Link Between Topographic Memory and the Combined Presentation of ADHD (ADHD-C): A Pilot Study.

Background: Topographic memory is the ability to reach various places by recognizing spatial layouts and getting oriented in familiar environments. It involves several different cognitive abilities, in particular executive functions (EF), such as attention, working memory, and planning. Children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) show impairments in inhibitory control, regulation of attention, planning, and working memory. Aim: The aim of this study was to evaluate the topographic memory in children with ADHD-combined subtype (ADHD-C). Method: Fifteen children (8-10 years) with a diagnosis of ADHD-C (DSM-5) (ADHD-C group) were compared to 15 children with typical development (TD group) of the same age. All children performed Raven's colored progressive matrices (CPM) test to obtain a measure related with cognitive functioning. The walking Corsi test (WalCT), a large-scale version of the Corsi block-tapping test, was used to assess topographic memory in experimental environment. Results: A higher impairment was observed in ADHD-C than TD with significant differences in the WalCT, in particular on the topographic short-term memory (TSTM) task, on the topographic learning (TL) task, and on the repetition number (RN) task during the TL task. Perseverative errors were reported in performing the square-sequence in the WalCT. Zero-order correlations showed a positive correlation between TSTM and auditory attention, and memory of design of NEPSY-II and digit span of WISC-IV. No statistically significant differences were found between the ADHD-C group and TD group in the TL task in the WalCT condition. Conclusion: In ADHD-C, initial topographic learning was compromised whereas the long-term retention of learned topographical material seemed to not be impaired. In particular, these impairments seem to be linked with difficulties in sustained attention, in spatial memory for novel visual materials, in a poor working memory, and in perseverative behaviors.

Intellectual functioning and executive functions in children and adolescents with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and specific learning disorder (SLD).

Several studies have shown neuropsychological deficits across multiple domains in attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and specific learning disorder (SLD), but differences and similarities between these disorders have been little considered. We were interested in analyzing the intellectual and executive profiles in a sample of children and adolescents, divided according to the diagnosis into the ADHD group and the SLD group, and in identifying the differences and similarities between these disorders. The sample included two clinical groups: the first included 36 children and adolescents with a diagnosis of ADHD (5-15 years; mean = 9.42; SD = 2.22) while the second included 36 children and adolescents with a diagnosis of SLD (7-15 years; mean = 9.43; SD = 2.25). The WISC-IV was used to measure intellectual ability and the NEPSY-II was employed to measure executive functions. The results showed that the SLD group had significantly higher scores than the ADHD group on the NEPSY-II in the inhibition, cognitive flexibility, short-term verbal memory and verbal working memory domains. The ANCOVA showed differences regarding the FSIQ of WISC-IV, in that the SLD group obtaining higher scores than ADHD group. Findings showed that ADHD children are more impaired than SLD children, in particular in cognitive inhibition, cognitive flexibility, verbal memory, working memory and intellectual functioning. The recognition of the strengths and weaknesses of children and adolescents with ADHD and SLD allows to outline an educational and clinical intervention focused on their specific executive and intellectual functioning.

Face memory and face recognition in children and adolescents with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: A systematic review.

This review focuses on facial recognition abilities in children and adolescents with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). A systematic review, using PRISMA guidelines, was conducted to identify original articles published prior to May 2017 pertaining to memory, face recognition, affect recognition, facial expression recognition and recall of faces in children and adolescents with ADHD. The qualitative synthesis based on different studies shows a particular focus of the research on facial affect recognition without paying similar attention to the structural encoding of facial recognition. In this review, we further investigate facial recognition abilities in children and adolescents with ADHD, providing synthesis of the results observed in the literature, while detecting face recognition tasks used on face processing abilities in ADHD and identifying aspects not yet explored.

Reading and Writing Skills in Children With Specific Learning Disabilities With and Without Developmental Coordination Disorder.

This pilot study is to investigate the influence of a developmental coordination disorder (DCD) comorbidity in a group of children with learning disability (LD). Reading and writing were assessed to investigate if the coexistence of a motor impairment can worsen writing quality, speed, and reading accuracy. A sample of 33 LD children (aged 7-11 years) was divided in two subgroups, on the base of their scores on the Movement Assessment Battery for Children: LD-only (n = 14) and LD with a comorbidity for DCD (LD-DCD, n = 19). No differences were found in handwriting speed, but significant differences were found in handwriting quality: LD-DCD children showed a worst performance. Reading words and nonwords accuracy was more impaired in LD-only children than in LD-DCD children. Group differences suggest a poorer phonological decoding of the LD-only sample, whereas worst cursive handwriting legibility scores are typical of the motor-impaired subgroup.

Intellectual efficiency in children and adolescents with spina bifida myelomeningocele and shunted hydrocephalus.

We studied the intellectual profiles of 13 Italian children diagnosed with spina bifida myelomeningocele and shunted hydrocephalus (MMC HC) against a control group of children. The results showed that MMC HC group had lower performance in all subtests, four indices, and the FSIQ of the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children, forth-edition. The MMC HC group showed flat cognitive profiles between subtests within each index and between four core indices. However, the cognitive abilities that were mostly impaired seemed to be related to visual selective and focused attention, to visual acuity, to visuo-perceptive organization and visuomotor integration and to visual short-term memory.