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Response switching process in children with attention-deficit-hyperactivity disorder on the novel continuous
Yuki Inoue1, Masumi Inagaki, Atsuko Gunji
1Department of Developmental Disorders, National Institute of Mental Health, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, Tokyo, Japan. yinoue@ncnp.go.jp
Developmental Medicine and Child Neurology
|March 22, 2008
Summary
Children with attention-deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) struggle with response switching on tasks requiring inhibition. This difficulty was evident in increased commission errors during switched trials compared to repeated trials.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Developmental Psychology
- Clinical Psychology
Background:
- Attention-deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by inattention and hyperactivity.
- Previous research indicates executive function deficits in children with ADHD, impacting cognitive control.
- Understanding trial-to-trial performance variations is crucial for characterizing ADHD-related cognitive impairments.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the impact of previous trial type on subsequent performance in a continuous performance test (CPT).
- To compare response switching abilities between children with ADHD and neurotypical children.
- To determine if specific error types (omission vs. commission) are differentially affected by trial history in ADHD.
Main Methods:
- A novel continuous performance test (CPT) with 50% target probability was administered to 35 children with ADHD and 33 comparison children.
- Performance metrics analyzed included reaction time, reaction time variability, omission errors, and commission errors.
- Trials were categorized as 'repeated' (requiring the same response consecutively) or 'switched' (requiring a different response).
Main Results:
- Children with ADHD exhibited a significantly greater increase in commission error rate from repeated to switched trials compared to controls, indicating heightened switch costs.
- Omission error rates were not significantly affected by trial history (repeated vs. switched) in either group.
- The findings suggest that children with ADHD experience particular difficulty with response inhibition during switching.
Conclusions:
- Children with ADHD demonstrate impaired response switching, specifically when inhibitory control is required.
- The increased commission errors in switched trials highlight a deficit in cognitive flexibility and inhibitory control in ADHD.
- These results underscore the importance of considering trial history and inhibitory demands in CPT performance assessment for ADHD.
