Card sorting performance and ADHD symptomatology in children and adolescents with Tourette syndrome

Children and adolescents with Tourette Syndrome (TS) do not have a characte ristic neuropsychological profile. Performance on complex cognitive tasks, particularly those associated with executive functioning (EF), has been var iable and sometimes contradictory. The high rate of comorbidity of TS with disorders, especially Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), may account for such variability. A group of 57 individuals with TS, aged 8 - 1 6, was examined on a component of executive functioning in relation to como rbid symptomatology of ADHD. Each participant was evaluated using two EF me asures, the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST) and the California Card Sort ing Test (CCST). Using factor analytic procedures for purposes of data redu ction, WCST and CCST measures loaded on different factors. Individuals with TS who had a high rate of ADHD symptomatology did not differ from those wi th a lower rate of ADHD symptomatology on any measure of card sorting perfo rmance.