Working memory, response inhibition, and within-subject variability in children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder or reading disorder

J Clin Exp Neuropsychol. 2010 Apr;32(4):366-79. doi: 10.1080/13803390903066865. Epub 2009 Oct 7.

Abstract

This study compared children with ADHD (n = 19), reading disorder (RD; n = 17), ADHD+RD (n = 21), and control children (n = 19) on linguistic and executive function measures. We found no evidence of response inhibition problems in ADHD or RD when a baseline measure of functioning was taken into account. General working memory problems were only found in children with RD or ADHD+RD. Both children with ADHD and RD showed a highly inaccurate (more commission errors) and variable (higher within-subject standard deviation of reaction time) response style. The comorbid group made most errors, suggesting that different factors underlie the high error rate in both disorders.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity / complications*
  • Child
  • Cognition Disorders / etiology*
  • Dyslexia / complications*
  • Executive Function / physiology
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Inhibition, Psychological*
  • Language Development Disorders
  • Male
  • Memory, Short-Term / physiology*
  • Neuropsychological Tests
  • Pattern Recognition, Visual / physiology
  • Phonetics
  • Photic Stimulation