Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-t7czq Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-01T00:44:32.277Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Neurocognitive Functioning in Adults With Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  07 November 2014

Jessica Himelstein  and
Jeffrey M. Halperin
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

The performance of nine adults with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) was compared with the performance of 23 normal controls on computerized measures of target orientation, sustained attention, encoding speed, and motor output/response organization to determine the nature of the neurocognitive deficits of adults with ADHD. While the groups' performances on measures of sustained attention and encoding speed did not differ, significant group differences were seen on a task that targeted motor output/response organization. These data suggest that the neurocognitive difficulties of ADHD adults are not related to a primary deficit in sustained attentional functioning. Rather, the deficient information processing in ADHD adults is related to difficulties with motor output/response organization.

Type
Feature Article
Information
CNS Spectrums , Volume 5 , Issue 6: Toward a Fresh Understanding of ADHD , June 2000 , pp. 58 - 64
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2000

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

1.Spencer, T, Wilens, T, Biederman, J, et al.A double-blind, crossover comparison of methylphenidate and placebo in adults with childhood-onset attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder. Arch Gen Psychiatry. 1995;52:434–443.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
2.Mannuza, S, Klein, RG, Bessler, A, et al.Adult outcome of hyperactive boys: educational achievement, occupational rank and psychiatric status. Arch Gen Psychiatry. 1993;50:565–576.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
3.Weiss, G, Hechtman, L, Milroy, T, et al.Psychiatric status of hyperactives as adults: a controlled prospective 15-year follow-up of 63 hyperactive children. J Am Acad Child Psychiatry. 1985;24:211–220.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
4.Wender, PH, Reimherr, FW, Wood, DR. Attention deficit disorder (‘minimal brain dysfunction’) in adults. Arch Gen Psychiatry. 1981;38:449–456.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
5.Biederman, J, Faraone, SV, Mick, E, et al.High risk for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder among children of parents with childhood onset of the disorder: a pilot study. Am J Psychiatry. 1995;152:431–435.Google ScholarPubMed
6.Manshadi, M, Lippmann, S, O’Daniel, RG, et al.Alcohol abuse and attention deficit disorder. J Clin Psychiatry. 1983;44:379–380.Google ScholarPubMed
7.Wender, PH, Reimherr, FW, Wood, DR, et al.A controlled study of methylphenidate in the treatment of attention deficit disorder, residual type, in adults. Am J Psychiatry. 1985;142:547–552.Google ScholarPubMed
8.Biederman, J, Faraone, SV, Spencer, T, et al.Patterns of psychiatric comorbidity, cognition and psychosocial functioning in adults with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Am J Psychiatry. 1993;150:1792–1798.Google ScholarPubMed
9.Lou, HC, Henriksen, L, Bruhn, P. Focal cerebral hypoperfusion in children with dysphasia and/or attention deficit disorder. Arch Neurol. 1984;41:825–829.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
10.Zametkin, AJ, Nordahl, TE, Gross, M, et al.Cerebral glucose metabolism in adults with hyperactivity of childhood onset. N Engl J Med. 1990;323:1361–1366.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
11.Marks, DJ, McKay, KE, Himelstein, J, et al.Comorbidity in adults with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Proc NY Acad Sci. In Press.Google Scholar
12.Douglas, VI. Attentional and cognitive problems. In: Rutter, M, ed. Developmental Neuropsychiatry. New York, NY: Guilford Press; 1983:280–329.Google Scholar
13.Corkum, PV, Siegel, LS. Is the continuous performance test a valuable research tool for use with children with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder? J Child Psychol Psychiatry. 1993;34:1217–1239.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
14.Halperin, JM, Matier, K, Bedi, G, et al.Specificity of inattention, impulsivity, and hyperactivity to the diagnosis of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 1992;31:190–196.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
15.McClure, RD, Gordon, M. The performance of disturbed hyperactive and nonhyperactive children on an objective measure of hyperactivity. J Abnorm Child Psychol. 1984;12:561–572.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
16.O’Dougherty, M, Neuchterlein, KH, Drew, B. Hyperactive and hypoxic children: signal detection, sustained attention, and behavior. J Abnorm Psychol. 1984;93:178–191.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
17.Rosenthal, HR, Allen, TW. An examination of attention, arousal and learning dysfunction of hyperkinetic children. Psychol Bull. 1978;85:689–715.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
18.Sykes, DH, Douglas, VI, Morgenstern, G. Sustained attention in hyperactive children. J Child Psychol Psychiatry. 1973;14:213–220.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
19.Seidel, WT, Joschko, M. Evidence of difficulties in sustained attention in children with ADDH. J Abnorm Child Psychol. 1990;18:217–229.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
