Visual Event Related Potentials and Reaction Time in Normal Adults, Normal Children, and Children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: Differences in Short-Term Memory Processing

Abstract

Visual Event Related Potentials were recorded during a memory search paradigm in 30 normal adults, 17 normal children, and 14 children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Group differences were found in P3 latency and amplitude, Reaction Time and number of errors. The findings indicate a different information processing pattern for ADHD children who possibly use a “self-terminating” as opposed to “exhaustive” search strategy.

Key Words:

• Event related potentials (ERP)
• reaction time
• attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
• short term memory