A review of executive function deficits in autism spectrum disorder and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder

Francesco Craig, Francesco Margari, Anna R Legrottaglie, Roberto Palumbi, Concetta de Giambattista, Lucia Margari, Francesco Craig, Francesco Margari, Anna R Legrottaglie, Roberto Palumbi, Concetta de Giambattista, Lucia Margari

Abstract

Executive dysfunction has been shown to be a promising endophenotype in neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). This article reviewed 26 studies that examined executive function comparing ASD and/or ADHD children. In light of findings from this review, the ASD + ADHD group appears to share impairment in both flexibility and planning with the ASD group, while it shares the response inhibition deficit with the ADHD group. Conversely, deficit in attention, working memory, preparatory processes, fluency, and concept formation does not appear to be distinctive in discriminating from ASD, ADHD, or ASD + ADHD group. On the basis of neurocognitive endophenotype, the common co-occurrence of executive function deficits seems to reflect an additive comorbidity, rather than a separate condition with distinct impairments.

Keywords: ASD + ADHD; attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder; autism spectrum disorder; executive function; neurocognitive endophenotype.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Similarities and differences in executive functioning between ASD, ADHD, and ASD + ADHD groups. Notes: The ASD + ADHD group appeared to share impairment in the flexibility and planning with the ASD group, while it shares the response inhibition deficit with the ADHD group. Conversely, deficit in attention, WM, preparatory processes, fluency, and concept formation does not appear to be distinctive in discriminating from ASD, ADHD, or ASD + ADHD group. Abbreviations: ASD, autism spectrum disorder; ADHD, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder; WM, working memory.

