Central Processing Energetic Factors Mediate Impaired Motor Control in ADHD Combined Subtype But Not in ADHD Inattentive Subtype

• Published in: Journal of learning disabilities 2012-07, Vol.45 (4), p.361-370
• Main Authors: Egeland, Jens, Ueland, Torill, Johansen, Susanne
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adolescent; Arousal; Attention; Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity - classification; Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity - diagnosis; Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity - psychology; Attention deficit disorders. Hyperactivity; Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder; Bioenergetics; Biological and medical sciences; Child; Child clinical studies; Cognitive ability; Cognitive Processes; Correlation; Female; Fines; Handwriting; Humans; Hyperactivity; Impaired control; Internal-External Control; Learning disabilities; Male; Measures (Individuals); Medical sciences; Motivation; Motor ability; Motor performance; Motor Skills Disorders - classification; Motor Skills Disorders - diagnosis; Motor Skills Disorders - psychology; Neuropsychological Tests - statistics & numerical data; Personality Assessment - statistics & numerical data; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychometrics - statistics & numerical data; Psychomotor Disorders - classification; Psychomotor Disorders - diagnosis; Psychomotor Disorders - psychology; Psychomotor Skills; Psychopathology. Psychiatry; Reference Values; Special education; Subtypes; Tests; Visual Motor Integration Test; Visual task performance
• ISSN: 0022-2194; 1538-4780
• DOI: 10.1177/0022219411407922

Participants with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are often impaired in visuomotor tasks. However, little is known about the contribution of modal impairment in motor function relative to central processing deficits or whether different processes underlie the impairment in ADHD combined (ADHD-C) versus ADHD inattentive (ADHD-I) subtype. The present study analyzes performance on the Visual Motor Integration Test relative to less effortful motor tests as well as on measures of energetics. Both ADHD groups showed evidence of impaired motor function on both visual-motor integration (VMI) and the less effortful motor tests. The ADHD-C group performed below the ADHD-I group on VMI, but their performance correlated highly with the measures of the energetic pools of arousal and effort. Different mechanisms may underlie impaired fine motor skills in ADHD. Central processing deficits contribute significantly to the deficit of ADHD-C but do not explain the motor impairment in ADHD-I.