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The effects of ADHD on cognitive performance
Emma Claesdotter1, Matti Cervin1, Sofia Åkerlund1
1a Department of Clinical Sciences Lund , Lund University , Lund , Sweden.
Nordic Journal of Psychiatry
|November 23, 2017
Summary
Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) impairs cognitive performance in youth. The Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery (CANTAB) effectively identifies these deficits, showing significant differences between ADHD and control groups.
Area of Science:
- Neuropsychology
- Developmental Psychology
- Psychiatry
Background:
- Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a prevalent neurodevelopmental disorder impacting cognitive functions.
- The Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery (CANTAB) offers a standardized, psychometrically sound method for assessing neuropsychological abilities.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the impact of ADHD on cognitive performance using CANTAB.
- To analyze cognitive data through regression modeling, specifically examining interaction terms between ADHD diagnosis and age.
Main Methods:
- 112 drug-naïve children and adolescents (7-18 years) diagnosed with ADHD (DSM IV criteria) and 95 age-matched controls participated.
- Five CANTAB tasks assessing executive functions were administered: Stockings of Cambridge (SOC), Intra/Extra dimensional shift (IED), Spatial Working Memory (SWM), Simple Reaction Time (SRT), and Stop Signal Task (SST).
Main Results:
- Significant cognitive performance differences were observed between ADHD and control groups across most CANTAB measures, excluding SOC.
- ADHD diagnosis demonstrated a significant main effect on performance, generally without interaction with age, suggesting parallel developmental trajectories.
- While most cognitive measures showed non-linear age effects, SWM strategy and SST direction errors exhibited linear age-related changes.
Conclusions:
- Cognitive performance is demonstrably impaired in youth with ADHD.
- The CANTAB battery is a valuable tool for the diagnostic assessment of ADHD, highlighting specific executive function deficits.
- The findings suggest that the impact of ADHD on these cognitive functions remains consistent across the studied age range, with parallel development observed in both ADHD and control groups.
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