References

    1. Miyake A, Friedman NP. The nature and organization of individual differences in executive functions: four general conclusions. Curr Dir Psychol Sci. 2012;21(1):8–14.
    1. Ozonoff S. Executive functions in autism. In: Schopler E, Mesibov G, editors. Learning and Cognition in Autism. New York: Plenum Press; 1995. pp. 199–219.
    1. Ozonoff S, Pennington BF, Rogers SJ. Executive function deficits in high-functioning autistic individuals: relationship to theory of mind. J Child Psychol Psychiatry. 1991;32(7):1081–1105.
    1. Russell J. Autism as an Executive Disorder. Oxford: Oxford University Press; 1997. How executive disorders can bring about an inadequate “theory of mind”; pp. 256–304.
    1. Barkley RA. Behavioral inhibition, sustained attention, and executive functions: constructing a unifying theory of ADHD. Psychol Bull. 1997;121(1):65–94.
    1. Biederman J, Monuteaux MC, Doyle AE, et al. Impact of executive function deficits and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) on academic outcomes in children. J Consult Clin Psychol. 2004;72(5):757–766.
    1. Nigg JT, Blaskey LG, Huang-Pollock CL, Rappley MD. Neuropsychological executive functions and DSM-IV ADHD subtypes. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 2002;41(1):59–66.
    1. Willcutt EG, Doyle AE, Nigg JT, Faraone SV, Pennington BF. Validity of the executive function theory of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder: a meta-analytic review. Biol Psychiatry. 2005;57(11):1336–1346.
    1. Craig F, Lamanna AL, Margari F, Matera E, Simone M, Margari L. Overlap between autism spectrum disorders and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: searching for distinctive/common clinical features. Autism Res. 2015;8(3):328–337.
    1. Grzadzinski R, Di Martino A, Brady E, et al. Examining autistic traits in children with ADHD: does the autism spectrum extend to ADHD? J Autism Dev Disord. 2011;41(9):1178–1191.
    1. Simonoff E, Pickles A, Charman T, Chandler S, Loucas T, Baird G. Psychiatric disorders in children with autism spectrum disorders: prevalence, comorbidity, and associated factors in a population-derived sample. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 2008;47(8):921–929.
    1. Rommelse NN, Franke B, Geurts HM, Hartman CA, Buitelaar JK. Shared heritability of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and autism spectrum disorder. Eur Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 2010;19(3):281–295.
    1. Ronald A, Simonoff E, Kuntsi J, Asherson P, Plomin R. Evidence for overlapping genetic influences on autistic and ADHD behaviours in a community twin sample. J Child Psychol Psychiatry. 2008;49(5):535–542.
    1. Taurines R, Schwenck C, Westerwald E, Sachse M, Siniatchkin M, Freitag C. ADHD and autism: differential diagnosis or overlapping traits? A selective review. Atten Defic Hyperact Disord. 2012;4(3):115–139.
    1. Croen LA, Grether JK, Yoshida CK, Odouli R, Hendrick V. Antidepressant use during pregnancy and childhood autism spectrum disorders. Arch Gen Psychiatry. 2011;68(11):1104–1112.
    1. Kroger A, Hanig S, Seitz C, Palmason H, Meyer J, Freitag CM. Risk factors of autistic symptoms in children with ADHD. Eur Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 2011;20(11–12):561–570.
    1. Lyall K, Pauls DL, Spiegelman D, Ascherio A, Santangelo SL. Pregnancy complications and obstetric suboptimality in association with autism spectrum disorders in children of the Nurses’ Health Study II. Autism Res. 2012;5(1):21–30.
    1. Brieber S, Neufang S, Bruning N, et al. Structural brain abnormalities in adolescents with autism spectrum disorder and patients with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder. J Child Psychol Psychiatry. 2007;48(12):1251–1258.
    1. Christakou A, Murphy CM, Chantiluke K, et al. Disorder-specific functional abnormalities during sustained attention in youth with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and with autism. Mol Psychiatry. 2013;18(2):236–244.
    1. Holtmann M, Bolte S, Poustka F. Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder symptoms in pervasive developmental disorders: association with autistic behavior domains and coexisting psychopathology. Psychopathology. 2007;40(3):172–177.
    1. Ronald A, Edelson LR, Asherson P, Saudino KJ. Exploring the relationship between autistic-like traits and ADHD behaviors in early childhood: findings from a community twin study of 2-year-olds. J Abnorm Child Psychol. 2010;38(2):185–196.
    1. Leitner Y. The co-occurrence of autism and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in children – what do we know? Front Hum Neurosci. 2014;8:268.
    1. Ghezzo A, Guerini FR, Bolognesi E, et al. Neuropsycological gender differences in healthy individuals and in pediatric neurodevelopmental disorders. A role for SNAP-25. Med Hypotheses. 2009;73(6):978–980.
    1. Braida D, Guerini FR, Ponzoni L, et al. Association between SNAP-25 gene polymorphisms and cognition in autism: functional consequences and potential therapeutic strategies. Transl Psychiatry. 2015;5:e500.
    1. Guerini FR, Bolognesi E, Chiappedi M, et al. SNAP-25 single nucleotide polymorphisms are associated with hyperactivity in autism spectrum disorders. Pharmacol Res. 2011;64(3):283–288.
    1. Pennington BF, Ozonoff S. Executive functions and developmental psychopathology. J Child Psychol Psychiatry. 1996;37(1):51–87.
    1. Milich RB, Balentine AC, Lynam DR. ADHD combined type and ADHD predominantly inattentive type are distinct and unrelated disorders. Clinical Psychology: Science and Practice. 2001;8:463–488.
    1. Gargaro BA, Rinehart NJ, Bradshaw JL, Tonge BJ, Sheppard DM. Autism and ADHD: how far have we come in the comorbidity debate? Neurosci Biobehav Rev. 2011;35(5):1081–1088.
    1. Ahmadi N, Goodarzi MA, Hadianfard H, et al. Comparing iconic memory in children with and without attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Iran J Psychiatry. 2013;8(3):131–137.
    1. Hughes C, Russell J, Robbins TW. Evidence for executive dysfunction in autism. Neuropsychologia. 1994;32(4):477–492.
    1. Pascualvaca DM, Fantie BD, Papageorgiou M, Mirsky AF. Attentional capacities in children with autism: is there a general deficit in shifting focus? J Autism Dev Disord. 1998;28(6):467–478.
    1. Courchesne E, Townsend J, Akshoomoff NA, et al. Impairment in shifting attention in autistic and cerebellar patients. Behav Neurosci. 1994;108(5):848–865.
    1. Noterdaeme M, Mildenberger K, Minow F, Amorosa H. Evaluation of neuromotor deficits in children with autism and children with a specific speech and language disorder. Eur Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 2002;11(5):219–225.
