Recognition memory for pictures in children with ADHD: An event-related potential study

Abstract

Objective: Children with ADHD are reported to accompany by various degrees of recognition memory cognitive deficits. We aimed to investigate age-related changes of the amplitude in event-related potential recordings on recognition memory in Chinese children with ADHD and to provide theoretical basis of neuro-electrophysiology for the cognition development of children. Method: ERP and behavioral data of 6-to-10-year-old children with ADHD (n = 94) and typically developing controls (TD, n = 96) were collected while the children performed a classical visual study-test paradigm task. Results: Children with ADHD have defects in pictures recognition and showed a significantly smaller P2 component than that of TD children. The development of P2 and P3 component were different between the two groups. Moreover, the TD children showed the frontal old/new effect (N2) taken as a correlate of familiarity at 6 years old, and a parietal old/new effect (P3) taken as a correlate of recollection at 9 years old, while children with ADHD showed a parietal old/new effect (P3) only at 6 years old. Conclusion: Our study provided the novel evidence that recognition memory follow different developmental trajectories at the age of 6-10 between TD and ADHD.