Research article summary (published 30 Aug 2004):

Visuo-spatial working memory span: a sensitive measure of cognitive deficits in children with ADHD.

Full Abstract

Working memory (WM) has been hypothesised to be impaired in attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). However, there are few studies reported on tests measuring visuo-spatial WM (VSWM) in ADHD. Some of these studies used paradigms including episodic memory, others only used low memory loads. In the present study we used a VSWM test that has not been used previously in ADHD research. The sensitivity of the VSWM test and a choice reaction time (CRT) test was evaluated in a pilot study by comparing them to two commonly used tests in ADHD-research; the Continuous Performance Test (CPT) and a Go/no-go test, in children with and without ADHD. The groups differed significantly in performance on the VSWM test (P < .01) and CRT (P < .05) but not on the CPT (P > .1) or on the Go/no-go test (P > .1). The results from the VSWM and CRT tests were replicated in a larger sample of participants (80 boys; 27 boys with ADHD and 53 controls, mean age 11.4 years). The difference between the groups was significant for both the VSWM test (P < .01) and the CRT test (P < .01). The effect size (ES) of the VSWM test was 1.34. There was a significant age-by-group interaction on the VSWM test, with larger group differences for the older children (P < .01). Our results show that the VSWM test is a sensitive measure of cognitive deficits in ADHD and it supports the hypothesis that deficits in VSWM is a major component of ADHD.

Author information

Author/s: Westerberg, Helena (H); Hirvikoski, Tatja (T); Forssberg, Hans (H); Klingberg, Torkel (T);

Affiliation: Department of Neuropediatrics, Karolinska Institute, Astrid Lindgrens Barnsjukhus Q2:07, 171 76 Stockholm, Sweden. helena.westerberg(-atsign-)ks.se

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Comparative Study; Journal Article; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

Journal: Child neuropsychology : a journal on normal and abnormal development in childhood and adolescence (Child Neuropsychol), published in Netherlands. (Language: eng)

Reference: 2004-Sep; vol 10 (issue 3) : pp 155-61

Dates: Created 2004/12/13; Completed 2005/01/26; Revised 2006/11/15;

PMID: 15590494, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 2/18/2009, IMS Date: )

Sourced from the National Library of Medicine. Abstract text and other information may be subject to copyright.

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MeSH headings (categories)

This article was linked to the MESH Headings shown below.

Adolescent Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity - complications; physiopathology; psychology Child Choice Behavior - physiology Cognition Disorders - complications; diagnosis; psychology Cues Female Humans Male Memory, Short-Term - physiology Neuropsychological Tests - statistics & numerical data

Neuropsychological Tests - statistics & numerical data Pilot Projects Predictive Value of Tests Reaction Time - physiology Reference Values Reproducibility of Results Sensitivity and Specificity Space Perception - physiology Sweden Task Performance and Analysis Visual Perception - physiology

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