Time-of-day variation in sustained attentional control

ABSTRACT

Sustained attention is a fundamental cognitive function underlying many activities in daily life including workplace safety, but its natural variation throughout the day is incompletely characterized. To examine time-of-day variation, we collected a large online data set (N = 6,363) with participation throughout the day and around the world on the gradual-onset continuous performance task, a sensitive measure of sustained attention. This allowed us to examine accuracy, attentional stability, and strategy. Results show that both accuracy and attentional stability peak between 9:00 and 11:00 a.m. and progressively decline throughout the day, whereas strategy is more stable.

KEYWORDS:

• Attentional control
• circadian
• homeostatic sleep pressure
• sustained attentional control
• time of day
• vigilance

Declaration Of Interest

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Funding

This work was supported by the US Department of Veteran Affairs Rehabilitation Research and Development Traumatic Brain Injury Center of Excellence (J.D, B6796-C), Veteran Affairs Advanced Geriatric Fellowship (E.R.), and Clinical Science Research & Development Career Development Award (M.E., 1IK2CX000706-01A2).

Supplemental data

Supplementary material for this article can be accessed online at www.tandfonline.com/icbi.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the US Department of Veteran Affairs Rehabilitation Research and Development Traumatic Brain Injury Center of Excellence (J.D, B6796-C), Veteran Affairs Advanced Geriatric Fellowship (E.R.), and Clinical Science Research & Development Career Development Award (M.E., 1IK2CX000706-01A2).