Diurnal variations of cognitive performances in Tunisian children

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of time-of-day on cognitive performance in Tunisian children in terms of constant attention (CA) and choice reaction time. The protocol involved 132 children (age: 10 +/- 0.7years) who performed two cognitive tasks, a choice-reaction test and the barrage test (measuring CA), at 09:00, 11:00, 14:00, and 16:00h on four consecutive Thursdays. The results showed significant time-of-day effects with both tests and also core temperature, with best performances and highest core temperatures at 16:00h. However, the profiles of the rhythms were not the same. Therefore, Thursday afternoons seem to be the best time for new learning in Tunisian children.