Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 20, 2026

Using Brain Activation (nir-HEG/Q-EEG) and Execution Measures (CPTs) in a ADHD Assessment Protocol
Published on: April 1, 2018
"Ecological" and highly demanding executive tasks detect real-life deficits in high-functioning adult ADHD patients
Teresa Torralva1, Ezequiel Gleichgerrcht, Alicia Lischinsky
1Institute of Cognitive Neurology, Buenos Aires, Argentina. ttorralva@neurolgiacognitiva.org
Objective:
Many adult ADHD patients with a convincing history of real-life executive deficits perform entirely within normal limits or with minimally impaired performance in classical executive tests. The authors assessed a group of high cognitive functioning adult ADHD participants on "ecological" and "highly demanding" executive tasks.
Method:
A total of 117 adult ADHD participants were classified as showing either a high-functioning (Hi-ADHD) or a low-functioning (Lo-ADHD) neuropsychological profile based on standard assessment. Their performance was compared with healthy controls (n = 21) on an ecological task of executive function (the hotel task) and computerized tasks of high cognitive demand.
Results:
Lo-ADHD significantly differed from controls on multiple standard neuropsychological variables as well as on the experimental tasks. Hi-ADHD and healthy controls did not differ significantly on any of the standard neuropsychological variables, but a significant difference was found between the groups on measures of the experimental tasks.
Conclusion:
Real-life executive dysfunction of patients with ADHD who perform within normal range on standard assessment can be detected with the use of more ecological and highly demanding tasks.
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