嚼檳榔是否會影響睡眠剝奪後的有效視域？

Can Betel Nut Chewing Affect the UFOV Size after Sleep Deprivation?

檳榔是台灣在內的許多亞洲國家常見的提神物品。但是，只有極少的有關檳榔嚼食的行為研究報告。本研究檢驗在睡眠剝奪之下，檳榔嚼食對有效視域的影響。在剝奪一夜睡眠之後，習慣嚼食者與從未嚼食者嚼食檳榔或者口香糖，接著進行有效視域作業。在有效視域作業中，參與者需要辨認單一中央目標、同時辨別中央目標與周邊目標，以及同時辨別中央目標與在干擾物中的周邊目標。我們發現對習慣嚼食者，但非從未嚼食者，嚼食檳榔能擴大他們的有效視域。本研究對長時間工作者以嚼檳榔提神之重要意涵也在文中討論。

Betel nut is a common stimulant in many Asian countries, including Taiwan. However, few behavioral studies focusing on the betel nut chewing effects were reported. The current study examined the effects of betel nut chewing on the useful field of view (UFOV) under sleep deprivation. After one night of deprived sleep, habitual chewers and non-chewers chewed either betel nut or gum before proceeding to the UFOV subtests. In the UFOV subtests, participants needed to identify the central target, divide their attention to the peripheral target, and detect the peripheral target embedded in the distractors while identifying the central target. We report that betel nut chewing could broaden the UFOV size for the habitual chewers, but not for the non-chewers. The implication for people often chewing betel nut for refreshment during long-hour working is discussed.