Attentional functions in children and adolescents with ADHD, depressive disorders, and the comorbid condition.
BACKGROUND
Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and depressive disorders (DDs) often co-occur in children and adolescents, but evidence on the respective influence of these disorders on attention parameters is inconsistent. This study examines the influence of DDs on ADHD in a model-oriented approach that includes selectivity and intensity attention parameters.


METHODS
Ten- to fifteen-year-olds with ADHD (n=63), DDs (n=61), ADHD+DDs (n=64), and healthy controls (n=64) completed a battery of tests including five neuropsychological tasks (i.e., alertness, sustained attention, divided attention, go/no-go, and attentional set-shifting).


RESULTS
All clinical groups showed attentional problems, especially in more complex attentional tasks and in the intensity aspects of attention. We observed the most severe attentional impairments in children with ADHD that was independent from a comorbid DD.


CONCLUSIONS
The clinical groups were significantly different from the healthy control group, especially in more complex attentional tasks and in the intensity aspects of attention. Some differences between ADHD, DDs and ADHD+DDs groups were detected on neuropsychological attentional performance, but the effects were not strong enough to differentiate the clinical groups from each other.
Günther
Thomas
T
Child Neuropsychology Section, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Medical Faculty, RWTH Aachen University, Germany.
Konrad
Kerstin
K
De Brito
Stéphane A
SA
Herpertz-Dahlmann
Beate
B
Vloet
Timo D
TD
D000293:Adolescent; D001288:Attention; D001289:Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity / Q000150:complications* / Q000523:psychology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000150:complications*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests