Motor dysfunction in NF1: Mediated by attention deficit or inherent to the disorder?

Attention deficit and compromised motor skills are both prevalent in Neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1), but the relationship is unclear. We investigated motor function in children with NF1 and in children with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), and explored if, in patients with NF1, attention deficit influences motor performance.

Motor performance was measured using the Movement Assessment Battery for Children (M-ABC) in 71 children (26 with NF1 plus ADHD, 14 with NF1 without ADHD, and 31 with ADHD without NF1) aged 6-12 years.

There was a significant effect of group on motor performance. Both NF1 groups scored below children with ADHD without NF1. Attention performance mediated motor performance in children with ADHD without NF1, but not in children with NF1.

Motor function is not mediated by attention performance in children with NF1. While in ADHD, attention deficit influences motor performance, motor problems in NF1 seem to be independent from attention deficit. This argues for different pathomechanisms in these two groups of developmental disorders.