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Distractibility in AD/HD predominantly inattentive and combined subtypes: the P3a ERP component, heart rate and performance

Authors :
Evian Gordon
Leanne M. Williams
C.R. Clark
Daniel F. Hermens
Chris Lamb
David P. Crewther
Hannah Keage
Simon Clarke
Michael Kohn
Keage, Hannah
Clark, Christopher
Hermens, D
Kohn, Michael
Clarke, Simon
Williams, Leanne
Crewther, D
Lamb, Christopher
Gordon, Evian
Source :
Journal of integrative neuroscience. 5(1)
Publication Year :
2005

Abstract

The current study aimed to investigate whether children and adolescents diagnosed with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Predominantly Inattentive (AD/HD-in; Child n = 24, Adolescent n = 33) and Combined (AD/HD-com; Child n = 30, Adolescent n = 42) subtypes were more distractible than controls (Child n = 54; Adolescents n = 75), by assessing event-related potential (ERP), performance and peripheral arousal measures. All AD/HD groups displayed smaller amplitudes and/or shorter latencies of the P3a ERP component — thought to reflect involuntary attention switching — following task-deviant novel stimuli (checkerboard patterns) embedded in a Working Memory (WM) task. The P3a results suggested that both AD/HD-in and AD/HD-com subtypes ineffectively evaluate deviant stimuli and are hence more "distractible". These abnormalities were most pronounced over the central areas. AD/HD groups did not display any abnormalities in averaged heart rate over the WM task, a measure of peripheral arousal. They did display abnormalities in performance measures from the task, but these were unrelated to P3a abnormalities. AD/HD groups also displayed a number of deficits on Switching of Attention and Verbal Memory tasks, however, the pattern of abnormality mostly reflected general cognitive deficits rather than resulting from distraction.

Details

ISSN :
02196352
Volume :
5
Issue :
1
Database :
OpenAIRE
Journal :
Journal of integrative neuroscience
Accession number :
edsair.doi.dedup.....e56bdeca8dd88851722b14e83cb45dd4