Distinct information processing characteristics in dyslexia and ADHD during a covert orienting task: an event-related potential study.

OBJECTIVE: A visuo-spatial orienting task was used to investigate the individual and joint contribution of the presence of dyslexia and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) to information processing.

METHODS: Sixteen control, 17 dyslexic, 16 ADHD, and 15 comorbid adults performed the task, comprising a valid, invalid, and no-cue condition. Performance measures were errors and reaction time (RT). A negative potential in response to cues and targets (N2), and a positive potential in response to targets (P3) were derived from the EEG. A 2x2 design was used with the factors dyslexic/non-dyslexic, and ADHD/non-ADHD.

RESULTS: Dyslexic participants demonstrated a smaller cue-related N2, yet a greater target-related N2 in the valid condition. ADHD participants were discriminated by the P3 difference between the invalid and valid conditions. Comorbids differed from ADHD mainly in invalid-valid RT, and were similar to dyslexics in target N2 processing.

CONCLUSIONS: Dyslexics were impaired in early information processing, and participants with ADHD differed for later processing stages.

SIGNIFICANCE: This is the first ERP study of attentional processes in dyslexia to incorporate an ADHD and a comorbid group. Its results may contribute to differentiation of these clinical groups.