Comparison of executive functions in attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder and pathological internet use in children and adolescents

Abstract

Objective: Prevalance of pathological internet use (PIU) is increasing in children and adolescents. Although it has multifactorial etiologies, some symptoms are considered as impulsive whereas some are compulsive in nature. This study is aimed to compare individuals having PIU with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) which have more specific findings in terms of executive functioning. Method:Participants (n=104) of this study were 8-18 years-old-aged right-handed, drug-naive children and adolescents with IQ>85, and were grouped into 4 groups: ADHD, OCD, PIU and healthy control (HC). They are assessed with K-SADS, Yale Brown Obsessive Compulsive Disorder Scale, Young Internet Addiction Scale and Turgay Disruptive Behavior Scale-ADHD. STROOP test, Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST), Judgement of Line Orientation (JLO) and Visual-Aural Digit Span Test (VADST) were used as neuropsychological (NP) tests. Results:Study sample was composed of 13 (12.5%) girls and 91 (87.5%) boys with a mean age of 11.5±2.7 years old. PIU group had the lowest scores in STROOP time and the highest scores in BLOT and VADST tests(p>0.05). ADHD group has the lowest scores in JLO and VASDT- auditory verbal, visual-verbal and visual-written subtests (p<0.05) Groups were similar in WCST completed category, conceptual response and scores. ADHD group had the highest scores in WCST perseverative responses and errors (p>0.05). Discussion:Executive function abnormalities are more specific for ADHD cases rather than PIU and OCD. However, shorter response time in PIU group suggests that online games and other internet use may increase the speed of information processing. Visual content of internet might cause PIU group to score better in short term memory, visual perception, visual memory and orientation tests. NP profile of the PIU resembles OCD group than ADHD group suggesting that PIU cases with no comorbid conditions might have same neurobiology as OCD.