To Study the Association between Daytime Sleepiness and Cognition as Tested by Stroop Test in Indian Medical Students

Abstract

Context: Human populations have undergone a steady constant decline in sleep hours attributable to changes in environmental and social circumstances. Excessive daytime sleepiness has been associated with a decreased capacity to perform daily activities and cognitive decline all over the world particularly among students. Aim: The aim of our study was to see the association between excessive daytime sleepiness and cognitive function in Indian medical students. Settings and Design: It was a cross-sectional study conducted in a Government Medical College located in the Delhi/NCR region. Materials and Methods: The study included 60 healthy young volunteers in the 18–30 years age group of both sexes. The students were assessed for daytime sleepiness using the Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS). Color–Word Stroop Test was used to assess cognition in both the groups. Statistical Analysis: Data were expressed as mean ± standard deviation and analyzed using SPSS Software Version 21. Results: The average score of the ESS scale of the participants was 7.33 ± 2.20. In the Stroop Test, the reaction time of congruent trial and incongruent trial was 24.81 ± 7.76 and 31.15 ± 8.03 s, respectively. No significant correlation was seen between the ESS score and parameters of the “Stroop Test.” Conclusion: The reaction time of the incongruent trial was significantly higher as compared to the congruent trial (P < 0.05) in the Stroop Task. No significant correlation was seen between the ESS score and Stroop Test results.