    1. Brian JA, Tipper SP, Weaver B, Bryson SE. Inhibitory mechanisms in autism spectrum disorders: typical selective inhibition of location versus facilitated perceptual processing. J Child Psychol Psychiatry. 2003;44(4):552–560.
    1. Ozonoff S, Jensen J. Brief report: specific executive function profiles in three neurodevelopmental disorders. J Autism Dev Disord. 1999;29(2):171–177.
    1. Hill E, Berthoz S, Frith U. Brief report: cognitive processing of own emotions in individuals with autistic spectrum disorder and in their relatives. J Autism Dev Disord. 2004;34(2):229–235.
    1. O’Hearn K, Asato M, Ordaz S, Luna B. Neurodevelopment and executive function in autism. Dev Psychopathol. 2008;20(4):1103–1132.
    1. Gioia GA, Isquith PK, Kenworthy L, Barton RM. Profiles of everyday executive function in acquired and developmental disorders. Child Neuropsychol. 2002;8(2):121–137.
    1. Hovik KT, Egeland J, Isquith PK, et al. Distinct patterns of everyday executive function problems distinguish children with Tourette syndrome from children with ADHD or autism spectrum disorders. J Atten Disord. 2014 Sep 24; Epub.
    1. Semrud-Clikeman M, Walkowiak J, Wilkinson A, Butcher B. Executive functioning in children with Asperger syndrome, ADHD-combined type, ADHD-predominately inattentive type, and controls. J Autism Dev Disord. 2010;40(8):1017–1027.
    1. Salcedo-Marin MD, Moreno-Granados JM, Ruiz-Veguilla M, Ferrin M. Evaluation of planning dysfunction in attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and autistic spectrum disorders using the zoo map task. Child Psychiatry Hum Dev. 2013;44(1):166–185.
    1. Lawson RA, Papadakis AA, Higginson CI, et al. Everyday executive function impairments predict comorbid psychopathology in autism spectrum and attention deficit hyperactivity disorders. Neuropsychology. 2015;29(3):445–453.
    1. Matsuura N, Ishitobi M, Arai S, et al. Distinguishing between autism spectrum disorder and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder by using behavioral checklists, cognitive assessments, and neuropsychological test battery. Asian J Psychiatr. 2014;12:50–57.
    1. Corbett BA, Constantine LJ, Hendren R, Rocke D, Ozonoff S. Examining executive functioning in children with autism spectrum disorder, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and typical development. Psychiatry Res. 2009;166(2–3):210–222.
    1. Sinzig J, Morsch D, Bruning N, Schmidt MH, Lehmkuhl G. Inhibition, flexibility, working memory and planning in autism spectrum disorders with and without comorbid ADHD-symptoms. Child Adolesc Psychiatry Ment Health. 2008;2(1):4.
    1. Happé F, Booth R, Charlton R, Hughes C. Executive function deficits in autism spectrum disorders and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder: examining profiles across domains and ages. Brain Cogn. 2006;61(1):25–39.
    1. Goldberg MC, Mostofsky SH, Cutting LE, et al. Subtle executive impairment in children with autism and children with ADHD. J Autism Dev Disord. 2005;35(3):279–293.
    1. Geurts HM, Verte S, Oosterlaan J, Roeyers H, Sergeant JA. How specific are executive functioning deficits in attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and autism? J Child Psychol Psychiatry. 2004;45(4):836–854.
    1. Tsuchiya E, Oki J, Yahara N, Fujieda K. Computerized version of the Wisconsin card sorting test in children with high-functioning autistic disorder or attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Brain Dev. 2005;27(3):233–236.
    1. Xiao T, Xiao Z, Ke X, et al. Response inhibition impairment in high functioning autism and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: evidence from near-infrared spectroscopy data. PLoS One. 2012;7(10):e46569.
    1. Nyden A, Gillberg C, Hjelmquist E, Heiman M. Executive function/attention deficits in boys with Asperger syndrome, attention disorder and reading/writing disorder. Autism. 1999;3:213–228.
    1. Samyn V, Roeyers H, Bijttebier P, Rosseel Y, Wiersema JR. Assessing effortful control in typical and atypical development: are questionnaires and neuropsychological measures interchangeable? A latent-variable analysis. Res Dev Disabil. 2014;36C:587–599.
    1. Sinzig J, Bruning N, Morsch D, Lehmkuhl G. Attention profiles in autistic children with and without comorbid hyperactivity and attention problems. Acta Neuropsychiatr. 2008;20(4):207–215.
    1. Yang J, Zhou S, Yao S, Su L, McWhinnie C. The relationship between theory of mind and executive function in a sample of children from mainland China. Child Psychiatry Hum Dev. 2009;40(2):169–182.
    1. Yasumura A, Kokubo N, Yamamoto H, et al. Neurobehavioral and hemodynamic evaluation of Stroop and reverse Stroop interference in children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Brain Dev. 2014;36(2):97–106.
    1. Takeuchi A, Ogino T, Hanafusa K, et al. Inhibitory function and working memory in attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder and pervasive developmental disorders: does a continuous cognitive gradient explain ADHD and PDD traits? Acta Med Okayama. 2013;67(5):293–303.
    1. Kado Y, Sanada S, Yanagihara M, et al. Executive function in children with pervasive developmental disorder and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder assessed by the Keio version of the Wisconsin card sorting test. Brain Dev. 2012;34(5):354–359.
    1. Sinzig J, Vinzelberg I, Evers D, Lehmkuhl G. Executive function and attention profiles in preschool and elementary school children with autism spectrum disorders or ADHD. Int J Dev Disabil. 2014;60(3):144–154.
    1. Gomarus HK, Wijers AA, Minderaa RB, Althaus M. ERP correlates of selective attention and working memory capacities in children with ADHD and/or PDD-NOS. Clin Neurophysiol. 2009;120(1):60–72.
    1. Tye C, Asherson P, Ashwood KL, Azadi B, Bolton P, McLoughlin G. Attention and inhibition in children with ASD, ADHD and co-morbid ASD + ADHD: an event-related potential study. Psychol Med. 2014;44(5):1101–1116.
    1. Johnson KA, Robertson IH, Kelly SP, et al. Dissociation in performance of children with ADHD and high-functioning autism on a task of sustained attention. Neuropsychologia. 2007;45(10):2234–2245.
    1. Samyn V, Wiersema JR, Bijttebier P, Roeyers H. Effortful control and executive attention in typical and atypical development: an event-related potential study. Biol Psychol. 2014;99:160–171.
    1. Chan RC, Shum D, Toulopoulou T, Chen EY. Assessment of executive functions: review of instruments and identification of critical issues. Arch Clin Neuropsychol. 2008;23(2):201–216.

Source: PubMed

Sponsoren und Mitarbeiter

Krankheiten

Drogeninterventionen

3
Abonnieren