Naturally occurring circadian rhythm and sleep duration are related to executive functions in early adulthood
Corresponding Author
Liisa Kuula
Department of Psychology and Logopedics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
Correspondence
Liisa Kuula, MA, Department of Psychology and Logopedics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Haartmaninkatu 3 (PO Box 21), 00014 Helsinki, Finland.
Tel.: +358294129401; fax: 02941 22527.
e-mail: [email protected]
Search for more papers by this authorAnu-Katriina Pesonen
Department of Psychology and Logopedics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
Search for more papers by this authorKati Heinonen
Department of Psychology and Logopedics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
Search for more papers by this authorEero Kajantie
National Institute for Health and Welfare, Chronic Disease Prevention Unit, Helsinki and Oulu, Finland
Children′s Hospital, University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, Finland
PEDEGO Research Unit, MRC Oulu, Oulu University Hospital and University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland
Search for more papers by this authorJohan Gunnar Eriksson
National Institute for Health and Welfare, Chronic Disease Prevention Unit, Helsinki and Oulu, Finland
Department of General Practice and Primary Health Care, University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, Finland
Folkhälsan Research Center, Helsinki, Finland
Search for more papers by this authorSture Andersson
Children′s Hospital, University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, Finland
Search for more papers by this authorAulikki Lano
Children′s Hospital, University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, Finland
Search for more papers by this authorJari Lahti
Department of Psychology and Logopedics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
Helsinki Collegium for Advanced Studies, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
Search for more papers by this authorDieter Wolke
Department of Psychology and Division of Mental Health and Wellbeing, WMS, University of Warwick, Warwick, UK
Search for more papers by this authorKatri Räikkönen
Department of Psychology and Logopedics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
Search for more papers by this authorCorresponding Author
Liisa Kuula
Department of Psychology and Logopedics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
Correspondence
Liisa Kuula, MA, Department of Psychology and Logopedics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Haartmaninkatu 3 (PO Box 21), 00014 Helsinki, Finland.
Tel.: +358294129401; fax: 02941 22527.
e-mail: [email protected]
Search for more papers by this authorAnu-Katriina Pesonen
Department of Psychology and Logopedics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
Search for more papers by this authorKati Heinonen
Department of Psychology and Logopedics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
Search for more papers by this authorEero Kajantie
National Institute for Health and Welfare, Chronic Disease Prevention Unit, Helsinki and Oulu, Finland
Children′s Hospital, University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, Finland
PEDEGO Research Unit, MRC Oulu, Oulu University Hospital and University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland
Search for more papers by this authorJohan Gunnar Eriksson
National Institute for Health and Welfare, Chronic Disease Prevention Unit, Helsinki and Oulu, Finland
Department of General Practice and Primary Health Care, University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, Finland
Folkhälsan Research Center, Helsinki, Finland
Search for more papers by this authorSture Andersson
Children′s Hospital, University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, Finland
Search for more papers by this authorAulikki Lano
Children′s Hospital, University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, Finland
Search for more papers by this authorJari Lahti
Department of Psychology and Logopedics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
Helsinki Collegium for Advanced Studies, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
Search for more papers by this authorDieter Wolke
Department of Psychology and Division of Mental Health and Wellbeing, WMS, University of Warwick, Warwick, UK
Search for more papers by this authorKatri Räikkönen
Department of Psychology and Logopedics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
Search for more papers by this authorSummary
Experimental sleep deprivation studies suggest that insufficient sleep and circadian misalignment associates with poorer executive function. It is not known whether this association translates to naturally occurring sleep patterns. A total of 512 of full-term-born members of the Arvo Ylppö Longitudinal Study [mean age = 25.3, standard deviation (SD) = 0.65] (44.3% men) wore actigraphs to define sleep duration, its irregularity and circadian rhythm (sleep mid-point) during a 1-week period (mean 6.9 nights, SD = 1.7). Performance-based executive function was assessed with the Trail-Making Test, Conners’ Continuous Performance Test and Stroop. The self-rated adult version of Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function was used to assess trait-like executive function. We found that performance-based and self-reported trait-like executive function correlated only modestly (all correlations ≤0.17). Shorter sleep duration associated with more commission errors. Later circadian rhythm associated with poorer trait-like executive function, as indicated by the Brief Metacognitive Index and the Behavior Regulation Index. Those belonging to the group with the most irregular sleep duration performed slower than others in the Trail-Making Test Part A. All associations were adjusted for sex, age, socioeconomic status and body mass index. In conclusion, naturally occurring insufficient sleep and later circadian rhythm showed modest associations with poorer executive function. Shorter habitual sleep duration was associated with lower scores of performance-based tests of executive function, and later circadian rhythm was associated mainly with poorer trait-like executive function characteristics. Our findings suggest additionally that sleep duration and circadian rhythm associate with different domains of executive function, and there are no additive effects between the two.
Supporting Information
| Filename | Description |
|---|---|
| jsr12581-sup-0001-TableS1.docxWord document, 27.9 KB | Table S1. Associations between sleep measurements and T-scores assessing executive function. |
Please note: The publisher is not responsible for the content or functionality of any supporting information supplied by the authors. Any queries (other than missing content) should be directed to the corresponding author for the article.
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