FRONTAL SYSTEMS DYSFUNCTION IN CHILDREN WITH ATTENTION-DEFICIT HYPERACTIVITY DISORDER AND LEARNING-DISABILITIES/

Tests of attention, inhibition, working memory, motor learning, and pr oblem solving-functions associated with the brain's frontal systems-we re administered to 26 children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity di sorder and learning disabilities (ADHD + LD), 22 children with LD only and 10 with ADHD only. Percentages of abnormal test results and signi ficantly impaired scores were higher for the two groups with LD than f or the ADHD-only group. The groups differed significantly on some test s of attention-inhibition-cueing, working memory, and problem solving, with the ADHD + LD and LD groups performing worse than the ADHD-only group. Abnormalities of frontal systems tests are not exclusive ADHD c haracteristics and are also present in LD children, implying a strong connection between centers of ''processing'' and centers of ''executiv e'' functions.