Unrecognized Cognitive Dysfunction in Teenagers Associated with Sleep Deprivation

Overview

Purpose: The purpose of this project is to evaluate impact of unrecognized cognitive dysfunctions associated with sleep deprivation caused by smartphone technology in teenagers. Procedure: The project was explained to each of the six participants. They were notified to monitor their sleep for eight hours in the first night of testing and not allowed to use their cellphone prior to going to bed. The next day each subject completed the concentration CAB-AT test on Cognifit. Three nights later, the subjects slept for less than six hours and utilized technology before going to bed. The CAB-AT test from Cognifit was retaken the next day. The data between both nights were compared at the end of the experiment. Result: When comparing to sleep deprivation the average focused attention score was 439 with 6-hour sleep and 515 with 8-hour sleep. The Updating score for the subjects with 6-hour sleep was 193 while there compared scores with 8-hour sleep were averaged to 265. The average divided attention scores with sleep for 6-hour was 336 while the scores during 8-hour sleep were 251. Lastly, the average inhibition scores for subjects with 6-hour sleep was 343 and 6-hour sleep was a score of 356. Comparing subjects from 8-hour sleep to 8-hour sleep, there was an average improvement in focused attention scores by 17%, updating scores by 37%, and the inhibition score had a slight rise of 3.8%. But the average scores for divided attention showed a decrease by 33% when subjects slept for 8 hours. Three out of four parameters of cognitive functions including, focused attention, updating, and inhibition showed improvement compared to divided attention with improved sleep hygiene in teenagers. When evaluating teenagers’ overall well-being in a setting of sleep deprivation, there was no significant difference noted in physical, social, and psychological health. Cognitive functions were seen to be affected the most. Conclusion: Sleep deprivation caused by smartphone technology in teenager is associated with cognitive dysfunction compared to subjects with more than eight hours of sleep and good sleep hygiene.

Competition history

• AJAS 2024 Category not listed

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