[The neuropsychological phenotype of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: are there differences among subtypes?].
BACKGROUND
Recent studies suggest that the ADHD subtypes would be best conceptualized as separate clinical entities, based on their epidemiology, central and associate symptomatology.


OBJECTIVE
To determine the differences and similarities between subtypes in its associate symptomatology, specifically in the neuropsychological phenotype of executive dysfunction.


METHODS
A group of children between 6 and 14 years of age with a diagnosis of ADHD-innattentive subtype (DESAT, n = 20) and another with ADHD-combined subtype (COMB, n = 39).


RESULTS
Overall, the COMB subject sample displayed lower performance than DESAT group. Statistically significant differences were found in Kaufman-ABC-hands movement subtest, Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST)-total error and WCST-conceptual level.


CONCLUSIONS
The subtypes differ significantly in measures or non verbal working memory, hindsight, foresight, and motor control. Both groups share a deficit in response output speed and verbal working memory. We hypothesized areas of cognitive superiority for each subtype: spatial memory for the inattentive and gestaltic composition for the combined. Results provide evidence to support quantitative and qualitative differences in the neuropsychological profile between the ADHD-innatentive and combined subtypes.
Capdevila-Brophy
C
C
Universidad Autonoma de Barcelona, Facultad de Psicologia, 08193 Bellaterra, Espana. conniecb@copc.es
Artigas-Pallarés
J
J
Ramirez-Mallafré
A
A
López-Rosendo
M
M
Real
J
J
Obiols-Llandrich
J E
JE
D001289:Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics*; D010641:Phenotype