Lateralization of attention in adults with ADHD: evidence of pseudoneglect
File(s)
Author(s)
Helfer, Bartosz
Maltezos, Stefanos
Liddle, Elizabeth
Kuntsi, Jonna
Asherson, Philip
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
Background.
We investigated whether adults with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) show pseudoneglect—preferential allocation of attention to the left visual field (LVF) and a resulting slowing of mean reaction times (MRTs) in the right visual field (RVF), characteristic of neurotypical (NT) individuals —and whether lateralization of attention is modulated by presentation speed and incentives.
Method.
Fast Task, a four-choice reaction-time task where stimuli were presented in LVF or RVF, was used to investigate differences in MRT and reaction time variability (RTV) in adults with ADHD (n = 43) and NT adults (n = 46) between a slow/no-incentive and fast/incentive condition. In the lateralization analyses, pseudoneglect was assessed based on MRT, which was calculated separately for the LVF and RVF for each condition and each study participant.
Results.
Adults with ADHD had overall slower MRT and increased RTV relative to NT. MRT and RTV improved under the fast/incentive condition. Both groups showed RVF-slowing with no between-group or between-conditions differences in RVF-slowing.
Conclusion.
Adults with ADHD exhibited pseudoneglect, a NT pattern of lateralization of attention, which was not attenuated by presentation speed and incentives.
We investigated whether adults with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) show pseudoneglect—preferential allocation of attention to the left visual field (LVF) and a resulting slowing of mean reaction times (MRTs) in the right visual field (RVF), characteristic of neurotypical (NT) individuals —and whether lateralization of attention is modulated by presentation speed and incentives.
Method.
Fast Task, a four-choice reaction-time task where stimuli were presented in LVF or RVF, was used to investigate differences in MRT and reaction time variability (RTV) in adults with ADHD (n = 43) and NT adults (n = 46) between a slow/no-incentive and fast/incentive condition. In the lateralization analyses, pseudoneglect was assessed based on MRT, which was calculated separately for the LVF and RVF for each condition and each study participant.
Results.
Adults with ADHD had overall slower MRT and increased RTV relative to NT. MRT and RTV improved under the fast/incentive condition. Both groups showed RVF-slowing with no between-group or between-conditions differences in RVF-slowing.
Conclusion.
Adults with ADHD exhibited pseudoneglect, a NT pattern of lateralization of attention, which was not attenuated by presentation speed and incentives.
Date Issued
2020-06-29
Date Acceptance
2020-06-19
Citation
European Psychiatry, 2020, 63 (1), pp.1-8
ISSN
0924-9338
Publisher
Cambridge University Press (CUP)
Start Page
1
End Page
8
Journal / Book Title
European Psychiatry
Volume
63
Issue
1
Copyright Statement
© The Author(s), 2020. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of European Psychiatric Association
This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike licence (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/), which permits non-commercial re-use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the same Creative Commons licence is included and the original work is properly cited. The written permission of Cambridge University Press must be obtained for commercial re-use.
This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike licence (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/), which permits non-commercial re-use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the same Creative Commons licence is included and the original work is properly cited. The written permission of Cambridge University Press must be obtained for commercial re-use.
Identifier
https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/european-psychiatry/article/lateralization-of-attention-in-adults-with-adhd-evidence-of-pseudoneglect/EA9B64D28B17901D4F7FBCF4CDC2B622
Subjects
ADHD
arousal
attention
lateralization
reaction time
11 Medical and Health Sciences
17 Psychology and Cognitive Sciences
Psychiatry
Publication Status
Published
Date Publish Online
2020-06-29