Go/NoGo Performance in Boys with Tourette Syndrome

Abstract

This study compared performance and performance monitoring in 19 boys with Tourette syndrome (TS) (12.64 years, ± 2.05) and 19 age-matched controls (13.16 years, ± 2.29) using a Go/NoGo task. The results indicated similar performance accuracy in the TS group and the control group. TS participants showed slower correct responses than the control group, whereas error response times were not different between the groups. The results are discussed with reference to inhibitory adaptive effects that may be employed by TS participants to maintain high accuracy at the cost of overall slower performance. These effects may be suspended prior to errors.

Keywords:

• Children
• Tourette syndrome
• Cognitive control
• Inhibition

The present study was financially supported with grants from the Center for Child and Adolescent Mental Health, University of Bergen, to Kerstin J. Plessen and from the Research Council of Norway to Kenneth Hugdahl.