Electrophysiological changes in children with learning and attentional abnormalities as a function of age: event-related potentials to an "oddball" paradigm.
This study investigated age-related electrophysiological differences between children diagnosed with Learning Disabilities (LD), Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), LD-ADHD and Conduct Disorder, using Event-Related Potentials recorded during a two-tone discrimination test. Although age-related (N1 and N2 amplitude), as well as diagnostic group-related (P3 latency and amplitude) ERP changes were found, there was no significant interaction between the diagnostic groups and age grouping. We conclude that: 1) Electrophysiological abnormalities in LD and ADHD do not significantly change with age during childhood. This study does not, therefore, support a hypothesis of age-related brain abnormalities in LD and ADHD. 2) Significant group differences for P3 latency and amplitude were found between normal children and the LD groups (LD and LD-ADHD), but not between normal children and those with ADHD alone, suggesting that main correlates of P3 abnormalities in these children are "processing" and not attentional problems.
Frank
Y
Y
Division of Pediatric Neurology, North Shore University Hospital, New York University School of Medicine, Manhasset 11030, USA.
Seiden
J A
JA
Napolitano
B
B
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D001289:Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology*; D002648:Child; D002653:Child Behavior Disorders / Q000503:physiopathology*; D004569:Electroencephalography; D018913:Event-Related Potentials, P300; D005071:Evoked Potentials; D006801:Humans; D007859:Learning Disabilities / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology*