BACKGROUND: Both theoretical and clinical accounts of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) implicate a dysfunctional reinforcement system. This study investigated heart rate parameters in response to feedback associated with reward and response cost in ADHD children and controls aged 8 to 12. METHODS: Heart rate responses (HRRs) following feedback and heart rate variability (HRV) in the low frequency band (.04-.08 Hz), a measure of mental effort, were calculated during a time production paradigm. Performance was coupled to monetary gain, loss or feedback-only in a cross-over design. RESULTS: Children with ADHD exhibited smaller HRRs to feedback compared to controls. HRV of children with ADHD decreased when performance was coupled to reward or response cost compared to feedback-only. HRV of controls was similar across conditions. CONCLUSIONS: Children with ADHD were characterised by (a) possible abnormalities in feedback monitoring and (b) motivational deficits, when no external reinforcement is present.
BACKGROUND: Both theoretical and clinical accounts of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) implicate a dysfunctional reinforcement system. This study investigated heart rate parameters in response to feedback associated with reward and response cost in ADHDchildren and controls aged 8 to 12. METHODS: Heart rate responses (HRRs) following feedback and heart rate variability (HRV) in the low frequency band (.04-.08 Hz), a measure of mental effort, were calculated during a time production paradigm. Performance was coupled to monetary gain, loss or feedback-only in a cross-over design. RESULTS:Children with ADHD exhibited smaller HRRs to feedback compared to controls. HRV of children with ADHD decreased when performance was coupled to reward or response cost compared to feedback-only. HRV of controls was similar across conditions. CONCLUSIONS:Children with ADHD were characterised by (a) possible abnormalities in feedback monitoring and (b) motivational deficits, when no external reinforcement is present.
Authors: Laura M S Dekkers; Melle J W van der Molen; Bregtje Gunther Moor; Frederik M van der Veen; Maurits W van der Molen Journal: Soc Cogn Affect Neurosci Date: 2015-04-13 Impact factor: 3.436