Attention Deficit Disorder and Neuropsychological Functioning in Children With Tourette's Syndrome

Neuropsychological deficits in Tourette's syndrome (TS) may result from co-morbid psychiatric disorders. This study compared the neuropsychological performance of TS children with and without attention deficit disorder (ADD). Participants were 82 children between 6 and 18 years of age with TS, 36 of whom had ADD. ADD children did not differ from non-ADD children in age or in onset or duration of TS but did display more severe complex tics and obsessive-compulsive (OCD) symptoms. After statistical control for these characteristics, ADD children demonstrated significant deficits in various elements of attention, including encoding, sustaining, and focusing/executing, and in academic achievement. They did not differ in IQ, non-attentional cognitive skills, or sensorimotor functions. The co-morbid psychiatric disorders associated with TS yield distinct patterns of neuropsychological functioning that may reflect overlapping neuroanatomic substrates.