[A preliminary study on the attentional networks of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the efficiency of the three attentional networks in attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).


METHODS
Subjects were 25 children, aged 7 to 12 years, with DSM-IV ADHD and 25 non-ADHD controls matched by age, sex and IQ. Attentional networks tests were performed in all the subjects on an IBM compatible computer.


RESULTS
No differences were found between the ADHD children and the normal controls in alerting and orienting effects. However, ADHD children had a significantly larger executive control effect than their normal counterparts. The general accuracy of the ADHD children was significantly lower than that of the normal controls.


CONCLUSIONS
ADHD children may have impairments in their executive control network of attention.
Institute of Mental Health   Peking University, Beijing 100083, China.
Bing
B
Wang
Man-qiu
MQ
Sui
Yu-feng
YF
Wang
Jin
J
Fan
D001288:Attention / Q000502:physiology*; D001289:Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology; D002648:Child; D003198:Computer Simulation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009415:Nerve Net / Q000502:physiology*; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D012984:Software