Ex-Gaussian, Frequency and Reward Analyses Reveal Specificity of Reaction Time Fluctuations to ADHD and Not Autism Traits.

Ex-Gaussian, Frequency and Reward Analyses Reveal Specificity of Reaction Time Fluctuations to ADHD and Not Autism Traits. J Abnorm Child Psychol. 2018 Jul 19;: Authors: Adamo N, Hodsoll J, Asherson P, Buitelaar JK, Kuntsi J Abstract Both attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have been linked to increased reaction time variability (RTV), a marker of attentional fluctuation. Here we test whether specificity to either trait emerges when we examine (1) detailed ex-Gaussian and frequency RTV subcomponents, (2) effects while controlling for the other trait and (3) improvement in the RTV measures following rewards or a faster event rate. 1110 children aged 7-10 years from a population-based sample completed a Go/No-Go task under three conditions (slow, fast and incentives). We measured RTV with standard deviation of RT (SDRT), ex-Gaussian distribution measures (Sigma and Tau), RT fluctuations in cycles of ~14-90 s in all conditions (Slow-4 and Slow-5), and RT fluctuations in cycles of 2-14 s in the fast condition (Slow-2 and Slow-3). Parent-rated ADHD and ASD traits were obtained. All refined RTV components were linked to ADHD traits only and not to ASD traits, while Sigma did not relate to either trait. Although both ADHD and ASD social-communication traits were associated with SDRT, the association with social-communication impairments disappeared when controlling for ADHD traits. A reward-...
Source: Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology - Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: Tags: J Abnorm Child Psychol Source Type: research