The effect of ADHD symptoms on performance monitoring in a non-clinical population

Herrmann, Martin J.; Saathoff, Claudia; Schreppel, Theresa J.; Ehlis, Ann-Christine; Scheuerpflug, Peter; Pauli, Paul; Fallgatter, Andreas J.

doi:10.1016/j.psychres.2008.06.015

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Volume 169, Issue 2 , Pages 144-148, 30 September 2009

The effect of ADHD symptoms on performance monitoring in a non-clinical population

Martin J. Herrmann
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
- Department of Psychology, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
- Corresponding author. Genomic Imaging, Department of Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, Füchsleinstr. 15, 97080 Würzburg, Germany. Tel.: +49 931 20176650; fax: +49 931 20177550
Claudia Saathoff
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
Theresa J. Schreppel
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
Ann-Christine Ehlis
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
Peter Scheuerpflug
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
Paul Pauli
- Department of Psychology, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
Andreas J. Fallgatter
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany

Received 17 October 2006; received in revised form 15 November 2007; accepted 12 June 2008.

Abstract

Recent studies suggested deficits in error processing in patients with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), but some inconsistencies are still present. Using the ADHD screening questionnaire, the Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale, we investigated the association between the amount of inattention and hyperactivity/impulsivity symptoms in a non-clinical population of healthy students (n=56) and the neural correlates of error processing measured with event-related potentials. We found reduced amplitudes of error-positivity (Pe) with increasing symptoms of inattention, but no correlation with error-related negativity. These results suggest that attention deficits reduce the conscious evaluation of an error as reflected by reduced Pe amplitudes.