Lateralized Control of Eye Movements in Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

Abstract

How does a complex syndrome that involves abnormalities in impulse control and sustained attention influence simple oculomotor responses to visual stimuli? We found that normal children, like adults, were faster in moving their eyes in directions controlled by the right cerebral hemisphere under conditions where there was no warning of the impending target. ADHD children did not show this asymmetry. We speculate that this result reflects a deficit in the vigilance network that serves to maintain the alert state.