Sensory processing and P300 event-related potential correlates of stimulant response in children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder: A critical review

Background: The Complex Attention-deficit Hyperactivity Disorders Service (CAHDS) conduct caregiver information sessions across a number of different topics throughout each year. The aim of these workshops is to help caregivers better understand and relate to their child with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The four workshops cover different topics related to ADHD, and are facilitated by related disciplines. The topics covered include; understanding your childs behaviour, family self-care and stress management, Social connectedness and communication, sensory processing and ADHD. Objective: To assess the efficacy of the caregiver information workshops on caregiver belief in their understanding, use of strategies, and resources, to help their child with ADHD. Method: Caregivers who had children with or previously with the CAHDS service were invited to attend workshops held throughout the year. Caregivers complete a feedback survey before and after the session, and the results were compared. Data was collected from 2016 to 2019. Results: For each of the workshop topics, caregivers reported a weak to moderate improvement in their understanding, strategies, and resources for helping their children with ADHD. Significance and sampling issues are discussed. Conclusions : Information sessions for caregivers present as an efficacious treatment approach in the understanding and support of children with ADHD.

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Visual statistical learning and integration of perceptual priors are intact in attention deficit hyperactivity disorder

PLoS ONE ◽

10.1371/journal.pone.0243100 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 15 (12) ◽

pp. e0243100

Author(s):

Katie L. Richards ◽

Povilas Karvelis ◽

Stephen M. Lawrie ◽

Peggy Seriès

Keyword(s):

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder ◽

Statistical Learning ◽

Sensory Processing ◽

Attention Deficit ◽

Predictive Processing ◽

Group Differences ◽

Control Group ◽

Low Level ◽

Visual Statistical Learning ◽

Hyperactivity Disorder

Background Deficits in visual statistical learning and predictive processing could in principle explain the key characteristics of inattention and distractibility in attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Specifically, from a Bayesian perspective, ADHD may be associated with flatter likelihoods (increased sensory processing noise), and/or difficulties in generating or using predictions. To our knowledge, such hypotheses have never been directly tested. Methods We here test these hypotheses by evaluating whether adults diagnosed with ADHD (n = 17) differed from a control group (n = 30) in implicitly learning and using low-level perceptual priors to guide sensory processing. We used a visual statistical learning task in which participants had to estimate the direction of a cloud of coherently moving dots. Unbeknown to the participants, two of the directions were more frequently presented than the others, creating an implicit bias (prior) towards those directions. This task had previously revealed differences in other neurodevelopmental disorders, such as autistic spectrum disorder and schizophrenia. Results We found that both groups acquired the prior expectation for the most frequent directions and that these expectations substantially influenced task performance. Overall, there were no group differences in how much the priors influenced performance. However, subtle group differences were found in the influence of the prior over time. Conclusion Our findings suggest that the symptoms of inattention and hyperactivity in ADHD do not stem from broad difficulties in developing and/or using low-level perceptual priors.

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