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01-01-2012 | Biological Child and Adolescent Psychiatry - Original Article

Set shifting and working memory in adults with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder

Authors: Helena Rohlf, Viola Jucksch, Caterina Gawrilow, Michael Huss, Jakob Hein, Ulrike Lehmkuhl, Harriet Salbach-Andrae

Published in: Journal of Neural Transmission | Issue 1/2012

Abstract

Compared to the high number of studies that investigated executive functions (EF) in children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), a little is known about the EF performance of adults with ADHD. This study compared 37 adults with ADHD (ADHD_total) and 32 control participants who were equivalent in age, intelligence quotient (IQ), sex, and years of education, in two domains of EF—set shifting and working memory. Additionally, the ADHD_total group was subdivided into two subgroups: ADHD patients without comorbidity (ADHD⁻, n = 19) and patients with at least one comorbid disorder (ADHD⁺, n = 18). Participants fulfilled two measures for set shifting (i.e., the trail making test, TMT and a computerized card sorting test, CKV) and one measure for working memory (i.e., digit span test, DS). Compared to the control group the ADHD_total group displayed deficits in set shifting and working memory. The differences between the groups were of medium-to-large effect size (TMT: d = 0.48; DS: d = 0.51; CKV: d = 0.74). The subgroup comparison of the ADHD⁺ group and the ADHD⁻ group revealed a poorer performance in general information processing speed for the ADHD⁺ group. With regard to set shifting and working memory, no significant differences could be found between the two subgroups. These results suggest that the deficits of the ADHD_total group are attributable to ADHD rather than to comorbidity. An influence of comorbidity, however, could not be completely ruled out as there was a trend of a poorer performance in the ADHD⁺ group on some of the outcome measures.

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Title: Set shifting and working memory in adults with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder
Authors: Helena Rohlf
Viola Jucksch
Caterina Gawrilow
Michael Huss
Jakob Hein
Ulrike Lehmkuhl
Harriet Salbach-Andrae
Publication date: 01-01-2012
Publisher: Springer Vienna
Published in: Journal of Neural Transmission / Issue 1/2012
Print ISSN: 0300-9564
Electronic ISSN: 1435-1463
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00702-011-0660-3

At a glance: The STEP trials

Springer Medicine

Set shifting and working memory in adults with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder

Abstract

At a glance: The STEP trials

Springer Medicine

Abstract

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