OBJECTIVE: Memory problems are a frequently reported symptom in adult ADHD, and it is well-documented that adults with ADHD perform poorly on long-term memory tests. However, the cause of this effect is still controversial. The present meta-analysis examined underlying mechanisms that may lead to long-term memory impairments in adult ADHD. METHOD: We performed separate meta-analyses of measures of memory acquisition and long-term memory using both verbal and visual memory tests. In addition, the influence of potential moderator variables was examined. RESULTS: Adults with ADHD performed significantly worse than controls on verbal but not on visual long-term memory and memory acquisition subtests. The long-term memory deficit was strongly statistically related to the memory acquisition deficit. In contrast, no retrieval problems were observable. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that memory deficits in adult ADHD reflect a learning deficit induced at the stage of encoding. Implications for clinical and research settings are presented.
OBJECTIVE: Memory problems are a frequently reported symptom in adult ADHD, and it is well-documented that adults with ADHD perform poorly on long-term memory tests. However, the cause of this effect is still controversial. The present meta-analysis examined underlying mechanisms that may lead to long-term memory impairments in adult ADHD. METHOD: We performed separate meta-analyses of measures of memory acquisition and long-term memory using both verbal and visual memory tests. In addition, the influence of potential moderator variables was examined. RESULTS: Adults with ADHD performed significantly worse than controls on verbal but not on visual long-term memory and memory acquisition subtests. The long-term memory deficit was strongly statistically related to the memory acquisition deficit. In contrast, no retrieval problems were observable. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that memory deficits in adult ADHD reflect a learning deficit induced at the stage of encoding. Implications for clinical and research settings are presented.
Authors: Jeanette C Mostert; A Marten H Onnink; Barbara Franke; Martine Hoogman; Marieke Klein; Janneke Dammers; Anais Harneit; Theresa Schulten; Kimm J E van Hulzen; Cornelis C Kan; Dorine Slaats-Willemse; Jan K Buitelaar Journal: Eur Neuropsychopharmacol Date: 2015-08-21 Impact factor: 4.600
Authors: Margarete Klein; Maria Aparecida Silva; Gabriel Okawa Belizario; Cristiana Castanho de Almeida Rocca; Antonio De Padua Serafim; Mario R Louzã Journal: Front Psychol Date: 2019-05-28