[Neurocognitive symptoms of childhood attention deficit hyperactivity disorder].
OBJECTIVE
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder is the most common childhood-onset disorder that has been characterized with the dysfunction of executive functions. These functions are related to the frontal lobe, especially to different frontostriatal networks. The purpose of this study was to examine executive functions of 5-7 years old (non-literate) children with and without ADHD.


METHODS
We used well-known neuropsychological tests (and some other tests developed by us) which measure the organisation and execution of behavior and thinking. 31 children with ADHD and 26 healthy children without ADHD -- comparable to the other sample with respect to age and sex -- participated in this examination. We compared the two groups in terms of various aspects of executive functions, such as inhibition, attention, motor implementation and visual memory. The test battery used included the Colour Raven Test, a version of the Tower of Hanoi for children, the Bender A and B Test, the Block Design Subtest of the Wechsler Intelligence Scale, the children version of Rey Complex Figure Test, the Picture Attention Test and the Fruit Stroop Test. In order to explore the characteristics of the variables, the factor-analytic method was used by which the various aspects of executive functions could be separated.


RESULTS
Statistical comparison of the two groups revealed that several aspects of executive dysfunctions (strategy-constitution, inhibition, attention and motor implementation) can be seen in ADHD.
Szérémi
Andrea
A
Vadaskert Gyermekpszichiatriai Korhaz es Szakambulancia, Beregszasz u. 145, Budapest, 1112 Hungary. tarnok@vadasnet.hu
Tárnok
Zsanett
Z
Farkas
Luca
L
Dótzi
József
J
Gádoros
Júlia
J
D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001288:Attention; D001289:Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003071:Cognition; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis; D005163:Factor Analysis, Statistical; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests