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 2 x 2 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 all ADHD and a comorbid group. Its results may contribute to differentiation of these clinical groups. (c) 2008 International Federation or Clinical Neurophysiology. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.