Attentional versus motor inhibition in adults with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder.

Full Abstract

Faulty inhibition is theorized to be a central feature in attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), but it remains unclear whether inhibitory impairments encompass both motoric and attentional domains. Further, characterization of inhibitory deficits in adults with ADHD is needed. We experimentally assessed adults who met diagnostic criteria for ADHD and a subgroup who had partially remitted. Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (4th ed.; American Psychiatric Association, 1994) subtype effects were also examined. Motoric inhibition was assessed with the antisaccade task, and attentional inhibition was assessed with the attentional blink (AB) task. Antisaccade results replicated prior findings of extended latencies and increased anticipatory saccades in ADHD. Errors, however, appeared to be epiphenomenal to ADHD as they were absent when symptoms had partially remitted. Anticipatory saccades appeared as potential core problems that remained even when symptoms had improved. Differential response patterns were found for predominantly inattentive and combined subtypes, with the latter showing increasing anticipatory movements with increasing fixation time. In the AB task, ADHD groups committed more errors but showed no convincing evidence of an abnormal blink. These results demonstrate clear effects on motoric inhibition but not attentional inhibition in adults with ADHD.((c) 2006 APA, all rights reserved).

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Author information

Author/s: Carr, Laurie A (LA); Nigg, Joel T (JT); Henderson, John M (JM);

Affiliation: Department of Psychology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA. carrlaur(-atsign-)msu.edu

Grants: R01 MH 63146 (Agency:NIMH NIH HHS)

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Comparative Study; Journal Article; Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

Journal: Neuropsychology (Neuropsychology), published in United States. (Language: eng)

Reference: 2006-Jul; vol 20 (issue 4) : pp 430-41

Dates: Created 2006/07/18; Completed 2006/09/19; Revised 2007/11/14;

PMID: 16846261, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 12/26/2008)

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MeSH headings (categories)

This article was linked to the MESH Headings shown below.

Adolescent
Adult
Analysis of Variance
Attention - physiology
Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity - classification; physiopathology
Blinking - physiology
Case-Control Studies
Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders

Female
Humans
Inhibition (Psychology)
Male
Neuropsychological Tests - statistics & numerical data
Reaction Time - physiology
Saccades - physiology
Time Factors

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