Biological Psychiatry
Volume 54, Issue 12 , Pages 1345-1354, 15 December 2003

Inhibitory motor control in children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder: event-related potentials in the stop-signal paradigm

  • Aneta Dimoska

      Affiliations

    • Brain and Behaviour Research Institute and Department of Psychology, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, Australia
    • ,
  • Stuart J Johnstone

      Affiliations

    • Brain and Behaviour Research Institute and Department of Psychology, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, Australia
    • Corresponding Author InformationAddress reprint requests to Stuart J. Johnstone, Brain and Behaviour Research Institute and Department of Psychology, University of Wollongong, Wollongong 2522, Australia.
    • ,
  • Robert J Barry

      Affiliations

    • Brain and Behaviour Research Institute and Department of Psychology, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, Australia
    • ,
  • Adam R Clarke

      Affiliations

    • Brain and Behaviour Research Institute and Department of Psychology, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, Australia

Received 31 March 2003; received in revised form 24 June 2003; accepted 27 June 2003.

Abstract 

Background

The aim of the study was to investigate the inhibitory control of an ongoing motor response and to identify underlying neural deficiencies, manifested in event-related potentials, that cause poorer inhibitory performance in children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder.

Methods

A stop-signal paradigm with a primary visual task and auditory stop signal was used to compare performance in 13 children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and 13 control children, while event-related potentials were recorded simultaneously.

Results

Children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder showed poorer inhibitory performance through a slower inhibitory process. Inhibitory processing of auditory stop signals was marked by a frontal N2 component that was reduced in the attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder group relative to controls. A central positive component (P3) was associated with the success of inhibiting a response, but there were no group differences in its amplitude or latency.

Conclusions

Findings support the hypothesis of deficient inhibitory control in children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Slower inhibitory processing appears to be due to a specific neural deficiency that manifests in the processing of the stop signal as attenuated negativity in the N2 latency range.

Keywords:  Inhibition, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, ADHD, event-related potentials, stop-signal paradigm

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PII: S0006-3223(03)00703-0

doi:10.1016/S0006-3223(03)00703-0

Biological Psychiatry
Volume 54, Issue 12 , Pages 1345-1354, 15 December 2003

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