
The association between chronotype and sleep problems in preschool children.Sleep Med. 2017 Feb;30:240-244. doi: 10.1016/j.sleep.2016.11.015. Epub 2016 Dec 5. Sleep Med. 2017. PMID: 28215256
-
Chronotype influences activity circadian rhythm and sleep: differences in sleep quality between weekdays and weekend.Chronobiol Int. 2015 Apr;32(3):405-15. doi: 10.3109/07420528.2014.986273. Epub 2014 Dec 3. Chronobiol Int. 2015. PMID: 25469597
-
Chronotype, Light Exposure, Sleep, and Daytime Functioning in High School Students Attending Morning or Afternoon School Shifts: An Actigraphic Study.J Biol Rhythms. 2016 Apr;31(2):205-17. doi: 10.1177/0748730415625510. Epub 2016 Jan 29. J Biol Rhythms. 2016. PMID: 26825618
-
Circadian rhythms and decision-making: a review and new evidence from electroencephalography.Chronobiol Int. 2020 Apr;37(4):520-541. doi: 10.1080/07420528.2020.1715421. Epub 2020 Jan 31. Chronobiol Int. 2020. PMID: 32000532 Review.
-
Sleep timing, chronotype and social jetlag: Impact on cognitive abilities and psychiatric disorders.Biochem Pharmacol. 2021 Sep;191:114438. doi: 10.1016/j.bcp.2021.114438. Epub 2021 Feb 2. Biochem Pharmacol. 2021. PMID: 33545116 Review.
Cited by
-
Chronotype, Time of Day, and Children's Cognitive Performance in Remote Neuropsychological Assessment.Behav Sci (Basel). 2024 Apr 11;14(4):310. doi: 10.3390/bs14040310. Behav Sci (Basel). 2024. PMID: 38667106 Free PMC article.
References
-
- Baddeley A . Working memory . Science. 1992. ; 255 ( 5044 ): 556 – 559 . - PubMed
-
- Gathercole SE , Lamont EM , Alloway TP . Working Memory in the Classroom . In: Pickering SJ , Phye GD , eds. Working Memory and Education. New York: : Academic Press; ; 2006. : 219 – 240 .
-
- Swanson HL . Verbal and visual-spatial working memory: What develops over a life span? Dev Psychol. 2017. ; 53 ( 5 ): 971 – 995 . - PubMed
-
- Swanson HL . What develops in working memory? A life span perspective . Dev Psychol. 1999. ; 35 ( 4 ): 986 – 1000 . - PubMed
Publication types
MeSH terms
LinkOut - more resources
Full Text Sources