20.Schachar, R, Logan, G, Wachsmucth, R, et al.Attaining and maintaining preparation: a comparison of attention in hyperactive, normal, and disturbed control children. J Abnorm Child Psychol. 1988;16:361–378.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
21.van der Meere, J, Sergeant, J. Controlled processing and vigilance in hyperactivity: time will tell. J Abnorm Child Psychol. 1988;16:641–655.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
22.van der Meere, J, van Baal, M, Sergeant, J. The additive factor method: a differential diagnostic tool in hyperactivity and learning disability. J Abnorm Child Psychol. 1989;17:409–422.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
23.van der Meere, J, Sergeant, J. Focused attention in pervasively hyperactive children. J Abnorm Child Psychol. 1988;16:627–639.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
24.van der Meere, J, Sergeant, J. A divided attention experiment with pervasively hyperactive children. J Abnorm Child Psychol. 1987;15:379–392.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
25.van der Meere, J. The role of attention. In: Sandberg, S, ed. Monographs on Child and Adolescent Psychiatry: Hyperactive Disorders. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press; 1996:109–145.Google Scholar
26.Barkley, RA. Behavioral inhibition, sustained attention, and executive functions: constructing a unified theory of ADHD. Psychol Bull. 1997;121:65–94.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
27.Pennington, BF, Groisser, D, Welsh, MC. Contrasting cognitive deficits in attention deficit hyperactivity disorder versus reading disability. Dev Psychol. 1993;29:511–523.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
28.Barkley, RA, Grodzinsky, G, DuPaul, GJ. Frontal lobe functions in attention deficit disorder with and without hyperactivity: a review and research report. J Abnorm Child Psychol. 1992;20:163–188.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
29.Benson, DF. The role of frontal dysfunction in attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. J Child Neurol. 1991;6(suppl):S9–S12.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
30.Mattes, JA. The role of frontal lobe dysfunction in childhood hyperkinesis. Compr Psychiatry. 1980;21:358–369.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
31.Laria, A. The Working Brain. New York: Basic Books; 1973.Google Scholar
32.Denckla, MB. The child with developmental disabilities grown up: adult residue of childhood disorders. Behav Neurol. 1993;11:105–125.Google Scholar
33.McKay, KE, Halperin, JM, Schwartz, ST, et al.Developmental analysis of three aspects of information processing: sustained attention, selective attention, and response organization. Dev Neuropsychol. 1994;110:121–132.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
34.Welsh, M, Pennington, BF. Assessing frontal lobe functioning in children: views from developmental psychology. Dev Neuropsychol. 1988;4:199–230.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
35.Welsh, M, Pennington, BF, Grossier, DB. A normative-developmental study of executive function: a window on prefrontal function in children? Dev Neuropsychol. 1991;7:131–149.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
36.Passler, MA, Isaac, W, Hynd, GW. Neuropsychological development of behavior attributed to frontal lobe functioning in children. Dev Neuropsychol. 1985;1:349–370.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
37.Luria, AR. The Working Brain: An Introduction to Neuropsychology. New York, NY: Basic Books; 1973.Google Scholar
38.Barkley, RA. Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: A Handbook for Diagnosis and Treatment. New York, NY: Guilford Press; 1990.Google Scholar
39.Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. 3rd ed rev. Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Association; 1987.Google Scholar
40.Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. 4th ed rev. Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Association; 1994.Google Scholar
41.Kaufman, AS, Kaufman, NL. Kaufman Brief Intelligence Test. Circle Pines, Minn: American Guidance Service; 1990.Google Scholar
42.Wilkinson, GS. The Wide Range Achievement Test-3. Wilmington, Del: Wide Range; 1993.Google Scholar
43.Dykman, RA, Ackerman, PT, Oglesby, DM. Selective and sustained attention in hyperactive, learning disabled, and normal boys. J Nerv Ment Dis. 1979;167:288–297.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
44.Denckla, MB. Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder-residual type. J Child Neurol. 1991;6(suppl):S42–S48.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
45.Walker, AJ, Shores, EA, Trollor, JN, et al.Neuropsychological functioning of adults with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. J Clin Exp Neuropsychol. 2000;22:115–124.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
46.Lovejoy, DW, Ball, JD, Keats, M, et al.Neuropsychological performance of adults with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD): diagnostic classification estimates for measures of frontal lobe/executive functioning. J Int Neuropsychol Soc. 1999;5:222–233.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
47.Kovner, R, Budman, C, Frank, Y, Sison, C, Lesser, M, Halperin, J. Neuropsychological testing in adult attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: a pilot study. Int J Neurosci. 1998;96:225–235.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
48.Katz, LM, Wood, DS, Goldstein, G, Auchenbach, RC, Geckle, M. The utility of neuropsychological tests in evaluation of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) versus depression in adults. Assessment. 1998;5:45–52.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed