Attentional functions in children and adolescents with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder with and without comorbid tic disorder

Abstract

Although the coexistence of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and tic disorder (TD) is common, the nature of association is yet not fully understood. Thus, the aim of the present study was to explore attentional dysfunction in children with pure ADHD compared to children with comorbid ADHD + TD. Three groups of 20 children each, aged 8-15 years with either ADHD, ADHD + chronic tic disorder or Tourette syndrome (ADHD + TD) and a healthy control group were compared in their performance on three computerized attention tasks. Tasks of sustained attention, selective attention and interference control were employed. In addition, parental ratings of ADHD symptom severity and behaviour problems were obtained. Both clinical groups were rated as equally inattentive, however, externalising symptoms were more severe in the ADHD group. Objective measures of attentional performance revealed differences between the groups: whereas the ADHD group was markedly impaired in sustaining attention and selective attention/inhibitory control, the ADHD + TD group only showed marginal deficits in selective attention/inhibitory control. Possible explanations for the superior performance of the comorbid group are discussed: In particular, the results may indicate that in some patients, the tic disorder produces behavioural symptoms of ADHD, but not the broad neurocognitive deficits that usually are associated with ADHD. Alternatively, compensatory neural mechanisms of TD patients may result in a better neuropsychological performance of comorbid patients relative to patients suffering from pure ADHD.