Language & Development Seminar Series: The Role of Attention in Explaining the Overlap Between ADHD and ASD
Professor Maddie Groom, University of Nottingham
Tuesday, 23 February 2016, 3pm to 5pm
C113 Weiskrantz Room, Department of Experimental Psychology
Hosted by Marina Puglisi
Maddie is an Assistant Professor at the University of Nottingham and her research aims to understand the neural basis of developmental psychiatric disorders, such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), Tourette Syndrome (TS) and schizophrenia, to develop more effective tools for diagnosis and treatment in child and adolescent psychiatry.
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) are neurodevelopmental disorders characterised by distinct diagnostic features. In recent years evidence has accumulated to reveal considerable overlap between the clinical phenotypes; a large proportion of children with ADHD show symptoms of ASD and vice versa. Despite this, there has been very little research designed specifically to test the neural mechanisms underpinning the overlap between these two conditions. I will present findings from behavioural and ERP studies showing significant overlap in attention deficits between ADHD and ASD that may help explain the comorbidity of these two conditions.