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Visual spatial attention in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder
Chung-Yao Chen1, Chia-Ling Chen, Ching-Yi Wu
1Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC.
Insights
Children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) exhibit slower reaction times and impaired visual-spatial attention. This study reveals general attention deficits and specific left parietal dysfunction in ADHD, impacting covert shifts and sustained attention.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Developmental Psychology
- Cognitive Science
Background:
- Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is characterized by attention deficits, but visual-spatial attention impairments in children with ADHD remain debated.
- This study investigates visual-spatial attention, including covert shifts and sustained attention, linked to distinct brain regions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess visual-spatial attention deficits in children with ADHD.
- To explore the neuroanatomical basis of attention deficits in ADHD by examining posterior and anterior attentional systems.
Main Methods:
- Utilized the Neuroscan system to measure reaction times (RT) in children with and without ADHD.
- Employed within-subject conditions: cueing (valid, invalid, neutral), delay (800ms, 100ms), and visual field (RVF, LVF).
Main Results:
- Children with ADHD showed significantly slower overall RTs (760ms) compared to controls (650ms).
- A 100ms delay condition resulted in slower RTs than an 800ms delay across all children.
- The ADHD group exhibited lateralized RT differences in the 100ms delay, specifically slower RTs in the right visual field for invalid cues, suggesting asymmetric parietal dysfunction.
Conclusions:
- ADHD is associated with general attentional dysfunction, affecting both posterior-based covert attention shifts and anterior-based sustained attention.
- Evidence suggests asymmetric left parietal dysfunction in the disengagement of attention in children with ADHD.
Background:
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) was characterized by deficit in the attention mechanism. Until now, the visual-spatial attention deficit in children with ADHD remains controversial. We report a study of the visual spatial attention to assess covert shifts of attention and sustained attention theoretically linked to two neuroanatomically defined attentional system in the posterior and anterior parts of the human brain.
Methods:
Using the Neuroscan system, the reaction time (RT) was measured according to three different within-subject conditions including cueing (valid, invalid and neutral); delay (800 msec and 100 msec); side [right visual field (RVF) and left visual field (LVF)] as well as one between-subject condition (healthy, ADHD).
Results:
The AHDH group showed slower RTs overall (RT = 760 msec) than the comparison group (RT = 650 msec) (p = 0.001). RTs in the delayed condition of 800 msec (RT = 680 msec) were faster than in the delayed condition of 100 msec (RT = 730 msec) in all children (p < 0.001). The ADHD group showed significant lateral differences in RT (RTRVF: 880 msec > RTLVF: 830 msec) in the 100 msec delay for the invalid cueing condition (p = 0.045) that was not found in the comparison group.
Conclusion:
General dysfunction including posterior-based covert shift of attention and anterior-based sustained attention was found in ADHD group. Furthermore, asymmetric left parietal dysfunction in the disengaged operation was noted in those with ADHD.