Background: The role of a developmental lag for deficits of higher brain functions in ADHD

When measuring attentional functions, the selection of an appropriate time window seems to be essential for the detection of group differences between ADHD children and controls, because group differences are most pronounced before adolescence. The different developmental course of selective components of attention should be taken into account.

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In order to classify attention-deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in 11-year-old children, the role of specific attentional and motor deficits was examined. Participants comprised 22 children with ADHD (19 male, 3 female; median age 11 years, range 8.8 to 13.5 years) and 20 control children (17 male, 3 female; median age 10.6 years, range 8.2 to 12.6 years). Neuromotor assessment indicated that while both groups needed more time to complete finger compared to hand movements, this increase was more pronounced in children with ADHD. Reaction-time testing with continuous-force recording identified both motor and attentional deficits in children with ADHD. Longer intervals between force onset and force peak, and higher rate of responses with multiple force peaks (particularly in the bilateral condition) revealed specific deficits in the speed and quality of their motor output. Increase in errors and variability of force onsets indicated attentional deficits. Prediction analysis indicated that force-onset variability contributed significantly to group classification which was 85.7% correct. Neither neuromotor assessment nor specific motor deficits contributed significantly to classification, indicating that pure motor-speed measures play a minor role in characterizing ADHD in this age range.

In order to classify attention-deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in 11-year-old children, the role of specific attentional and motor deficits was examined. Participants comprised 22 children with ADHD (19 male, 3 female; median age 11 years, range 8.8 to 13.5 years) and 20 control children (17 male, 3 female; median age 10.6 years, range 8.2 to 12.6 years). Neuromotor assessment indicated that while both groups needed more time to complete finger compared to hand movements, this increase was more pronounced in children with ADHD. Reaction-time testing with continuous-force recording identified both motor and attentional deficits in children with ADHD. Longer intervals between force onset and force peak, and higher rate of responses with multiple force peaks (particularly in the bilateral condition) revealed specific deficits in the speed and quality of their motor output. Increase in errors and variability of force onsets indicated attentional deficits. Prediction analysis indicated that force-onset variability contributed significantly to group classification which was 85.7% correct. Neither neuromotor assessment nor specific motor deficits contributed significantly to classification, indicating that pure motor-speed measures play a minor role in characterizing ADHD in this age range.

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Zusammenfassung: Die Studie diente der klinischen Validierung der Testbatterie zur Aufmerksamkeitsprüfung (TAP) bei Kindern mit Aufmerksamkeits-/Hyperaktivitätsstörungen. Die Stichprobe bestand aus 20 Jungen mit Aufmerksamkeits-/Hyperaktivitätsstörungen und 20 männlichen Kontrollkindern im Alter von 7;5-13;5 Jahren. Die beiden Gruppen wurden bezüglich spezifischer und allgemeiner Aufmerksamkeitsfunktionen verglichen. Allgemein zeigte die Gruppe der Kinder mit Aufmerksamkeits-/Hyperaktivitätsstörungen im Vergleich zur Kontrollgruppe mehr Fehler und Auslassungen und erhöhte intraindividuelle Streuungen der Reaktionszeiten in verschiedenen Subtests. Die Untersuchung der diskriminativen Validität der TAP-Tests ergab, dass durch zwei Testmaße und unter Berücksichtigung des Testalters 90 % der Kinder beider Gruppen richtig klassifiziert werden konnten. Ein spezifisches Aufmerksamkeitsdefizit der Kinder mit Aufmerksamkeits-/Hyperaktivitätsstörungen wurde nur in einem Subtest, in dem das Tempo der Reizdarbietung nicht vorgegeben war, d. h. in einer zeitlich wenig strukturierten Aufgabe, festgestellt. Die Untersuchung spricht für die klinische Validität der TAP-Testbatterie zur Untersuchung von Kindern mit Aufmerksamkeits-/Hyperaktivitätsstörungen.